Wüthrich out early

Stade Brest against Sturm Graz LIVE from 9pm

All the fighting and wrestling and playing ultimately proved to be in vain - Sturm Graz suffered a 2-1 defeat at Stade Brest ...

(Bild: Associated Press)

Sturm Graz missed out on an opening success on their return to the glittering Champions League stage! The Austrian soccer champions were beaten 2-1 (1-1) away to Stade Brest on the first matchday of the new league phase. In Graz's first appearance in the top flight since March 2001, last year's sensational third-placed team from France came out on top.

The match was overshadowed by a potentially serious knee injury to Gregory Wüthrich. Without the Swiss defender, Sturm conceded goals through Hugo Magnetti (23) and Abdallah Sima (56). The interim equalizer for Graz was scored by own goal scorer Edimilson Fernandes (45.+1). Sturm will play their first home game against Belgian champions Brugge in Klagenfurt on October 2.

Nervous start for the Styrians
"We wanted to show what we're made of on the pitch," said Ilzer, who sent a well-coordinated team onto the pitch without any surprises. Central defender Emanuel Aiwu was the only new summer signing on the pitch. The only Austrian on the pitch, he was the symbol of the Styrians' nervous start to the game with a capital misplaced pass.

(Bild: GEPA)

(Bild: Associated Press)

Then his teammate Wüthrich became the center of attention after coming to the ground badly in an aerial duel. The defensive boss was carried off on a stretcher with a feared knee injury. The substitution of right-back Max Johnston triggered a chain reaction in the back four, with only Aiwu playing in the same position as before.

Jatta goal whistled off for offside (?)
Brest's first phase of pressure was over after Graz's big moment of shock. This was followed by some good attacking play from the visitors, who even scored in the 14th minute after a counter-attack. Seedy Jatta got on the ball again after a failed pass and scored. However, Scottish referee Nick Walsh had already whistled for an alleged offside. The VAR was therefore no longer able to intervene.

(Bild: AFP)

(Bild: AFP)

Sturm became increasingly courageous, but had to concede 0:1 after a throw-in. Jon Gorenc Stankovic's clearance was inadequate and Magnetti shot sharply from the back. With a lot of traffic in front of his goal, Kjell Scherpen saw the ball late (23').

Three strikers yellow-carded after 40 minutes
Brest had qualified for the European Cup for the first time last year as a functioning collective without a big star. Injured key players and a summer shake-up at Brest meant that Austria's double winners traveled to Brittany with faint hopes. However, the "Pirates" clearly controlled the game after taking the lead. Precise long balls to the flanks kept the Graz defense busy. After 40 minutes, three Sturm players were yellow-carded.

(Bild: AFP)

(Bild: Associated Press)

A good 400 Sturm fans had traveled to the alternative stadium in Brest to Guingamp. They were able to celebrate the equalizer out of nowhere in stoppage time of the first half. After a corner kick, Sturm caught the French unsettled, Jusuf Gazibegovic passed to William Böving, who forced Fernandes, who was positioned in the middle, to score an own goal with an attempt that was probably intended as a flick.

Lavalée and Aiwu miss, Brest make it 2:1
The second half began with the forward debut of Brighton loanee Malick Yalcouyé and a top chance for Brest. Center forward Ludovic Ajorque deflected a header with his heel just off the bar (49'). Sturm tried to bring more calm to the previously fast-paced game. However, the Ilzer team continued to struggle with the French side's robust approach. Dimitri Lavalée and Aiwu lost two crucial duels after a long ball. Sima turned on his own axis and slotted the ball home from a central position to make it 2:1 (56').

(Bild: GEPA)

Ilzer brought on Lovro Zvonarek, a Bayern loanee, to add a playful touch (60'), but his tireless efforts for the comeback only resulted in half-chances through Yalcouyé (57'/over) and Kiteishvili (73'/blocked). The game went into the final period without a serious chance to equalize, where Scherpen prevented the 1:3 on several occasions. Lavalée was sent off with a yellow card for the next rude tackle (89').

The result:
Stade Brest 29 - SK Sturm Graz 2:1 (1:1)
Guingamp, Stade du Roudourou, SR Walsh/SCO

Goals: 1:0 (23.) Magnetti, 1:1 (45.+1) Fernandes (own goal), 2:1 (56.) Sima

Yellow-Red Card: Lavalée (89./Foul)

Yellow cards: Sima, Camara, Ajorque or Horvat, Johnston, Gorenc Stankovic, Gazibegovic

Brest: Bizot - Lala, Chardonnet, Coulibaly, Amavi (84. M. Haidara) - Camara (71. Martin), Fernandes (72. Doumbia), Magnetti - Faivre (62. Del Castillo), Ajorque, Sima (84. Pereira Lage)
Forward line: Scherpen - Gazibegovic, Aiwu, Wüthrich (10. Johnston), Lavalée - Gorenc Stankovic - Horvat (46. Yalcouyé), Böving, Kiteishvili (78. Camara) - Biereth (78. Yardimci), Jatta (60. Zvonarek)