Tragic hero

Battle for the red lantern instead of a red fairytale evening

Captain Perchtold saw yellow-red in the derby

(Bild: Pail Sepp)

Soccer can be so bitter! So close to victory, GAK slipped into the valley of tears in the Graz derby. The sad hero: goalscorer Perchtold of all people.

The red devils from heaven to hell. That sums up the state of mind at GAK and their supporters from the 86th minute onwards...

For a long time, until the 86th minute, they thought they had won the derby. Loudly celebrated by the supporters. A fantastic moment in red! The jubilation was led by captain Marco Perchtold, who started to write the red fairytale with his goal to make it 1:0 in minute 78. Before Perchtold's yellow card (he had taken off his shirt for the goal and then hit Kiteishvili on the leg) felt like it had tipped the derby over.

Bare chest paid dearly
"As you can see, I didn't have my emotions under control," the 36-year-old, who experienced his first derby 18 years ago, tried to joke in front of the TV cameras. However, the veteran struggled with his emotions. "I announced beforehand that I would score my derby goal. That was pure luck at the time. I'm all the more annoyed about this defeat now, which shouldn't have happened," said the man from Graz, who "I think it was the first time in my career that I took my shirt off while celebrating a goal."

The GAK's world was still in order then: Cheering after the 1:0

(Bild: Pail Sepp)

Fatal in the end: Perchtold was sent off - and his Reds ran into the counterattack to make it 1-2. "We have to defend that differently, which annoys me even more! We have to draw a foul" Consequence: Sturm even managed to win rather unexpectedly! "That's the difference, why they're at the top and we're at the bottom. It's simply mentality!"

Altach remain hot on GAK's heels
Although the "tragic captain" does not believe that the third defeat in a row will do anything to the Reds' self-confidence based on their performance, a sober look at the table could give GAK fans cause for concern. At one point, they were already five points ahead of last-placed Altach after taking a 1-0 lead against Sturm. Currently, because the Ländle-Elf surprisingly drew 1-1 against Salzburg, the red lantern is not hanging over them, but it is shining dangerously over the Reds again with only one point ahead.

"A clumsy approach"
"We didn't manage to play a lead home again," said a dejected Christian Lichtenberger. He could have decided the game earlier solo in front of Sturm goalie Scherpen. "It's huge, but I have to make it."

GAK coach René Poms, himself sent off with a red card ("If that's red, a lot of coaches would have to be sent off"), knew: "We were clumsy when we conceded goals, you can't win against the champions like that."