Lugano produced a ruthless first-half blitz at the AIL Arena, scoring three times in 32 minutes to beat Kauno Zalgiris 3-0 and make it three wins from three in the Conference League league phase.
Yanis Cimignani opened the scoring on 11 minutes, Ezgjan Alioski doubled the lead on 24 and Daniel Dos Santos — who had already made the first goal — added the third on 32 minutes. After that, the Swiss side simply managed the game, finishing with 62 per cent possession and a perfect nine points that keeps them among the early pace-setters in the competition.
Three goals in 32 minutes settle it
Lugano started with the kind of tempo that has become their European trademark this season, pressing Kauno Zalgiris high and moving the ball quickly through midfield. The breakthrough came early. Dos Santos found space between the lines and slipped a pass through for Cimignani, who finished calmly to put the hosts 1-0 up after just 11 minutes and settle any nerves inside the stadium.
The Lithuanian visitors barely had time to regroup before Lugano struck again. This time it was the veteran Alioski who arrived to convert on 24 minutes, the North Macedonia international showing all his experience to pick his spot and make it 2-0. Kauno Zalgiris, who had travelled to Switzerland needing a response after a difficult start to their own campaign, suddenly had a mountain to climb before the half-hour mark.
The third goal, on 32 minutes, was the pick of the night and it belonged to the game's outstanding player. Behruzjon Karimov provided the assist and Dos Santos finished the move himself, capping a first-half display in which he had a direct hand in two of the three goals. The full match timeline and player data are available in the Sportradar match centre, while Sky Sports' match page carries the same story: a contest that was effectively over before half-time.
Dos Santos runs the show as Lugano cruise
What will please Lugano most is how controlled the second half was. Rather than chasing a fourth goal and opening the game up, they kept the ball, dropped their block five yards deeper and forced Kauno Zalgiris to try to break down a settled defence. The visitors worked hard and kept their shape, but they rarely threatened a comeback and Lugano's goalkeeper was seldom called into serious action.
Dos Santos was the conductor throughout. The midfielder constantly showed for the ball, turned out of pressure and chose the right moment to accelerate the play, and his assist for Cimignani set the tone for everything that followed. Alioski's goal, meanwhile, was a reminder of how much know-how the 33-year-old still brings to this side — a calm finish at exactly the moment Lugano needed the cushion of a second goal.
There is a wider pattern building here. Lugano's European home form has become a genuine weapon, built on fast starts and an ability to kill games early, and tonight was the clearest example yet. Three goals in the first 32 minutes meant the final hour could be played at training-ground intensity, with one eye already on the weekend.
So what does this win actually mean?
Lugano sit on nine points from three matches — a perfect record that puts them in a powerful position in the league-phase table with three games still to play. One more win may well be enough to guarantee a place in the knockout rounds, and even the play-off round is now firmly within reach. For a club of Lugano's size, that would represent a significant European achievement. Elsewhere tonight there were statement results across the competition, including the one covered in our report on Crvena Zvezda's 2-1 win over Inter Escaldes, but few sides anywhere in the Conference League can match Lugano's flawless start.
For Kauno Zalgiris the picture is far bleaker. Beaten without scoring, they remain rooted near the foot of the standings and now face a fight simply to keep their campaign alive into the spring. Their defending in the first half — too much space between midfield and defence, and no answer to Dos Santos drifting into the pockets — will have to improve quickly if they are to take anything from the remaining fixtures.
Beyond the Final Whistle verdict: This is what a mature European performance looks like. Lugano did not need brilliance for 90 minutes — they needed 32 ruthless ones, and Dos Santos, Cimignani and Alioski delivered them. Nine points from nine is no fluke, and on this evidence Lugano are genuine contenders to go deep in this competition. Can they keep the perfect run going when the fixtures get harder — and is Dos Santos now the first name on the team sheet? Let us know what you think in the comments.
