Wildes 2-1 in the final round Thanks to Joker Shaqiri, Witcher Salvi and VAR: Basel wins in the classic

Basel secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Zürich in their Super League clash at the Letzigrund on Saturday, with goals from Philippe Kény and Zan Celar. The match was marked by dramatic moments, including a controversial penalty decision overturned by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), and crucial contributions from substitute Xherdan Shaqiri and goalkeeper Mirko Salvi. The game began with Zürich taking an early lead in the eighth minute after a header from Miguel Reichmuth, which fell to Philippe Kény following a challenge on Victorien Aimé. The referee initially awarded the penalty, though the contact was unclear on television. Despite this, Kény calmly converted the spot-kick to put Zürich ahead. Basel struggled to find rhythm in the first half, with several chances blocked by Zürich's defenders, including a last-minute clearance by Bledian Krasniqi. The tide turned dramatically in the second half when Basel introduced Xherdan Shaqiri in the 52nd minute. His impact was immediate, as he helped orchestrate a series of dangerous attacks. In the 62nd minute, Kazeem Olaigbe equalized for Zürich with a powerful shot that struck the crossbar before finding the net. However, Shaqiri continued to exert influence, forcing several saves from Zürich’s goalkeeper, including a diving stop from Lindner after a free kick. The decisive moment came in the 85th minute when Shaqiri delivered a pinpoint free kick, leading to a penalty after Alexander Hack brought down Akpe Victory. The VAR reviewed the incident and confirmed the foul, allowing Zan Celar to score the winning goal. This sealed Basel’s third consecutive win against Zürich, extending their unbeaten run in the rivalry. Despite the late goal, Zürich remained resilient in the final minutes. They had multiple opportunities to level the score, including a missed shot from Umeh Emmanuel in the 92nd minute and a save from Mirko Salvi in the 94th minute. The visitors' persistence led to heated exchanges with the officials, particularly after a contentious penalty decision in stoppage time, which was later reversed by the VAR. Xherdan Shaqiri played a pivotal role in Basel’s success, providing both creativity and composure during his 35-minute cameo. His presence altered the dynamics of the game, helping to dismantle Zürich’s defensive structure. Meanwhile, Mirko Salvi made two critical interventions in stoppage time to deny Zürich a potential draw, showcasing his importance to the team’s resilience. Zürich, meanwhile, faced criticism for their inability to capitalize on their early advantage. While they controlled much of the midfield, their attacking efforts were often thwarted by Basel’s defense and Salvi’s distribution. The team’s performance highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in maintaining consistency throughout matches. The result leaves Basel with a perfect record in their recent encounters against Zürich, while Zürich continues to struggle, suffering their fourth loss in five games. The Swiss champions will face Young Boys in their next fixture, while Zürich will travel to Lausanne-Sport on the same day, adding another challenging week to their schedule.