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Sturm had to fight hard for all three points, as the Tyrolese proved to be equal opponents for over an hour. There were chances on both sides in the first half. WSG goalkeeper Ferdinand Oswald was there for a header from Kevin Friesenbichler (9th), as well as a free kick from Andreas Kuen (11th) and a shot from Ivan Ljubic (12th). Oswald would have been defeated in the 21st minute, but Ljubic’s attempt missed the mark.
On the other side, Florian Rieder failed after Thanos Petsos’s Fersler submission to storm keeper Jörg Siebenhandl (3rd), with a header from Kelvin Yeboah after a seven-handed uncertainty, Jon Gorenc-Stankovic saved from the line (38 °). The Graz goalkeeper was also unwell at the next corner, but David Gugganig missed his head. For this, Siebenhandl was in place on a good chance of Nikolai Baden Frederiksen from an acute angle (44º).
WSG Tirol is narrowly beaten by Graz
WSG Tirol arrives in Graz with two wins in a row. But Sturm Graz won 1-0 at home.
Sturm has a lot of difficulties
The second half was initially dedicated to the guests. The WSG let the ball and the opponents run on the battered grass and came in the 63rd minute to the next promising opportunity when Zlatko Dedic, who had just been substituted, found his champion in Siebenhandl.
The local team, who started in the league for the fourth time in a row with the same starting eleven, were unrecognizable in this phase compared to the 3-1 victory a week ago in Salzburg. On defense there was one or the other wobbler, in the front game ideas were lacking. That only changed with Otar Kiteishvili’s comeback in the 60th minute after more than a month off due to injury.
Redemption through “Joker” Balaj
The Georgian stopped Oswald in the 74th minute and started the golden goal two minutes later. In the first successful storm action after the break, the ball went through several stations and Jakob Jantscher served the “Joker” Balaj, who only had to push.
With the leadership behind them, the Graz team dictated the game. Kiteishvili narrowly missed (78th), Oswald directed a shot from Balaj with the seeker’s tips over the goal line (85th). But the WSG still had a great opportunity: Dedic hit the ball free in the penalty area, but Siebenhandl was back in the post (88th).
Thus it was that the Tyrolese conceded another defeat after two victories in a row without conceding a goal. Sturm, for his part, had to admit defeat only once in the previous eleven games of the season.
Voices for the game:
Christian ilzer (Sturm-Trainer): “I am very satisfied, we finished a pleasant and successful week. It was a close and even game. In the second half we were too passive and not present enough. The substitutes brought new energy. Our team spirit managed to make a difference and change the game. The team does a lot of good things when it works against the ball, but it also leaves good opportunities. “
Thomas silberberger (Tirol coach): “Too bad, today we deserved more. I’ve been setting the same record for weeks: we fail over and over again because of our possibilities. Again there were enough opportunities, but we just didn’t take them. We play decent football, we are good and we believe in ourselves. But unlike us, Sturm Graz’s mediocre performance is enough to leave the field as the winner. We are still missing this step in the learning process. “
Typical Bundesliga, matchday 9
Sunday:
Sturm Graz – WSG Tirol 1: 0 (1: 0)
Graz, Merkur Arena, SR Muckenhammer
Tor: 1: 0 (76.) Balaj
Sturm: Siebenhandl – Ingolitsch (68./Gazibegovic), Nemeth, Wüthrich, Dante – Hierländer, Gorenc-Stankovic, Ljubic, Kuen (60./Kiteishvili) – Friesenbichler (68./Balaj), Jantscher (89./Huspek)
WSG Tirol: Oswald – Koch, Behounek, Gugganig, Schnegg – Rogelj (82./Pranter), Petsos, Celic (82./Naschberger), Rieder (82./Anselm) – Baden Frederiksen (60./Dedic) – Yeboah
Yellow cards: Ingolitsch, Balaj or Schnegg, Celic, Behounek
The best: Gorenc-Stankovic, Ljubic, Kiteishvili or Celic, Rogelj
