Six-Goal Thriller

LIVE: Can Red Bull Salzburg hold on at Pafos?

Haris Tabaković is being celebrated—and rightly so, because without his three goals, FC Red Bull Salzburg would likely have been eliminated today...(Bild: GEPA)

Haris Tabaković, Haris Tabaković, Haris Tabaković – thanks to a flawless hat trick by the center forward, who was signed this summer amid high expectations, FC Red Bull Salzburg secured a spot in the Europa League playoffs tonight with a 3-3 draw at FC Pafos!

The road to this point was certainly a nerve-wracking one, as the “Bulls” were down 0–2 at halftime after an extremely lackluster performance and, despite their 1–0 victory in the first leg, were on the brink of elimination. But thanks to three goals scored by the Bosnian in just 16 (!) minutes, the team was still able to celebrate in the end. In the playoff, Swedish representative Mjällby AIF now awaits as the final hurdle on the path to the group stage of the Europa League...

Salzburg coach Danny Röhl made three changes to the starting lineup from the first leg. Bartosz Mazurek, Sota Kitano, and Tabakovic took their places in the starting lineup in place of the injured Soumaila Diabate and Gaoussou Diakite, as well as Edmund Baidoo, who had also been struggling with an injury recently. Tabakovic led the attack, supported by Yorbe Vertessen. In hot and humid conditions, Salzburg was fully in the game only during the opening minutes of the first half. Mazurek found himself one-on-one with Radoslaw Majecki after just 60 seconds but was denied by the Pafos goalkeeper.

After that, Cyprus’s Cup champion demonstrated its home strength with two goals in the temporary stadium in Limassol, packed with 6,000 fans. Lele equalized the first-leg score with a header following a give-and-go and subsequent cross from former LASK pro Bruno Felipe (15th minute). A free kick by his Brazilian compatriot Biel found its way into the net from a position slightly to the left. Pafos defenders David Luiz and David Goldar had unsettled Salzburg goalie Christian Zawieschitzky.

Tabakovic, Tabakovic, and Tabakovic again
Salzburg struggled; before the break, there was too little movement in Röhl’s team’s play. That changed, in part, with the introduction of Baidoo. After a sloppy back pass from Abubakr Barry, Zawieschitzky got to the ball before Ivan Sunjic (46’); at the other end, Vertessen missed the first chance to equalize after a pass from Baidoo (47’).

Tabakovic then turned the match around within four minutes: The 32-year-old kept his cool in the penalty area after a pass from Damir Redzic and cut the deficit to 1–2. Shortly afterward, Goldar handled the ball in an aerial duel with Tabakovic following a cross from Salzburg captain Nikolas Veratschnig. Salzburg’s new powerhouse striker confidently converted the resulting penalty kick into the left corner. But Tabakovic was far from done: The former Austrian player tapped in a rebound from a blocked Baidoo shot to complete his hat trick.

(Bild: GEPA)

Pafos then threw everything forward, and Zawieschitzky made several key saves. The 19-year-old first stopped a header by Lele (72'). He was then also on hand to deny a double chance by substitutes Nicolas Ngamaleu and Anderson Silva (77'). Zawieschitzky was powerless to stop the equalizer by Murad Mammadov, who had come on as a substitute shortly before (84'). Salzburg’s defense was caught off guard by a quickly taken corner kick, and Mammadov scored from the corner of the penalty area. Although Karim Konate missed Salzburg’s chance to seal the win (90'), the Bulls held on to the result until the final whistle.

The result:
Pafos FC – FC Red Bull Salzburg 3:3 (2:0)
, Limassol, Alphamega Stadium, 6,000 spectators, Referee João Pinheiro (POR)

Goals: 1–0 (15') Lelê, 2:0 (37.) Biel, 2:1 (54.) Tabaković, 2:2 (58./penalty) Tabaković, 2:3 (70.) Tabaković, 3:3 (84.) Mammadov

Yellow cards: Bruno Felipe and Veratschnig

Pafos: Majecki – Bruno Felipe, Goldar, David Luiz, N. Ioannou – Sunjic (75. Anderson), Pepe – Dragomir (82. Mammadov), Guga (61. Ngamaleu), Biel – Lele
Salzburg: Zawieschitzky – Veratschnig (82. Morgalla), Boma, Zabransky, Schmid – Mazurek, Barry – Kitano (46. Baidoo), Vertessen (82. Drexler), Redzic (86. Krätzig) – Tabaković (75. Konaté)