Champions successful

Sturm Graz vs TSV Hartberg – LIVE from 5pm

Dimitri Lavalee scored in the 34th minute

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

On the second matchday in the domestic Bundesliga, double winners Sturm Graz celebrated their first win of the season against TSV Hartberg. In the Styrian derby, Dimitri Lavalee scored the first goal in the 34th minute. In the 86th minute, Mika Biereth provided the preliminary decision. Graz were delighted to pick up three points, while Hartberg conceded their second defeat in their second match.

Champions Sturm have arrived in the new Bundesliga season. One week after the 1-0 opening defeat against Rapid, Christian Ilzer's team celebrated a 2-0 (1-0) home win over bottom-of-the-table Hartberg on Sunday and climbed into the top half of the table. In the Styrian derby, the double winners struggled to create chances, but finally managed to secure the "three-pointer" thanks to goals from Dimitri Lavalee (34') and Mika Biereth (85').

Compared to the unsuccessful opener, Sturm introduced Amady Camara in attack and Otar Kiteishvili was also in the starting eleven this time - in place of Manprit Sarkaria, who did not appear in the squad. Hartberg made slight changes to their defense, with Jürgen Heil switching to the right and Justin Omoregie on the left for Manuel Pfeifer, who was not quite fit. Benjamin Markus worked hard in central midfield and Maximilian Fillafer was allowed to try his hand on the left attacking side.

Hartberg miss out on counter-attacks
Sturm were in control right from the start in midsummer temperatures and were aggressive with the ball, but failed to create any dangerous chances in the penalty area. Hartberg stood deep, sealed off the center well and did not allow anything for a long time. As the game wore on, TSV repeatedly found the counter-attacking opportunities they had hoped for, but failed to exploit them sufficiently.

Hartberg coach Markus Schopp

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

It was only after just over half an hour that the so-called double shirts in gold and black brought Sturm the luck they had hoped for. After good work from Camara down the flank, Jon Gorenc fed Stankovic to Lavalee, who was lurking in front of the penalty area and finished with a powerful low shot into the near corner. Sturm were now more determined and had a great chance to make it 2:0 through Mika Biereth - but goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger reacted brilliantly (42').

Decision shortly before the final whistle
Hartberg, who had a real chance to equalize shortly before the break through Fillafer, which Lavalee saved in the greatest of emergencies, tried to bring on a breath of fresh air at half-time with Youba Diarra and Aaron Schwarz and were actually able to make more of an impact. Possession was almost evenly distributed on the hour mark, but both teams continued to fail to create any notable chances.

The visitors promptly found the first, Kjell Scherpen was on hand to save Donis Avdijaj's central shot (71'). Sturm missed the match ball with a header from Gorenc Stankovic, but Sallinger rose high in time (75'). Shortly before the end, however, the home side sealed the deal in front of a sell-out crowd. A deflected shot from substitute Seedy Jatta turned into a Stangl pass, which Biereth only had to push in. Hartberg braced themselves unsuccessfully against their second defeat of the season, with Sturm's Emanuel Aiwu preventing the final goal after a Scherpen error.