A spectacular cantonal derby seems inevitable
The new Super League season kicks off with a true Bern cantonal derby between FC Thun and Young Boys. Is it already fair to call this a top-of-the-table clash after just one matchday? In any case, the fact is that on Saturday evening, the second-place team will host the league leaders.
Both teams kicked off the new season with impressive wins. While the Bernese celebrated a convincing 4-2 home victory over Sion, the defending champions from the Bernese Oberland secured a 3-1 away win in Lucerne. Ahead of the Thun vs. Young Boys showdown, a bet on the 1X2 market now carries a lot of risk. That makes betting on the number of goals scored during the match all the more interesting!
The fact that the home team can even go into this derby with their heads held high—despite their bitter elimination in the Champions League qualifiers—is by no means a given. On Tuesday evening, FC Thun—already holding a 1-1 draw from the first leg at Dinamo Zagreb—was leading 2-0 and on the verge of a sensational advance to the third qualifying round, before a red card for Marco Bürki completely turned the match on its head. Down a man, the team from the Bernese Oberland conceded three more goals and ultimately lost 2-3 in extra time.
When looking at the Thun vs. Young Boys prediction, the events of Tuesday night cannot be completely ignored; after all, that match could have taken its toll both physically and mentally. At the same time, the team led by Coach Privitelli—the successor to championship-winning coach Lustrinelli, who left for Union Berlin this summer—proved once again that it plays with courage even at the international level and can cause problems for any opponent.
Meanwhile, Young Boys have a lot to make up for after a disappointing previous season. Following a sixth-place finish and their first failure to qualify for European competition in many years, the clear goal under Gerardo Seoane is a return to the top of the domestic league. The 4–2 victory in the league opener was a first step. However, the Yellow-and-Blacks’ struggles on the road are a constant concern. Last season, they won only six of their 19 Super League away games, and only relegated Winterthur conceded more goals on the road.
The fact that an average of 4.26 goals were scored per YB away game and 3.89 goals per FC Thun home game—and that the team from the Bernese Oberland also boasted the league’s best home offense—clearly points to a high-scoring derby. That’s exactly why, for me, the odds on “Over” goals in the Thun vs. Young Boys match are particularly worth focusing on.
Thun – Young Boys Head-to-Head Record
Last season’s head-to-head record provides plenty of reasons to expect a spectacular cantonal derby. Both teams won two of their four head-to-head matches, but an incredible 25 goals were scored in total. The highlight was the match on Matchday 37 of the championship round, when Young Boys literally ran roughshod over FC Thun on the road, winning 8–3.
In any case, YB has scored at least four goals in each of its last four wins against the team from the Bernese Oberland. Furthermore, in seven of the past ten head-to-head matches, a bet on over 3.5 goals would have paid off. All these statistics reinforce my assessment that the odds for at least four goals in the Thun vs. Young Boys match look extremely attractive.
Thun – Young Boys Pick
Matchday 2 immediately delivers a real highlight of the still-young Super League season. The cantonal derby pits two teams against each other that both started with a win and currently share the top two spots in the standings. While Young Boys gained confidence with their decisive 4-2 victory, FC Thun had to cope with a bitter Champions League elimination in Zagreb earlier this week—a defeat that was sealed in extra time after leading 2-0 and receiving a red card.
This added pressure could very well take its toll on the hosts. At the same time, last season’s scoring statistics and the most recent head-to-head matchups speak for themselves: matches between Thun and YB have almost always been spectacular affairs in the past.
My top pick for Thun vs. Young Boys is therefore “Over 3.5 Goals.” Both teams play an attacking style, have recently demonstrated their scoring prowess, but have also appeared equally vulnerable defensively. For those looking to take a bit less risk, the combination of “Both Teams to Score” and “Over 2.5 Goals” is also a very interesting alternative.
For bold bettors, it’s also worth taking a look at the 7.00 odds for both teams to score in both halves. While this bet is only suitable for a small stake, it offers considerable value given the high-scoring head-to-head matches of the 2025/26 season. As a reminder: 25 goals were scored in four matchups last season.
