Turbulent battle

Two goals, but no winner at Sturm – Salzburg!

There was no winner in the duel between champions Sturm Graz and runners-up Red Bull Salzburg ...(Bild: GEPA)

Red Bull Salzburg go into the international break as leaders of the Bundesliga! The runners-up fought their way to a 1-1 draw at Sturm Graz in the 13th round clash on Sunday, keeping the defending champions, who have a supplementary game up their sleeve, three points clear. In between are runners-up Rapid, who are one point off first place. Leon Grgic (46') put the hosts ahead in front of 15,517 fans, while Yorbe Vertessen (65') equalized the score.

The Salzburg side thus avoided a second defeat in a head-to-head clash this season following the 2-0 defeat. Although the "Bulls" saw their run of four consecutive wins in competitive matches come to an end, their record of six unbeaten league games in a row is still impressive. Graz were able to bounce back after their league defeats against the WAC and at Rapid. Both teams were noticeably tired after their European Cup appearances on Thursday. Sturm continue their campaign on November 23 at home against the resurgent LASK, while Salzburg host WSG Tirol.

(Bild: GEPA)

Four changes for Sturm
The team from Graz made four changes from the goalless Europa League draw against Nottingham Forest, with Tim Oermann and Dimitri Lavalee forming the new central defense, while Tochi Chukwuani and Grgic were also given a go from the start. The Salzburg team did not make as many changes compared to the 2-0 win against Go Ahead Eagles. The fit regular goalkeeper Alexander Schlager returned, Petar Ratkov also came in at striker, while Vertessen was initially only on the bench.

Salzburg gained an advantage in possession before the break and also won more tackles (59 percent each), but it was the hosts who dominated the game, which was also evident from their 7-3 shot tally. However, there was no top chance. A shot from Maurice Malone was too weak (18th), a volley from Grgic from an acute angle missed the target (28th) and Schlager also had trouble with a Horvat shot. Malone was unable to get the follow-up shot on target (44').

(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU)

Lead taken back
Salzburg first became dangerous with a Ratkov header (33') and then took the lead eight minutes later. Edmund Baidoo passed to Oliver Christensen after Bischoff's ideal pass and scored from an acute angle to make it 0:1. After a video review, referee Stefan Ebner took the goal back due to a foul by Ratkov on Lavalee at the beginning of the action - a controversial decision.

Half 2 could not have started better for Graz: Not even 20 seconds had been played when Grgic deflected a Kiteishvili shot into the goal with his knee. Chukwuani could have added to his tally, but was prevented from finishing at the last second (53'). Sota Kitano missed the equalizer almost on the counter-attack (54'). However, it was only saved because Thomas Letsch substituted the right players.

(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU)

Yeo and Vertessen combined in the penalty area, where the latter slammed the ball under the crossbar. Five-time league goalscorer Vertessen had also scored in the Europa League. Schlager held on to Salzburg's point with a save from a shot by "joker" Jacob Hödl (86').

The result:
SK Sturm Graz - FC Red Bull Salzburg 1:1 (0:0)
Graz-Liebenau, Merkur Arena, 15,517 spectators, referee Ebner

Goals: 1:0 (46.) Grgic, 1:1 (65.) Vertessen

Yellow cards: Mitchell or Ratkov, Lainer, Diabate

Striker: Christensen - Malic (82. Mitchell), Oermann, Lavalee, Karic - Horvat, Gorenc Stankovic, Kiteishvili (82. Hödl), Chukwuani (75. Rozga) - Le. Grgic (75. Jatta), Malone (62. Kayombo)
Salzburg: A. Schlager - Lainer (72. Trummer), Schuster, Rasmussen, Terzic - Diabate, Kjaergaard (82. Bidstrup) - Kitano (62. Yeo), Bischoff (62. Vertessen) - Baidoo (82. Aguilar), Ratkov