Bundesliga

WAC Wins and Secures Final Playoff Spot

Cheers at WAC(Bild: GEPA)

WAC, which was still in acute danger of relegation just three rounds ago, can now hope for an international spot. Thanks to a 2-0 (1-0) win over WSG Tirol on Saturday, the Wolfsbergers secured second place in the Bundesliga qualification round and have thus qualified for the Europa League playoffs. There, coach Thomas Silberberger’s team will face SV Ried away next Tuesday.

The winner of this knockout match will face the fifth-place team from the Championship Group in a two-leg playoff final (scheduled for May 22 and 25). After four straight wins, WAC can travel to the Innviertel with plenty of confidence. Dejan Zukic scored against WSG as early as the 2nd minute, and WSG defender Jamie Lawrence then deflected the ball into his own net just under a quarter of an hour before the end (77th minute). WSG finishes the season in eleventh place in the final standings; Philipp Semlic’s team had already secured their place in the division before the final round.

Zukic puts the home team on track early
The party trip to Mallorca sponsored by club boss Dietmar Riegler was not to leave any traces at WAC. Silberberger called for full focus ahead of his first match against his longtime employer from Wattens. It took less than two minutes for the Wolfsbergers to celebrate. David Jaunegg, who had moved into the starting lineup, let Angelo Gattermayer steal the ball far too easily, and Zukic finished for his seventh goal of the season. For the Lavanttalers, Lukas Gütlbauer started in goal in place of Nikolas Polster. The WAC goalkeeper had a quiet day at work for the time being.

The Wattener—who, according to reports, had also celebrated their league survival in style last weekend—had to settle for a 0-1 deficit after half an hour. Markus Pink missed the chance for Wolfsberg’s second goal, as did Zukic, whose volley was parried by WSG keeper Adam Stejskal with a reflex save (27th minute). While the Tyroleans struggled to string together any meaningful play, the home side should have nearly extended their lead before the halftime whistle. The standout WSG player was Stejskal, whose teammates failed to register a single shot on the opponent’s goal for 45 minutes.

(Bild: GEPA)

WSG improved after the break
Semlic reacted with substitutions, and his team came out of the locker room with renewed energy. Substitutes David Kubatta and Lawrence narrowly missed a free kick shortly after the restart, then Moritz Wels was denied by Gütlbauer. A goal would likely not have counted due to a possible offside position, however. The situation was precarious for WAC. If Altach had equalized, they would have taken the lead. However, a collaboration between two “super subs” ensured a more relaxed final phase from Wolfsberg’s perspective: Erik Kojzek was lurking in the box after a pass from Avdijaj, but Lawrence deflected the ball into his own net. The remaining minutes passed without incident.

(Bild: GEPA)

WAC – WSG Tirol 2:0 (1:0)
Wolfsberg, Lavanttal Arena, Referee Harkam.

Goals: 1-0 (2.) Zukic, 2-0 (77.) Kojzek

WAC: Gütlbauer – Baumgartner, Piesinger (84. Diabate), N. Wimmer – Wohlmuth, Sulzner, Schöpf (84. Kujovic), Matic – Zukic (80. Agyemang), Gattermayer (63. Avdijaj) – Pink (46. Kojzek)

WSG: Stejskal – Jaunegg (46. Kubatta), Lawrence, D. Gugganig (80. Schweighofer) – L. Sulzbacher (61. Vötter), Müller, Naschberger, Geris – Baden Frederiksen, Wels (61. Sabitzer) – Ola-Adebomi (46. Hinterseer)

Yellow cards: none / Lawrence, Kubatta, Naschberger