Chance not taken

LIVE from 5pm: LASK must face Hartberg!

There were chances on both sides to decide the game in their favor.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

LASK and TSV Hartberg shared the points in the 12th round of the domestic Bundesliga. After Hartberg had taken the lead with a goal from Patrik Mijic in stoppage time of the first half, the home side equalized through Hrvoje Smolcic immediately after the restart. The match then developed into a tightly contested affair without any further goals being scored.

The reunion with his former club did not bring LASK coach Markus Schopp the home win he had hoped for. The team from Linz had to settle for a 1:1 (0:1) draw at home against TSV Hartberg in the Bundesliga on Saturday. TSV, from whom Schopp moved to Linz at the beginning of September, are still two points ahead of the Athletics in sixth place.

Markus Schopp

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

LASK were clearly the dominant team in the first half in a match that was tough at times in the beginning, but Hartberg took the lead just before the break through Patrik Mijic (45.+2). Shortly after the break, Linz equalized through Hrvoje Smolcic (48'). The Upper Austrians must therefore continue to wait for their 400th win in the Bundesliga.

LASK with better start
Initially, it was almost only LASK who created goalscoring opportunities. A header from Robert Zulj missed the target (2nd), then goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger blundered twice, but without consequences. First, the TSV goalkeeper served Zulj the ball in the penalty area, but the LASK captain was unable to convert the pass (6'). A minute later, Sallinger struck the ball, which rolled past the goal.

Manfred Schmid

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The home side continued to press after that, with Florian Flecker failing to beat Sallinger with the next big chance (25'). Hartberg rarely got into their opponents' penalty area, but did so decisively shortly before half-time. Mijic had the empty goal in front of him after an assist from Dominik Prokop and only had to slot in his sixth goal of the season (45.+2).

Chances on both sides
LASK equalized soon after the restart with a set piece. After a Zulj corner, Smolcic beat several Hartberg players and headed home to make it 1:1 (48'). The game now became livelier. Donis Avdijaj twice gave Hartberg the lead again (54', 61'). Linz missed two match points. In the 63rd minute, Filip Stojkovic failed to put the ball on target when he was completely free at the far post after a cross. Defender Fabian Wilfinger cleared a shot from Adil Taoui on the line (89').

Hartberg thus continued their strong run since the change of coach. Under Schopp's successor Manfred Schmid, TSV have won four and drawn one of their six games.