GAK Doesn't Stand a Chance

LIVE starting at 7:30 p.m.: The season opener—LASK vs. GAK!

Samuel Adeniran (left) and Christoph Lang (right) scored the goals that secured the victory for LASK.(Bild: GEPA)

That’s how a champion starts the new season in style! LASK secured a commanding 3-0 victory over a helpless GAK in the Bundesliga opener.

Defending champion LASK got off to a successful start in the new Bundesliga season with a commanding 3-0 home win over GAK. In front of 13,241 spectators on Friday evening, Samuel Adeniran put the Linz side on track before halftime with a brace (20th, 29th—penalty kick) to put the Linz side on track. Christoph Lang sealed the victory in the 79th minute. Next Sunday (August 9), the champions face their first away test of the league season against Wiener Austria.

LASK Coach Didi Kühbauer(Bild: APA/EXPA/ REINHARD EISENBAUER)

Ljubicic in the starting lineup for the first time
LASK coach Dietmar Kühbauer included only one new signing in the starting lineup—midfielder Robert Ljubicic—just as he did for the season opener in the ÖFB Cup in Kalsdorf (7–0). GAK fielded four new players: in addition to Matthias Gragger, who replaced the injured Tim Trummer, as well as Liam Hermesh and former LASK fan favorite Peter Michorl in central midfield, there was also goalkeeper Cican Stankovic. The former Austrian national team goalkeeper, who hadn’t played in a league match for the past two years and had been without a club for a year following his stint with AEK Athens, made his league comeback after more than five years. The now 33-year-old had won six league titles with Salzburg by 2021.

Adeniran’s Brace
 ’s Adeniranforced the veteran goalkeeper into a strong save as early as the seventh minute. In the 15th minute, Stankovic got lucky when Lang nearly outwitted him as he was running back. However, the shot by the four-goal scorer from the Cup opener hit the post. Five minutes later, the ball found the back of the net. Stankovic deflected a hard shot from Andres Andrade to the side, but Kasper Jörgensen kept the play alive, and Adeniran headed home the Dane’s cross. Stankovic’s view had been slightly obstructed by Krystof Danek. LASK captain Sascha Horvath also forced the GAK captain to make a fist save with a long-range shot (22').

Samuel Adeniran converted the penalty kick to give his team a 2-0 lead.(Bild: GEPA)

30 degrees Celsius at kickoff
The Linz team was clearly the dominant side from the start in temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. That didn’t change even after the first water break midway through the first half. The 2–0 goal was preceded by a mistake by Donovan Pines. The GAK defensive leader let the ball get too far away from him, then held onto Danek inside the penalty area after Danek had stolen the ball from him. Adeniran confidently converted the resulting penalty kick. After the break, Danek sent a drop kick over the goal (47'), Stankovic defused a header by Andrade (57'), and Pines made a last-ditch clearance against Lang (61'). Adeniran nearly scored a hat trick shortly before being substituted. In the 67th minute, Austrian national team player Alessandro Schöpf also made his LASK debut.

GAK Harmless
 GAKoffered very little offensively for a long time. Only Alexander Hofleitner came close to scoring a goal after a free-kick cross and header assist from Pines (77'). At the other end, Lang sealed the victory after Yannick Oberleitner lost possession while building up play. Substitute GAK striker Anthony Smits missed a golden opportunity to score a consolation goal with a header in the closing minutes (91'). LASK won its third consecutive match against the Graz team. After the final whistle, Stankovic was struck in the head by an object.

Bundesliga (Round 1):

LASK – Grazer AK 3–0 (2–0). 
Linz, Raiffeisen Arena, 13,241 spectators, Referee Gishamer

Goals: 1–0 (20') Adeniran, 2–0 (29') Adeniran (penalty kick), 3–0 (79') Lang

LASK: Jungwirth – Mbuyamba, Tornich, Andrade – Jörgensen, R. Ljubicic (67' Bogarde), Horvath, Bello (87' Dibango) – Danek (67' Schöpf) – Adeniran (67' Usor), Lang (81' Kane)

GAK: Stankovic – Owusu, Pines, Oberleitner (87. P. Markovic) – Hermesh (71. Anderson) – Gragger, Michorl, Lichtenberger (79. Grosse), Klassen – Maderner (71. Smits), Hofleitner

Yellow cards: none / Pines, Klassen