Victory against GAK

LIVE: Next goal! Sturm Graz can cheer again

Derby win for SK Sturm Graz(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Champions Sturm Graz won the city derby against Grazer AK 2:1 on Sunday. Jeyland Mitchell (7') and Maurice Malone (67') scored for the home side, Christian Lichtenberger's (90+10') equalizer came too late for GAK. Sturm climbed to second place in the Bundesliga table with the win.

It remains to be seen how much calm the derby win will bring to the second-placed team led by embattled coach Jürgen Säumel. The Black & Whites are already reliant on points at home against Red Star Belgrade on Thursday to maintain a realistic chance of progressing in the Europa League. The final match of the season will be a visit to Vienna Austria. GAK will then host LASK. The red camp of Graz must continue to wait for their first derby win since November 11, 2006.

Sturm take an early lead in front of a record crowd
Newly erected standing areas ensured a record crowd in the Merkur Arena. 17,425 fans, including 4,000 on the GAK side, did not want to miss out on the emotional match. The "Red Jackets" had sniffed the morning air with three wins in their last four games. Sturm, on the other hand, went into the game with only two wins in their last ten appearances.

(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU)

Säumel once again had to rebuild the defense. Feyenoord loanee Mitchell moved into central defense for the sick Tim Oermann. And it was Mitchell of all people who got Sturm off to a perfect start. GAK goalkeeper Jakob Meierhofer misjudged a corner kick from Tomi Horvat and Mitchell, who had been blocked, headed in with ease.

Harakate with the chance to equalize out of nowhere
With the lead behind them, the favorites dictated the contested game. Filip Rozga crossed with his head and starting eleven returnee Otar Kiteishvili was just one step too late (18'). Mitchell was hit on the foot during a scramble in the GAK penalty area (23'), but no penalty was awarded.

  The GAK had their hands full defensively. The Feldhofer eleven rarely escaped the Sturm pressing, which became sharper again. Offensively, there was nothing to be seen from the "guests" - until the 37th minute: Ramiz Harakate took Daniel Maderner's pass and headed straight at Sturm goalkeeper Oliver Christensen, who plucked the ball off the GAK player's foot. Harakate held onto the ball but missed from a tight angle. Shortly afterwards, Sturm failed to make it 2:0. Meierhofer closed down Maurice Malone in the near corner, and seconds later Malone also hit the outside of the bar with a header (43').

Late equalizer
The derby continued to thrive on intensity in the second period in front of an enthusiastic crowd. Handball protests by GAK in the 49th minute went unheard. The game was over for Leon Grgic after an hour. The Sturm attacker accidentally twisted his ankle in a tackle. His team-mates followed up after winning the ball high up the pitch. Rozga dribbled into the penalty area at speed and set up Malone, who shot in from the center (66'). GAK continued to find it difficult to get through. Harakate again failed to beat Christensen (78') after starting from an offside position.

Feldhofer put all his eggs in one basket with a triple substitution. There was a great chance to score the equalizer in the 87th minute, but Harakate's cross failed to find a taker. In the 14 minutes of stoppage time, Sturm missed the 3:0 on the counter-attack several times and Lichtenberger created a brief moment of tension with a volley to make it 1-2.