Ghana international goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi marked his 250th appearance for FC St. Gallen in memorable fashion, producing a crucial late penalty save to secure a dramatic 2-1 away victory over FC Lugano on Sunday.
The Black Stars shot-stopper played the full 90 minutes and emerged as the hero at the Stadio di Cornaredo, delivering a decisive performance in a fiercely contested Swiss Super League encounter.
After a goalless first half, the home side broke the deadlock in the 53rd minute through Hadj Mahmoud. St. Gallen, however, responded strongly, with Mihailo Stevanovic restoring parity in the 69th minute.
The visitors completed the turnaround five minutes later when Lukas Görtler calmly converted from the penalty spot to put St. Gallen ahead in the 74th minute.
Lugano were handed a golden opportunity to snatch a late equaliser deep into stoppage time after a VAR review resulted in a penalty. But Ati-Zigi rose to the occasion, producing a stunning save to deny the hosts and preserve all three points for St. Gallen.
The dramatic stop served as the perfect way to celebrate a major personal milestone for the Ghanaian goalkeeper, who has become one of the club’s most reliable performers since joining in 2020.
Over the course of his 250 appearances for the Swiss outfit, Ati-Zigi has conceded 365 goals while keeping 49 clean sheets.
This season alone, the 28-year-old has featured 33 times across all competitions, conceding 43 goals and registering eight clean sheets as he continues to play a key role for St. Gallen.
