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Sturm Graz has established himself at the top level of the Bundesliga. “If everyone keeps going, I think we can really stay on top,” says coach Christian Ilzer.
Sturm Graz is riding the wave of success in the Bundesliga. The 3-0 victory against Admira was the fifth consecutive competitive victory, and Graz did not concede a goal four times in a row. On the table they settled in the top quartet with LASK, Salzburg and Rapid, but played one game less than the competition. Many observers believe that great things are emerging. Strong team spirit is said to be causally responsible for this.
“Throughout the season we have managed to become a very good team. Success strengthens and brings faith in our group and in our journey. That is undoubtedly a secret of success,” said coach Christian Ilzer. Those involved wanted to extract a symbolic power of 3-0 in the 93rd minute from defender Gregory Wüthrich. The Swiss used brute force for his first storm. The goal was no longer necessary for victory, but then all the dams were broken.
“The third goal is a symbol of team spirit and shows what is happening here,” said goalkeeper Jörg Siebenhandl, explaining the lively scenes that followed, in which the veteran played a leading role. The 30-year-old had already done it in the fan emergency phase when he recovered in the 32nd minute against Marco Hausjell and avoided the 0-1 against his former club.
Storm Siebenhandl’s goalie: “I can’t blur right now”
“We struggled at the beginning, but we did very well in the second half. I think it’s great how the guys do it week after week,” the ÖFB hopeful said in praise of his colleagues. Jon Gorenc-Stanković’s 1-0 win was preceded by a “stroke of genius” according to Ilzer of Otar Kiteishvili, who practically knocked the ball into the box from the left. Forward Kevin Friesenbichler scored the second goal in the 58th minute from a greater distance.
According to Ilzer, the fact that players like him or Kiteishvili seem to flourish now is not due to mere coincidence. Because in the summer holidays, sporting director Andreas Schicker and his team did a great job and brought real reinforcements according to a clear demanding profile. “From this starting point, a team was found very quickly and a good spirit developed within the team,” Ilzer explained.
Everyone is willing to implement the given principles: “If we can play consistently at this level,” that will show. In any case, for him it is important that “the team has in mind that it is not satisfied with the current situation, but that we are constantly trying to develop ourselves in all areas. If everyone shoots, I think we can really stay in the right place. top”. . Siebenhandl also warned: “We must not blur now.”
St. Pölten and Hartberg fight to share points
Sturm’s next opponent, St. Pölten, still has a respectful distance from the best teams. That showed the local team’s 2-2 against Hartberg, which left only disgruntled faces. SKN cannot win twice in a row this season. On Saturday, the Lower Austrians failed to distance the opponent, who was still in seventh place, for participation in the championship by seven points. “There were matches that weren’t good enough,” coach Robert Ibertsberger enraged, emphasizing shortly after: “We will definitely have to question that.”
Hartberg was missing at least three points from the top six before WSG Tirol played at Rapid on Sunday. “We slept for the first 20 minutes again and then we came back strong, but unfortunately it was only one point again,” said forward Dario Tadić. “If we don’t wake up soon, the first six will be illusory.” It’s a shame “that we have to fight over and over again, that’s really pissing me off.”
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