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Tobias Kainz (33rd) and Lukas Ried (75th) maintained their fifth of the previous Bundesliga season in the race after Martin Konczkowski (10th) and Patryk Sokolowski (62nd) put Gliwice ahead twice at Miejski Stadium. A massive header from “Joker” Michal Zyro in the 84th minute finally decided the match for third in the Polish league.
In the third qualifying round, Gliwice will now face Danish club FC Copenhagen, who won the prestigious Scandinavian duel with traditional Swedish club IFK Göteborg after a 0: 1 deficit thanks to a double hit in the final with 2: 1. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the second qualifying round was not decided in a round trip, but in a single duel. Even in the third round, only one game decides the promotion.
Gliwice with a quick start
Hartberg’s coach Schopp allowed himself no experimentation in a Hartberg team’s first appearance on the European stage and offered the best he had to offer in the face of some injury issues. The Styrians started with the lineup that had played 1-1 in the first round of the Bundesliga in Altach last weekend. The only exception: Philipp Sturm only sat on the bench this time, Christian Klem slid into the starting grid for him. The latter was ultimately one of seven Hartberger team players with some European Cup experience.
Even if, as is currently the custom in the times of the coronavirus at the European level, spectators were not allowed, the events on the field were accompanied by chants from fans, at least for all television viewers. If the home fans had actually been in the stadium, they would have choked on their chants in the second minute. Because Hartberg striker Dario Tadic had thrown the ball just above the Polish goal and missed an almost kitschy start to the Hartberg European Cup adventure.
The missed opportunity got their revenge only eight minutes later, because the hosts got off to the perfect start they had hoped for. With a few quick passes Gliwice leveraged the Hartberger defense, who had not yet arrived in the game, on the counterattack, Konczkowski left Felix Luckeneder and pushed the ball between the legs of goalkeeper Rene Swete to make it 1-0 for the Poles (10th ). Almost two minutes later a preliminary decision was made, but this time a shot from Piotr Parzyszek went over the top (12th).
Konczkowski scored 1-0 (10th)
Through the legs of Hartberg goalkeeper Swete, Martin Konczkowski slides in to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Well deserved compensation
Gliwice did not do the same, but tried to expect errors from the debutants from safe defense. The Hartbergers had to meet after the rapid deficit, it took the Styrians some time to get rid of their nervousness. Brilliant offensive ideas were a long time coming. The best chance to equalize was a long-range shot that missed the left post. After all, the defense was also consolidated after the first initial problems.
By the middle of the first half, Hartberg had found the thread and was getting closer and closer to Gliwice’s goal. In the 33rd minute, Styria’s efforts were rewarded with the remarkable draw and the hosts were punished for their rather passive counterattack play. Kainz took control of a rebound from the Polish defense from about 20 meters and hit the ball in what he saw as the left corner. Frantisek Plach at the door stretched in vain. With a 1: 1 win due to the play, he went into halftime.
Kainz draws (minute 33)
Tobias Kainz scores 1-1 for Hartberger from long range and brings his team back into the game.
Gliwice punishes Hartberger’s mistakes
The game practically started again after the break. However, with the same lineups, because both Schopp and his counterpart Waldemir Fornalik decided not to change during the break. Something changed in the game, as Gliwice now let the ball circulate much more actively than in the first 45 minutes. The Hartberger held up well. No dangerous offensive actions were seen here or there for a long time. The biggest emotion was a duel in the Polish penalty area in which Tadic fell. Goalkeeper Hartberger called in vain for the penalty whistle (58.)
With the first real shot on goal in the second half, the hosts returned to the front, also because Hartberger’s defense was not covered in glory. Sokolowski followed up well after Luckeneder headed too short, looked up and fired the ball from a sharp angle, passing Swete’s fingertips into the far corner (62). Suddenly the Hartbergers had to significantly increase their offensive efforts, Gliwice was able to take advantage of his counterattack abilities again.
Sokolowski makes the 2: 1 (minute 60)
Piast Gliwice takes the lead again. Patryk Sokolowski scores with a positioned shot to make it 2-1 for Poland.
Delights are not enough
The Styrians struggled to pressure Gliwice, but funds were long lacking. However, a quarter of an hour before the end, the proverbial Ladl would have fallen in love with the Polish spectators, because thanks to a treat Hartberg restored the tie. Ried received a high pass from Stefan Gölles, who had just been substituted, behind the defense in the world-class penalty area and hit the ball past the confused Plach in the box (75th). Again everything was open.
Ried makes up for what’s worth seeing (minute 75)
The Hartbergers manage to equalize again. After a strong shot, Lukas Ried made it 2-2 for the Styrians.
But the Hartbergers’ hope for a successful debut turned defensive weakness itself into a line through the bill. Six minutes before the end of regulation time, substitute Zyro was more consistent in the head duel than two guest defenders and threw the leather into the net to make it 3-2. Once again, the doorman Swete, who had otherwise not been checked frequently, had no chance. For the third time, Hartberg raced after a deficit, but the saying “All good things come in threes” didn’t come true this time when it came to equalizing.
Voices for the game:
Markus Schopp (Hartberg’s coach): “I am proud of the team and their first international game. They did well for that. But not good enough. We made it too easy for our opponents to give them scoring opportunities. You shouldn’t be doing that at this level. We knew we would meet a passive opponent. My team came up with excellent solutions, but those goals cannot be achieved, it happened to us three times today. It was a huge thing that we were there. But the goal should be to have more contact with those experiences. “
Tomasz Fornalik (Gliwice coach): “It was a very intense match. Both teams were very good and showed a good mentality. My team dominated for a while, but Hartberg had opportunities too. We are happy to have won. “
Europa League, second qualifying round
Tuesday:
Piast Gliwice – TSV Hartberg 3: 2 (1: 1)
Municipal Stadium, SR Lambrechts (BEL)
Sequence of objectives:
1: 0 Konczkowski (10.)
1: 1 Kainz (33.)
2: 1 Sokolowski (62.)
2: 2 Ried (75.)
3: 2 Zyro (84)
Gliwice: Plach – Konczkowski, Huk, Czerwinski, Malarczyk (90 / Rymaniak), Kirkeskov – Lipski, Sokolowski, Jodlowiec – Vida (78 / Steczyk), Parzyszek (71 / Zyro)
Hartberg: Swete – Lienhart (73./Gölles), Rotter, Luckeneder, Gollner (67./Ertlthaler) – Tijani (90./), Kainz – Ried, Rep, Klem – Tadic
Yellow cards: Parzyszek, Jodlowiec or Kainz, Rep, Rotter
Gliwice in the third qualifying round on 24 September against FC Copenhagen
