FC WIL 1900 vs Grasshoppers

FC Wil bossed the opening period at the Lidl Arena, and took a deserved lead in the 16th minute. Allou collected the ball in the Grasshoppers half, drove at the defence and finished calmly past the GCZ goalkeeper to make it 1-0.

The lead doubled on 27 minutes. Breedijk, who had also scored in Wil's 2-0 loss to Austria Lustenau on 26 June, found space on the edge of the box and dispatched a low shot into the corner. Grasshoppers offered little in response during the first half, and the home side went into the break with a commanding two-goal cushion.

As they had done in their previous two friendlies — against FC Kreuzlingen (4-0) and SC Cham (3-2) — Grasshoppers head coach Peter Zeidler rang the changes at half-time, replacing the entire starting XI. The fresh legs gave GCZ more control in the second period, but clear chances remained scarce until the 74th minute.

Lee Young-Jun stepped up to convert a penalty after a Wil handball in the box, halving the deficit and setting up a potentially familiar script — the same side had squandered a 2-0 lead against Cham three days earlier before snatching a late winner.

But this time it was Wil who delivered the decisive blow. Keita latched onto a through ball in the 85th minute and finished smartly past the GCZ goalkeeper to restore the home side's two-goal advantage. Lee Young-Jun grabbed his second of the afternoon in stoppage time, bundling home from close range, but it was too late for Grasshoppers to find an equaliser.

Keita's 85th-minute goal. After Lee Young-Jun's penalty had given Grasshoppers momentum and a foothold in the game, Wil's third goal — scored just 11 minutes after GCZ had pulled one back — effectively killed the contest. The timing was critical: it gave Grasshoppers too little time to mount another comeback, unlike their 88th-minute winner against Cham three days earlier.

Yannick Allou (FC Wil 1900) — Opened the scoring with a composed finish and led the line effectively in the first half. His movement caused problems for the Grasshoppers' first-choice defence throughout the opening 45 minutes.

L. Breedijk (FC Wil 1900) — Doubled the lead with a well-taken strike from distance. Has now scored in back-to-back pre-season outings for Wil and looks in fine form ahead of the new Challenge League campaign.

Lee Young-Jun (Grasshoppers) — The South Korean forward was the standout for the visitors, scoring both of GCZ's goals — a composed penalty and a late poacher's finish. His brace was the only bright spot for a Grasshoppers side that struggled to impose themselves until the second half.

Player of the match: Yannick Allou — his goal and overall attacking contribution in the first half set the platform for Wil's victory.

FC Wil's 2-0 half-time lead reflected a thoroughly dominant first period. The home side created the better chances and punished Grasshoppers for a sluggish start — a pattern that has now appeared in both of GCZ's away friendlies this summer, where they have conceded first and been forced to chase the game. Grasshoppers improved after the break with their second XI, but the 3-2 scoreline slightly flatters their overall performance: Lee Young-Jun's 90th-minute goal was a consolation that arrived after Wil had already restored their two-goal cushion. Wil's ability to score three times against a Super League defence, even in a pre-season setting, is a notable positive for a side that managed only one goal in their opening two friendlies combined.

This is FC Wil's first win of pre-season after their 2-0 defeat to Austria Lustenau on 26 June. The Challenge League side will take considerable confidence from a performance that saw them outplay a Super League opponent for long stretches.

For Grasshoppers, it is a second setback in the context of their pre-season form after the escape against Cham. Zeidler's experimentation with two separate XIs continues to produce mixed results — dominant first halves followed by disjointed second periods. They face a significant step up in class next, travelling to Athens to face Panathinaikos on 11 July, before closing their pre-season programme against SCR Altach on 18 July. The Super League season begins shortly after.

A deserved win for FC Wil, who were sharper, more organised and more clinical in the decisive moments. Grasshoppers' reliance on second-half comebacks is a pattern that will concern Zeidler as the start of the season approaches. The scoreline was closer than the balance of play suggested.