As a result, Christian Ilzer’s team fell back to fourth place in the table and, with eight points, is now five points behind LASK and four behind Salzburg. Meanwhile, Linz ended a series of four games without a win against Graz. The Kühbauer squad welcomes Altach next Saturday, while the Styrians make a guest appearance at Rapid the following day.
Both Ilzer and Kühbauer had little reason to change their eleven compared to the successful previous week – Sturm defeated Altach 4-0, LASK Rapid 2-1. The same eleven played for Graz, Jakob Jantscher was back in the squad after a long break due to a torn calf muscle and initially took a seat on the bench. After the home win against Rapid, the Upper Austrians only changed one position, Robert Zulj played instead of Sascha Horvath and thus made his starting eleven debut at LASK.
LASK defeats Sturm
Coach Dietmar Kühbauer’s team celebrated a 1-0 away win in the fifth round of the game at Sturm Graz on Saturday evening and thus defended their lead in the table.
Storm off to a better start
Their fans started the match with a protest against the jerseys in BWT pink – known from Formula 1 by the Alpine racing team – and only populated the away sector after 20 minutes. In terms of sport, the hosts started with sometimes high pressing, Tomi Horvat tested Alexander Schlager with a full shot after just four minutes.
After that, LASK also found its way into the game. The Kühbauer squad had more possession of the ball, but were harmless offensively. The Styrians looked more dangerous, but lacked accuracy in the last third. A Prass free-kick caused chaos in the Linz back line after 21 minutes, and the guests only averted the danger on the third attempt.
Ten minutes later, Sturm celebrated after Rasmus Höjlund overcame Schlager and scored the goal. But the 19-year-old Dane was just offside when Manprit Sarkaria passed it (31′). The VAR review confirmed the decision of the team around referee Walter Altmann. Shortly before the break, Horvat missed a double chance and the 23-year-old Slovenian shot at the edge of the penalty area after a template from Schnegg. His first attempt was initially blocked, and Schlager defused the margin (41st).
Nakamura makes the decision
In the second half, little changed at first, the offensive efforts of both teams mostly failed on the final pass. That should change on the storm side with Jantscher coming on, who made his comeback in the 64th minute. But the goal fell on the other side. After a Zulj pass, Nakamura had far too much space, the Japanese circled the ball from a good 16 meters into the far corner (65th).
A long-range shot by Stefan Hierländer to the Jantscher corner was not far short of an equalizer (71′). Shortly afterwards, substitute Moritz Wels missed Sturm’s best opportunity when he missed Schlager’s goal (79′). Horvat suffered the same fate a little later (83′). In a hectic final phase, which brought some warnings, LASK kept the perspective at the end and was allowed to travel home with three points in their luggage.
Comments on the game:
Christian Ilzer (Sturm coach): “The result and defeat are very annoying. When we got the goal, you could see that there was a lack of energy and conviction in the details. It was a tactical game, we lacked determination in the last part. Tiredness and strains of the last few weeks shouldn’t be an excuse. We didn’t bring our top form onto the pitch.”
Dietmar Kuhbauer (LASK coach): “A wonderful day. It was clear to me that whoever scored the first goal would win. In a game of the third against the first, it is the little things that count. An action by Nakamura then decided the game. Because of the second half, the win is okay in the end.”
Admiral – Bundesliga, fifth round
Saturday:
Sturm Graz – LASK 0: 1 (0: 0)
Graz, Merkur Arena, 12,502 spectators, SR Altmann
Tor: Nakamura (65.)
Sturm: Siebenhandl – Gazibegovic, Affengruber (71./Borkovic), Wüthrich, Schnegg – Hierländer (71./Wels), Gorenc Stankovic, T. Horvat (84./Emegha), Prass (84./Ljubic) – Sarkaria (64./ Jantscher), Hojlund
SHOT: Schlager – Stojkovic, Ziereis, Luckeneder, Renner (85./Potzmann) – Jovicic, Michorl – Goiginger, Zulj (71./Horvath), Nakamura (85./Kecskes) – Ljubicic (61./Koulouris)
Yellow cards: Wüthrich, Schnegg, Gazibegovic and Schlager, Jovicic
The best: Wüthrich, Gorenc Stankovic, Prass or Schlager, Renner, Nakamura
