"Wolves" tamed

Red Bull Salzburg v Wolfsberg – LIVE from 5pm

The jubilation of Oscar Gloukh and Co.

(Bild: GEPA)

For the first time since August last year, Salzburg are back in the top 3 of the Bundesliga! The "Bulls" celebrated a 1:0 home win against Wolfsberger AC on the final matchday of the basic round on Sunday, pushing the Carinthians into fourth place. Oscar Gloukh scored the only goal of the game in the 13th minute.

Salzburg go into the championship group, which begins in two weeks' time, just four points behind the leading duo of Sturm Graz and Austria Vienna. In this group, the runners-up, unbeaten in ten league games, can now even bring the title back to the city of Mozart under their own steam. WAC start the final ten games of the season in fourth place with just one point less than Salzburg.

Salzburg superior at the start
Coach Thomas Letsch's team were without captain Mats Bidstrup due to suspension and attacker Karim Onisiwo missed the game due to a recurrence of adductor problems. On the visitors' side, captain Dominik Baumgartner and his coach Dietmar Kühbauer had to watch the match from the stands due to yellow cards. Kühbauer was replaced on the touchline by his "co" Manfred Nastl.

In rainy conditions and a crowd of 7,500 spectators, Salzburg got off to a dominant start. WAC were pinned back in their own half right from the start, with Dorgeles Nene knocking on the door for the first time (7th). Gloukh took a deserved lead with a powerful shot from distance in the opening quarter of an hour (13'). Despite further great chances from Nene (20) and Yorbe Vertessen (24), the "Bulls" then failed to add to their lead.

WAC missed chances to equalize
The WAC only became more active as the first half progressed, but remained too inefficient in the final third. This was also the case after the break, when Dejan Zukic failed to hit the ball properly from a promising position (48'). However, a double chance from Vertessen and Gloukh (50') meant that the "Bulls" were soon back in front of the strong WAC goalkeeper Nikolas Polster. A preliminary decision could not be made, also because a goal by Nene was disallowed for offside (68').

The WAC remained in the game and had plenty of opportunities to take home some points from Salzburg. Maximilian Ullmann tried from distance (73') but was denied by Salzburg keeper Alexander Schlager, as was he later from close range (86'). Letsch's team were no longer able to bring their high intensity to the pitch in the final phase, but in the end it was still enough for three points.

The result:
Red Bull Salzburg - Wolfsberger AC 1:0 (1:0)
Wals-Siezenheim, Red Bull Arena, 7513 spectators, SR Sadikovski

Goal: 1:0 (13.) Gloukh

Yellow cards: Capaldo, Clark or Ballo, Jasic

Salzburg: Schlager - Morgalla, Gadou, S. Baidoo, Terzic - Capaldo - Yeo (74. E. Baidoo), Vertessen (57. Diambou), Gloukh (90. Trummer) - Nene (74. Clark), Daghim (90. Ratkov)
WAC: Polster - Gruber, Nwaiwu, Diabate - Jasic, Piesinger (87. Omic), Schöpf, Ullmann - Zukic (80. Agyemang)- Pink (80. Gattermayer), Ballo