TSV keeps a clean sheet

LASK stumbles in the title race with a 0-0 draw against Hartberg!

Saša Kalajdžić can’t believe it – LASK didn’t get the three points against TSV Hartberg …(Bild: APA/EXPA)

LASK and TSV Hartberg kicked off the championship group of the Austrian Bundesliga with a scoreless draw!

On Friday evening, 9,544 spectators at the Raiffeisen Arena watched as the Linz side searched in vain for a goal against a compact Styrian defense. After ten goals in their previous meetings this season, clear-cut chances were few and far between. Hartberg’s Youba Diarra was shown a red card in stoppage time.

For LASK, currently sitting in first place, the action continues as early as Wednesday evening. In Ried, Dietmar Kühbauer’s team will battle for a spot in the ÖFB Cup final in Klagenfurt in the rescheduled semifinal match. In the championship group, a trip to Vienna to face Rapid awaits. Hartberg will host Austria at home after a break of over a week.

Both teams made personnel changes, more or less voluntarily. For LASK, in addition to center back Joao Tornich and the also injured striker Krystof Danek, Sascha Horvath was also absent for personal reasons—the Linz captain had become a father. Horvath was replaced in central midfield by Christoph Lang. For Hartberg, defensive leader Lukas Spendlhofer had to sit out due to illness. In attack, Manfred Schmid opted for Ghanaian Musibau Aziz alongside Havel instead of Marco Hoffmann.

(Bild: GEPA)

LASK with a golden opportunity early on
It looked like it was going to be a test of patience for LASK. Hartberg boasted the league’s second-strongest defense, having conceded just 24 goals, while up front the speedy Havel was expected to cause trouble. The LASK loanee—Hartberg will exercise the purchase option—is still waiting for his eleventh goal of the season this spring. There was one parallel between the opponents: Hartberg had suffered just one defeat in the previous 14 rounds, just like the Athletiker. These streaks were set to continue…

The home team had an early golden opportunity. Samuel Adeniran narrowly missed a sharp cross from Kasper Jörgensen (5th min). It would remain the biggest highlight for a long time. The action took place mainly in midfield; Havel also went down in the penalty area but was shown a yellow card for his “dive.” For 35 minutes, the stats showed no shots on goal from either team, until Lang forced Hartberg goalie Tom Hülsmann to make a fist save with a powerful shot. LASK then built up pressure, but Hartberg held firm even on corner kicks. The teams went into the locker rooms scoreless.

Offensive substitutions fail to make an impact
Hartberg coach Schmid reacted: Hoffmann came on for the ineffective Aziz, and Jürgen Heil handed the captain’s armband to Tobias Kainz, who had come on as a substitute for him. Hartberg remained prone to errors, while the Linz side wanted more: Hülsmann successfully spread himself wide to block a header from Sasa Kalajdzic (53'). Havel also had to leave the field, with Lukas Fridrikas taking over. LASK also made a change in the forward line, bringing on Maximilian Entrup for Adeniran. This only revitalized the offensive play to a limited extent. Hartberg stood compact and closed down the spaces in front of the defense even when in possession.

(Bild: GEPA)

Fridrikas could have made more of a cross, but his first touch was poor (85'). The Linz side took frequent shots on goal, but most posed little threat. Hartberg finished the match a man down: Diarra struck Kalajdzic on the ankle with an outstretched leg in the closing moments and was sent off. Lukas Kacavenda missed the chance for a “lucky punch” with a header.

The result:
LASK – TSV Hartberg 0:0
Linz, Raiffeisen Arena, 9,544 spectators, referee Alain Sadikovski

Red card: Diarra (91’/foul)

Yellow cards: Cisse, Havel, Hennig, Fridrikas, Kainz

LASK: Jungwirth – Mbuyamba, Cisse, Andrade – Jörgensen, Bogarde, Lang (79. Kacavenda), Bello – Usor – Kalajdzic, Adeniran (66. Entrup)
Hartberg: Hülsmann – Pazourek (79. Kovacevic), Vincze, Wilfinger, Coulibaly, Hennig – Heil (46. Kainz), Markus, Diarra – Aziz (46. Hoffmann), Havel (61. Fridrikas/92. Halwachs)