In a repeat of the 0-0 at the end of the regular season, there were two changes in the starting eleven at WAC. Left-back Jonathan Scherzer and striker Nikolas Veratschnig were able to prove themselves from the start in front of just 2,218 spectators in the Lavanttal Arena.
Ried trainer Maximilian Senft confused his team. In goal, the recovered Samuel Sahin-Radlinger made his comeback, in the middle Diego Madritsch and Luca Kronberger got their chance, in front a new duo with Seifedin Chabbi and Belmin Beganovic was allowed to try, also because Christoph Monschein was ill.
WAC ends home misery
The WAC made a successful start in the qualifying group of the Bundesliga and ended its misery at home. The Wolfsberg team beat Ried 1-0 in a game with few chances on Saturday.
VAR prevents red card
Beganovic almost crowned his first start, but after an ideal pass from deep he shot over the goal alone (12′). The 18-year-old Bosnian was also the center of attention in the 21st minute. Beganovic fell to the ground after a slight nudge from Tim Oermann during a running duel, referee Alain Sadikovski showed the WAC defender a red card for stealing a goal. However, after an on-field review, the referee reversed his decision.
That was one of the few exciting scenes before the break. The WAC only came close to taking the lead once, when Sahin-Radlinger was able to parry a Malone shot (40th). Both teams only fired two shots each, ball possession was almost balanced, the 0:0 a logical consequence.
Even after the change of sides, you didn’t even need one hand to list the top chances. Chabbi frittered away a good opportunity in the penalty area (58′), but WAC player Ervin Omic’s long-range shot at the other end didn’t miss much (63′).
Malone makes the decision
The decisive scene came in the 75th minute. The ball went well in the WAC rows, “Joker” Thorsten Röcher put it through ideally to Maurice Malone, who hit the far corner with his left from just inside the penalty area. The sixth goal of the season was a very important one for the 22-year-old German.
Sahin-Radlinger prevented a brace from the Augsburg loanee with a save in a 1-1 duel (91′). The WAC won for the first time in the third direct duel of the season. For Rieder, on the other hand, the dress rehearsal before the Uniqa ÖFB Cup semifinals on Wednesday in Vienna at Rapid also failed.
votes on the game
Manfred Schmid (WAC coach): “First and foremost, there is a huge relief that this series of home games is finally over. I didn’t think it would do that much to the players. But at the beginning you could see that we had a real rucksack on top.”
“After 30 minutes we did better, also won the second ball and performed with more self-confidence. The players are starting to see that what we’re doing in the coaching team is working. All in all, however, we have to be more self-confident and have the conviction to play bolder.”
Maximilian Senft (Ried trainer): “Today we are all upset because there were some scenes that didn’t turn out in our favour. We started the game well, had a dangerous Stangl pass and then Beganovic had a top chance. There is a touch in the supposed red scene, that can be enough to stop Beganovic with it. So this scene was also decisive for me in the game.”
“From the 30th minute the game became more open, the WAC came into play better. In the second half we missed a top chance through Chabbi and then conceded the deficit. We pressed again at the end, but it wasn’t enough, so we’re disappointed.”
Admiral Bundesliga, qualifying group, 23rd round
Saturday:
WAC – Ried 1:0 (0:0)
Wolfsberg, Lavanttal-Arena, 2.218, SR Sadokovski
Tor: Malone (75.)
WAC: Bonmann – Jasic, Oermann, Bukusu, Scherzer (82nd / Baumgartner) – Kerschbaumer, Omic, Taferner – Veratschnig (60th / Röcher), Baribo (69th / Ballo), Malone
Ried: Sahin-Radlinger – Gragger (63./Pomer), Lackner, Plavotic, Jurisic – Madritsch – Lutovac (46./Turi), Kronberger (56./Lang), Martin (82./Wießmeier) – Chabbi, Beganovic (56./Mikic)
Yellow cards: Veratschnig, Omic, Taferner or Kronberger, Chabbi
The best: Jasic, Taferner, Malone and Beganovic, Plavotic