At the Start of the Bundesliga Season

LIVE: WSG Tirol Takes on SK Sturm Graz in Season Opener

The match between WSG Tirol and Sturm Graz ended in a draw.(Bild: GEPA)

WSG Tirol fought hard to earn a draw against Sturm Graz in the opener of the new Bundesliga season. In a hard-fought match, the Graz side took the lead through Szymon Wlodarczyk (29th minute), before Michael Olakigbe equalized in the 42nd minute to make it 1-1. 

SK Sturm Graz had to settle for a 1-1 draw in their Bundesliga opener on the road against WSG Tirol. Although Szymon Wlodarczyk put the Styrians ahead on Saturday (29th minute), but Michael Olakigbe equalized (42nd minute). This marked the first time the runners-up failed to win in their fourth competitive match of the season, though they remain undefeated in their last 17 competitive matches.

The match, played in front of 2,230 fans on a field that had been severely damaged by the second-division game the previous day between Wacker Innsbruck and Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz, offered no highlights in the early going. WSG captain Lukas Hinterseer had the first promising chance, but his spinning shot from the five-meter box flew just wide of the far post (21').

In the 26th minute, Sturm also threatened the opponent’s goal, with a shot by Simon Seidl from the edge of the penalty area whizzing over the crossbar. Three minutes later, Jon Gorenc caught the Tyrolean defense off guard with a long pass to Stankovic; Emran Soglo was completely unmarked on the left side and played a low cross into the middle, where Wlodarczyk only had to tap it into the empty net.

Sturm Lost Focus on Conceded Goal
WSG responded with a header by Nikolai Baden Frederiksen that went over the crossbar (32'), but otherwise had little to offer during this phase—until the 42nd minute. Gorenc Stankovic was being treated just outside the field; the Sturm defense seemed unfocused, and Olakigbe cut into the box unchallenged, left Albert Vallci in his wake, and handed the Grazers their first goal conceded this season with a shot into the far corner.

After the break, the Sturm players increased the pressure but were caught offside with remarkable regularity. As the match progressed, the visitors grew more threatening—Seedy Jatta was denied by WSG goalkeeper Salko Hamzic (71'), substitute Gizo Mamageishvili hit the post (73'), and Axel Kayombo shot wide of the far post (79').

In between, referee Stefan Ebner correctly overturned a supposed handball penalty for Sturm after reviewing the VAR footage. Sturm also fought in vain for the winning goal in the closing minutes. A chance by Seidl was thwarted by Hamzic (92'), meaning the dress rehearsal for Wednesday’s third-round first leg in the Champions League qualifiers at Fenerbahçe did not go as planned for the Graz team.

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