Carinthians in despair

No winner in the match between WAC and SCR Altach!

Tough tackles and aerial battles, but there was no winner in the clash between WAC and SCR Altach …(Bild: GEPA)

WAC missed out on the much-hoped-for breakthrough on Saturday! In their home game in the Bundesliga Qualification Group against Altach, the Wolfsbergers had to settle for a 1-1 draw after goals by Nicolas Wimmer (45+1) and Patrick Greil (38), leaving them winless in nine consecutive matches and slipping to second-to-last place. Their lead over last-place Blau-Weiß Linz has shrunk to four points. Altach remains in first place.

Under pressure, WAC coach Ismail Atalan made five changes to the starting lineup following six consecutive losses and two draws, as well as the recent 0-2 defeat against GAK. For instance, captain Dominik Baumgartner lost his starting spot, and ÖFB national team player Alessandro Schöpf was absent due to muscle problems.

WAC dictated the pace of the game from the start and created several good chances. Jessic Ngankam hit the crossbar (15th minute), and a goal by Donis Avdijaj was disallowed by VAR due to a narrow offside call on Angelo Gattermayer (22nd minute). Ngankam was also denied by Altach goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic (27th) and headed wide (32nd). Dejan Zukic also narrowly missed the target (35th).

Altach took the lead out of nowhere
Just as it seemed the Carinthians’ lead was only a matter of time, Altach struck with their first real offensive move. During a counterattack, Sandro Ingolitsch crossed to Greil. Fabian Wohlmuth’s last-ditch save failed as Greil’s first-time shot, standing on the goal line, slammed the ball under the crossbar. Shortly before halftime, WAC responded in kind—Wimmer headed in a goal off a corner kick from Zukic.

Even after the break, Wolfsberg remained the dominant team at first. Boris Matic was unlucky with a shot that hit the crossbar (56'), and Zukic found his match in Stojanovic from a relatively tight angle (59').

As the match progressed, Altach managed to shake off the hosts’ pressure and had to withstand only a header by substitute Erik Kojzek that went wide of the far post (83’). Although the Vorarlberg side didn’t pose any real threat after that, they secured the point that allowed them to slightly extend their lead at the top of the qualifying group ahead of Ried.

The result:
Wolfsberger AC – SCR Altach 1:1 (0:1)
Wolfsberg, Lavanttal Arena, Referee Simsek

Goals: Wimmer (45+2) and Greil (38.)

Yellow cards: Ngankam, Wimmer and Oswald, Zaric (coach)

WAC: Polster – Matic, Wohlmuth, Wimmer, Renner – Sulzner, Kujovic – Gattermayer, Zukic, Avdijaj (63. Agyemang) – Ngankam (74. Kojzek)
Altach: Stojanovic – Milojevic, Zech, Jäger – Ingolitsch (82. Rahmani), Demaku, Bähre, Yalcin (46. Oswald) – Massombo (61. Mustapha), Hrstic (61. Diawara), Greil (82. Gorgon)