Crazy Bundesliga

Title race! Sturm vs. Austria LIVE now

The Sturm players have celebrated more wildly before.(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Sturm Graz stumbles in the title race. The “Blackies” could not manage more than a 1-1 draw at home against Vienna’s Austria on Sunday and thus slipped to second place in the standings.

The Styrians, who were still four points clear heading into the 25th round, slipped from the top after their fourth consecutive draw and can no longer defend the title on their own. Next week, they travel to Salzburg. Austria, who remained unbeaten in Graz for the fifth time in a row, host TSV Hartberg, who trail by one point.

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LASK had previously put pressure on Sturm with a 5-1 win in Hartberg. Graz coach Fabio Ingolitsch opted for a nominally more offensive lineup than last time—with Otar Kiteishvili playing deeper. “You can’t line up any more offensively than this,” said Ingolitsch. Austria had traveled to Graz having gone four games without a win and without key player Abu Barry (adductor injury). Johannes Eggestein entered the game in the second half following his muscle tear.

Offensive slump
After conceding early goals, Austria’s focus was on closing down the spaces in front of their own penalty area and then switching quickly to defense. Sturm looked to push forward but revealed serious shortcomings in possession. The result: After 20 minutes, a careless backpass by Emanuel Aiwu was the biggest highlight (9th min). Sturm goalkeeper Daniil Chudjakov just managed to get to the ball before Kelvin Boateng.

  In the 25th minute, Sturm’s Jacob Peter Hödl took a shot from deep in the box; Samuel Sahin-Radlinger made his first save on the shot whizzing toward the center of the goal. After that, a big chance to put Austria ahead presented itself. Aiwu stumbled while retreating, and Boateng failed to beat Chudjakov in a one-on-one situation (33rd minute). Sturm continued to have slightly more of the play but couldn’t build any pressure. Kiteishvili, who had likely started on level ground, was decisively disrupted by Tin Plavotic in a rare offensive sequence (39th minute).

Austria strikes from a corner
Both teams came out of the locker room unchanged. A set piece put the visitors on track. Plavotic headed the ball in unchallenged by the Graz defense, using the aerial dominance of a 6-foot-5 man. Sturm sought a response; Malone failed to beat Sahin-Radlinger from a tight angle but could have crossed the ball instead (61'). A few minutes later, Seedy Jatta also tried to power his way through with a header (65th). On the sideline, Ingolitsch hesitated to make a substitution until the 67th minute. Axel Kayombo and Ryan Fosso came on for Jatta and Malone.

Austria missed the chance to seal the deal. Aleksandar Dragovic volleyed a free-kick cross and hit the post (70'). Sturm, lacking creative spark in the final third, increased the pressure once more. First, Kayombo missed the ball from a prime position, and an obviously surprised Kiteishvili failed to connect properly. Shortly after, defender Koller headed in following a deflected free kick by Jusuf Gazibegovic (85th minute).

SK Sturm Graz – FK Austria Vienna 1-1 (0-0)
Graz, Graz-Liebenau Stadium, 15,697, Referee Ebner

Goal: 0–1 (54.) Plavotic
1:1 (85.) Koller

Sturm: Chudjakov – Vallci, Aiwu (80. Gazibegovic), Koller (81. Wilson) – Hödl, Gorenc Stankovic, Kiteishvili, Mamageishvili, Karic – Malone (68. Fosso), Jatta (68. Kayombo)

Austria: Sahin-Radlinger – Wiesinger, Dragovic, Plavotic – Ranftl, Maybach (64. Wustinger), Lee K. (91. Handl), Lee T. (91. Schablas) – Fischer (78. Markovic), Boateng, Saljic (78. Eggestein)

Yellow cards: Kayombo, Gazibegovic and Boateng, Eggestein