Goal party of the WAC

LASK against Wolfsberger AC from 5pm LIVE

WAC coach Didi Kühbauer (right) celebrates a clear victory at LASK.

(Bild: GEPA)

The situation at LASK is coming to a head. The team from Linz went down 1:5 (0:2) to WAC in the 5th round of the Bundesliga on Sunday. With their fourth league defeat en suite, Thomas Darazs' side, who are now without a win in six competitive games, went into the international break in second-last place. Dietmar Kühbauer celebrated the third win of the season for his now third-placed WAC at his old stomping ground.

Goals from Simon Piesinger (14th), David Atanga (30th) and Maximilian Ullmann (48th, 84th), an own goal from Rene Renner (50th) and a penalty from Marin Ljubicic (93rd) meant LASK's highest home league defeat since the 4-0 loss to Rapid on 1 December 2019. Kühbauer was also in charge of the opponents at the time. The Burgenland native has now won eight of his ten most recent duels with the Upper Austrians. In front of 10,200 spectators, the seemingly haphazard Athletiker conceded more than three goals for the first time in the new stadium. LASK had to play with ten men from the 39th minute onwards following a frustrating foul by Sascha Horvath.

Boateng in the starting eleven
Darazs had put himself in front of his team, who had missed out on a place in the Europa League during the week. He relied on experience in his search for a breakout performance, with everyone from the goalkeeper to the defensive midfielders having already reached their 30s. Renner played his first minutes for the first team this calendar year following his knee injury. Jerome Boateng made it into the starting eleven for the first time since his much-publicized move to LASK. The German former world champion was substituted in the 56th minute.

The WAC offense led by Atanga, Angelo Gattermayer and Dejan Zukic posed serious problems for the newly formed Linz defense right from the start. An impressive long-range shot from Piesinger gave Linz a deserved lead, but aluminum prevented the 2:0 shortly afterwards. Gattermayer outdanced Boateng, Siebenhandl deflected the shot onto the bar (21st). Former Bayern star Boateng looked stiff at the hip, and not only in this action, but he also had one of LASK's few chances to score with a header from a corner in the 7th minute.

A handball by Ullmann in the WAC penalty area was deemed not to be punishable by the referee team, as the former Linz player shot the ball at his own arm (27'). A short time later it was 2:0. Thierno Ballo set up Zukic, and this summer's Carinthian transfer king had complete freedom with his pinpoint cross into the path of Atanga. Unchallenged, Atanga fired the ball over the line for his first goal since returning to Austria.

Red for Horvath
As if proof of Linz's current predicament was needed, Horvath got carried away in the 39th minute with a rude kick to Ervin Omic's supporting leg. Without complaining, the creative player strolled into the dressing room after being sent off. Omic was lucky to play on and almost saw his side make it 3:0 (47th / Zukic miss) before the break. Unsurprisingly, the break was heralded by roaring whistles from the stands.

Sascha Horvath sees red.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The visitors scored the third goal soon after the break. Gattermayer was alone on the right flank after an opening pass and fed Ullmann in behind (48'). Two minutes later, there was general hullabaloo in the Linz penalty area after a Ljubicic cross - Renner ultimately scored an own goal. The home side then scored one or two attacking goals against a WAC in administration mode.

LASK honorary goal by Ljubicic 
However, the damage had already been irreparably done. The young Erik Kojzek, recently scorer of two goals against GAK, had the 5:0 on his head. Ullmann did better with a well-considered flick from just outside the penalty area (84'). Ljubicic scored the consolation goal after a rather flattering penalty in stoppage time (93').

LASK - WAC 1:5 (0:2)
Linz, Raiffeisen Arena, 10,200, SR Pfister

Goals: 0:1 (14.) Piesinger, 0:2 (30.) Atanga, 0:3 (48.) Ullmann, 0:4 (50.) Renner (own goal), 0:5 (84.) Ullmann, 1:5 (93.) Ljubicic (foul penalty)
Red card: Horvath (39th/foul)
Yellow cards: Berisha or Ballo, Piesinger, Baumgartner

LASK: Siebenhandl - Stojkovic, Ziereis, Boateng (56. Bogarde), Renner (56. Bello) - Jovicic (69. Talowjerow) - Tavares (46. Usor), Horvath, Berisha, Galvez (46. Pintor) - Ljubicic
WAC: Polster - Jasic, Baumgartner, Wimmer, Ullmann - Omic, Piesinger (81. Pink) - Gattermayer, Zukic (81. Altunashvili), Ballo (62. Kojzek) - Atanga (81. Matic)