1:1 in Innsbruck

LIVE from 5 p.m.: WSG Tirol must face WAC

No winner for WSG against WAC

(Bild: GEPA)

The WAC had difficulty taking a point from relegation candidates WSG Tirol at the start of the qualifying group of the Bundesliga! Thierno Ballo scored the equalizer with a penalty in the 89th minute. Nik Prelec had previously given the Tyroleans the lead (60'). WAC kept the gap to qualifying group leaders Austria Vienna at one point, while WSG remain two ahead of bottom club Austria Lustenau in the relegation battle.

The first half in front of just 1,250 spectators at Innsbruck's Tivoli was evenly poised. WAC had the slightly better scenes, but WSG were very present in the duels and neutralized their opponents well. After a cross from Adis Jasic, Ballo shot relatively well over (17') and David Gugganig blocked another attempt from the WAC striker (36'). Augustine Boakye also failed to put the ball in the net after a trip by WSG goalkeeper Adam Stejskal (30').

Tirol take the lead, WAC equalize late on
At the other end, Lukas Sulzbacher came closest to scoring when his volley from a corner was deflected over the goal (20'). After the break, a header from Sandi Ogrinec narrowly missed the far corner (53'). WSG slowly gained the upper hand and were rewarded: After a corner and header by Osarenren Okungbowa, Wolfsberg failed to clear the ball and Prelec slotted into the left corner unhindered. WAC continued to lack creative moments and goalkeeper Lukas Gütlbauer had to intervene in front of the onrushing Mahamadou Diarra (74').

However, Wolfsburg at least managed to salvage a point. After a bit of luck with the ball, Thomas Sabitzer played a pass to substitute Bernhard Zimmermann, who Stejskal put past in the penalty area. The WSG goalkeeper saved Ballo's centrally struck penalty, but the 22-year-old then tucked the ball into the net for his ninth goal of the season.

Wolfsburg thus remained unbeaten for the ninth consecutive qualifying group game this season. However, coach Manfred Schmid's team have only won two of their last eight league games. The WAC are now winless in three league matches. In their twelfth league home game of the season in Innsbruck, WSG failed to lose for only the fourth time. However, the late equalizer meant that the Wattener missed the chance to pull four points clear of Lustenau in the fight to stay in the league.

The result:
WSG Tirol - Wolfsberger AC 1:1 (0:0)
Innsbruck, Tivoli Stadion Tirol, 1250 spectators, SR Ciochirca

Goals: 1:0 (60.) Nik Prelec, 1:1 (90./penalty) Ballo

Yellow cards: Geris, Taferner, Prelec or Scherzer, Diabate

WSG: Stejskal - Sulzbacher, Bacher, Okungbowa, Gugganig, Geris (58. Schulz) - Taferner, Naschberger (85. Kronberger), Blume (58. Diarra) - Prelec (85. Buksa), Ogrinec (76. V. Müller)
WAC: Gütlbauer - Diabate (46. Veratschnig), Omic, Baumgartner - Jasic (79. Th. Sabitzer), Tijani (65. Piesinger), Altunashvili, Scherzer - Boakye (79. Zimmermann), Karamoko (46. Rieder), Ballo