Eschen/Mauren pull off famous cup comeback

Underdogs USV Eschen/Mauren pulled off a famous win in the Liechtensteiner Cup final on Wednesday, recovering from 2-0 down and beating 40-time winners FC Vaduz 4-2 in the penalty shoot-out despite being down to ten men.

It looked business as usual when Vaduz, who play in the Swiss second tier, eased ahead with goals either side of half-time from Pascal Cerrone and Mario Sara. Indeed, when Metin Batir was then sent off a repeat of their 5-0 2011 victory over Eschen/Mauren – their third final win in a row against the Swiss third-tier side – was on the cards. That was not the end, however, but the start.

Igor Manojlović halved the deficit from the penalty spot after Flavio Piperno was brought down and, in the 93rd minute, Eren Dulundu shook off his marker to fire in the equaliser. The action continued into extra time, when Martin Rechsteiner was dismissed for Vaduz, and into the shoot-out. Franz Burgmeier and Mariano Tripodi failed to convert, meaning that for the first time since 1997 there is a different name on the trophy.

"This is a triumph no one could have expected after being 2-0 and a man down," said Eschen/Mauren coach Uwe Wegmann, whose side captured their first cup since 1987. "We are even happier to triumph under those circumstances." Vaduz's failure to capture a 15th successive Liechtensteiner Cup was, said boss Eric Orie, "a massive disappointment".