FC Sion vs Annecy

Tholot's mass substitution at 60' was the decisive moment. Before the changes, Sion had laboured in the final third despite total control. The introduction of Boteli, Chipperfield, Surdez, Sylla, Rrudhani and Lukembila injected pace and directness that Annecy — who had also made wholesale changes at half-time — could not handle. Boteli's physical hold-up play and vision unlocked the French defence in a way the first-half attackers had not managed.

Winsley Boteli (Sion) — Man of the match. The 19-year-old Swiss striker came off the bench to assist Chipperfield and Surdez before scoring a goal of his own. His link-up play and movement changed the game's complexion entirely.

Liam Chipperfield (Sion) — One goal and one assist within 30 minutes of his introduction. The left-footer's composed finish for the second goal put the contest beyond doubt, though Le Dauphiné reported he may have been marginally offside.

Numa Lavanchy (Sion) — The right-back was a constant outlet down the flank and opened the scoring. Defensively solid too.

Anthony Racioppi (Sion) — Made a sharp save on a dangerous Annecy strike in the first half to preserve the clean sheet at a time when the match was still goalless.

The 4-0 scoreline reflects Sion's dominance but flatters slightly in volume: the first half was a story of wasted chances rather than clinical superiority. All four goals came from second-half substitutes — every player who scored entered the match in the 60th minute or later. Sion's six substitutions (to Annecy's zero, as tracked by the provider) underscore the depth Tholot can call upon, though Annecy effectively changed their entire XI at half-time, which the provider does not count as formal substitutions. Two yellow cards were issued in the second half: Koné for Annecy (64') and Venière (74') per the FC Sion match report, plus Rrudhani (75') for Sion.

Sion close their pre-season with a 100% record: four wins, 18 goals scored, one conceded. They travel to Baku on 23 July to face BATE Borisov in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round. Tholot's squad management — rotating heavily in earlier friendlies before settling on a core XI against Annecy — suggests the line-up for BATE will draw heavily from the first-half side, with Boteli pressing for a starting role after his cameo.

For Annecy, this was their second pre-season friendly after a 4-1 win over Villefranche Beaujolais on 10 July. Laurent Guyot's side remain in their Crans-Montana training camp and will face Premier League side Brighton on 25 July in Evian.

A professional, controlled pre-season performance from Sion that answered the only question that mattered: can they convert possession into goals? Eventually, yes — but only after the cavalry arrived from the bench. Boteli's performance was the standout takeaway and gives Tholot a genuine selection headache for the BATE Borisov trip. Annecy, still in early preparation, were outclassed by a side two weeks ahead in their fitness cycle.