In front of 11,090 fans in the Merkur Arena, Schnegg saw the red card in the 33rd minute after being the last man to stop Klagenfurt’s Simon Stradi with a foul during a counterattack. With a man down, Sturm still had a chance of winning, but in the end it was 0-0, also because David Affengruber only hit the post in the 92nd minute. However, the Klagenfurt team also had a shot at the pole in the second half by Straud.
For runner-up Sturm, the zero number was the first loss of points of the season after two wins in the first two rounds. However, like the guests from Klagenfurt, Graz remained unbeaten after three rounds. For the Carinthians, who had opened the season with a 3-1 win at WSG Tirol, it was the second draw in a row after the 2-2 midweek derby against RZ Pellets WAC.
Storm lets ten feathers for the first time
Four days after the 4-1 defeat in the Champions League qualifier at PSV Eindhoven, SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz also lost feathers in the Admiral Bundesliga for the first time. The Styrians had to settle for a 0-0 draw against Austria Klagenfurt in the third round on Saturday. However, Sturm only played ten men for an hour after David Schnegg was sent off with a red card.
Crucial scene after half an hour
Sturm coach Christian Ilzer made three changes to the starting eleven in the English week. Niklas Geyrhofer, Tomi Horvat and Bryan Teixeira replaced Affengruber, Stefan Hierländer and William Böving. Turkey returnee Turgay Gemicibasi was back on the pitch for the first time for the Klagenfurt side, also because Sinan Karweina had to sit out with a thigh problem. In a brisk initial phase, the Grazers often dangerously approached the opposing goal. At the same time, Teixeira and Co. didn’t have the right conclusion or last pass for the time being.
GEPA/Hans Oberlaender Because of an “emergency brake” discovered by the VAR, Schnegg had to leave the field after half an hour
The Carinthian defense around Thorsten Mahrer, who was there at the last moment against Szymon Wlodarczyk (30th), experienced a strenuous working day with a suddenly brighter prospect: Markus Hameter showed Schnegg the red card after a VAR consultation for goal robbery. The referee had initially given the attacking tackle of the Sturm defender against Simon Stradi a yellow card. After that, the guests also made representations in the dangerous zone for the first time. After Benatelli-Fersler, Straaudi tested Kjell Scherpen, who had been unemployed until then, in the storm goal (40′). Shortly thereafter, a long-range shot from Gemicibasi went just wide (41st).
Goal poles in focus
Peter Pacult brought on another offensive player in Christopher Wernitznig, while Ilzer brought on Dante for Otar Kiteishvili and Mohammed Fuseini for the tired-looking Wlodarczyk. Straaudi remained the most dangerous Austrian, his shot bouncing off the left post and onto Scherpen’s leg. The Dutch goalie tamed the ball in time (47′) and was also there when Christopher Cvetko headed the ball (52′).
The guests now controlled the game, but were able to create few compelling chances as time went on. Storm worked his way back. Fuseini (65′) and Jon Gorenc-Stankovic (73′) appeared with offside shots. Graz were closer to victory in the finish, but Horvat’s goal didn’t count either because assistant Fuseini was previously offside (78′). In the 92nd minute, Klagenfurt was saved by the edge of the goal. Affengruber hit the crossbar with his direct acceptance of an accidental Böving shot.
Comments on the game:
Christian Ilzer (Sturm coach): “We were dominant in the first half hour, but we didn’t have the speed to be more effective. After the exclusion it was a completely different game. The spectators carried us in the last half hour. In the end it was a fair draw.”
Peter Pacult (Klagenfurt coach): “You have to divide the game into three. Up to the 30th minute, Sturm had a clear advantage, we only defended. We didn’t have much security with the ball, but we also didn’t allow much. After the justified exclusion, we controlled the game up to about the 70th minute. Then there was another break. We lost ball security, the storm came up and we were lucky when we hit the crossbar. 0-0 is okay for both sides.”
Admiral Bundesliga, third round
Saturday:
Storm – Austria Klagenfurt 0-0
Graz, Merkur Arena, 11,090; SR Hameter
Sturm: Scherpen – Gazibegovic, Geyrhofer (75th / Affengruber), Wüthrich, Schnegg – Gorenc-Stankovic – Kiteishvili (46th / Dante), Horvat, Prass (61st / Hierländer) – Teixeira (66th / Böving), Wlodarczyk (46th /Fuseini)
Klagenfurt: Menzel – Gkezos, Mahrer, Wimmer – Straudi (68./Djoric), Gemicibasi, Benatelli (46./Wernitznig), Cvetko, Schumacher – Arweiler (76./Jaritz), Irving
Red card: Schnegg (33rd/preventing a clear chance to score)
Gelbe Karte: Gorenc-Stankovic bzw. Benatelli, Gemicibasi