Salzburg rewards morale

LIVE from 5 p.m.: Red Bull Salzburg meets Sturm

Home win for Red Bull Salzburg

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Red Bull Salzburg showed morale on Sunday and sent champions Sturm Graz home 3:1 after trailing 1:0.

In the 20th round of the Bundesliga, "runner-up" Salzburg made a clear statement. The Bulls sent champions Sturm Graz home 3:1 (0:1) and deservedly turned the game around thanks to late goals from Yorbe Vertessen (72'), joker Dorgeles Nene (84') and Karim Onisiwo (87'). Thanks to their first win over Sturm since March 31 of the previous year, Salzburg secured their ticket to the Champions Group and came within six points of the league leaders.

Second win in a row
After a difficult fall and a stuttering start to the spring, Salzburg clearly demonstrated its championship ambitions. Alexander Schlager and Co. had last managed two wins in a row at the end of September.

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Both teams had recently returned to winning ways, so the coaches saw little need for personnel changes. Thomas Letsch was the only player to replace Adam Daghim in Salzburg's attack, with Onisiwo, who had suffered an injury in the 1-0 win over Austria, and the Blacks fielded the same starting XI as in the 2-1 win over Blau-Weiß Linz.

On the way to their first league win in Salzburg since 21 November 2020, Sturm proved to be the better organized and more straightforward team at the start. Max Johnston tested Schlager early on (5th), but the Salzburg goalkeeper was beaten shortly afterwards. After William Böving's low corner sailed onto the first bar, the ball slipped through the airy Salzburg defense and Gorenc Stankovic shot in from a central position. A prime example of Sturm's danger from set-pieces.

Chance conversion leaves a lot to be desired
In front of 11,363 spectators, Salzburg launched their actions, which were driven by the will to find a playful solution, mainly through the center, but the yield was initially modest. They repeatedly lost possession, which Sturm almost took advantage of. There was a blaze of fire in the 37th minute when Seedy Jatta's shot, who was in an ideal position, was deflected.

Jon Gorenc Stankovic scored to make it 1:0.

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Vertessen's first shot was clearly off target (21st) and on the half-hour mark, Onisiwo's forced run found Moussa Yeo, who smashed the ball against the crossbar. Salzburg had their strongest phase until then shortly before the break. Onisiwo himself missed from a good ten meters (42'), shortly afterwards only Scherpen stood between Oscar Gloukh and the equalizer (43').

The home side did not leave the momentum they had gained in the dressing room and clearly dominated proceedings after the restart. Sturm hardly had any transitional moments and the equalizer was in the air. However, Gloukh missed the target (54'), Leandro Morgalla's shot was blocked (59'), a Vertessen header fizzed just past the far corner (62') - the former champions were still too complicated.

Yorbe Vertessen scored the equalizer.

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Onisiwo has the final word
It was a counter-attack that broke the spell. It was finished off with a lot of feeling by Vertessen, who ran in alone to Scherpen and headed over him. Salzburg were on the verge of turning the game around, Nene made the turnaround perfect, Onisiwo crowned his strong performance shortly before the end. Otar Kiteishvili had previously missed one of the rare Sturm chances, aiming a few centimetres too high (77').

The result:
Red Bull Salzburg - SK Sturm Graz 3:1 (0:1)
Wals-Siezenheim, Red Bull Arena, 11,363 spectators, referee Altmann

Goals: 0:1 (10.) Gorenc Stankovic, 1:1 (72.) Vertessen, 2:1 (84.) Nene, 3:1 (87.) Onisiwo

Yellow cards: Lavalee, Aiwu, Kiteishvili

Salzburg: Schlager - Morgalla (66. Nene), S. Baidoo, Gadou, Trummer (46. Terzic) - Yeo (46. Daghim), Capaldo, Bidstrup, Gloukh (92. E. Baidoo) - Onisiwo, Vertessen (88. Diambou)
Sturm: Scherpen - Johnston, Aiwu, Lavalee, Karic (70. Geyrhofer) - Gorenc Stankovic - Horvat (85. Zvonarek), Kiteishvili, Yalcouye (70. Chukwuani) - Jatta (85. Le. Grgic), Böving (57. Camara)