Konate Scores Twice

Salzburg Secures Europa League Spot Against Mjällby

Salzburg has advanced to the UEFA Europa League.(Bild: APA/JASMIN WALTER)

Red Bull Salzburg has qualified for the UEFA Europa League. The “Bulls” gave Mjällby AIF no chance in the second leg either, winning convincingly 3-0. Karim Konate, who scored twice, emerged as the match hero but had to leave the field due to injury.

Salzburg coach Danny Röhl made just one change to his starting lineup from the first leg: Konate supported lone striker Tabakovic in place of Yorbe Vertessen. In their first home game in three weeks, in front of 7,654 spectators, the Bulls controlled the match but struggled to create clear scoring chances in the early going against the deep-lying defensive block of the Swedish surprise champions.

Salzburg coach Danny Röhl(Bild: APA/EXPA/ STEFAN ADELSBERGER)

Edmund Baidoo narrowly missed a cross from Tabakovic (12th minute), and a similar play in the opposite direction also failed to yield a goal (37th minute). Toward the end of the first half, the Bulls picked up the pace slightly. Abubakr Barry forced Robin Wallinder to make a diving save from 20 meters (32’); the Mjällby goalkeeper was also on his toes to stop a long-range shot by Salzburg captain Nikolas Veratschnig (45’+1).

 Picks Up the Pace After the BreakAfter the break, Tabakovic played the ball past Wallinder following a through ball from Veratschnig, but Konate’s volley failed to find the net (58th). Three minutes later, the Ivorian—who had already forced the decisive own goal in the first leg—did better. After a corner and a shot by Redzic that Wallinder had let bounce forward, the 22-year-old pounced to score the much-needed go-ahead goal.

(Bild: GEPA)

But that wasn’t all: After a dribble, Baidoo flicked the ball from the center into the penalty area, where Konate powered his way through and finished with a header. Shortly after his second goal, however, the Salzburg forward was carried off the field on a stretcher. Konate had remained on the ground after attempting a shot without any contact from an opponent, but gave the all-clear after the game, stating he was not injured. Tabakovic provided the finishing touch. The Bosnian scored his fifth goal in his fourth European Cup match for Salzburg, this time off a cross from Veratschnig, who had been brought on by Sota Kitano.

With this win, Salzburg has not only won all four of its home games against Swedish clubs in its history. Under Röhl, the Bulls remain undefeated this season after eight competitive matches and have kept five clean sheets. In the Europa League, they aim to do better than last season, when their run ended after six losses in eight games during the group stage. In the Bundesliga, the Bulls have home games against the Viennese clubs Austria and Rapid on Sunday and Wednesday.

Europa League, Playoff, Second Leg:

FC Red Bull Salzburg – Mjällby AIF 3–0 (0–0)
Stadion Salzburg, 7,654 spectators, Referee Peljto (BIH)

First leg: 1–0 – Salzburg advances with an aggregate score of 4–0 to the Europa League group stage (draw on Friday at 1:00 p.m. in Monaco), while Mjällby advances to the Conference League group stage

Goals: 1–0 (61') Konate, 2–0 (67') Konate, 3–0 (80') Tabakovic

Salzburg: Zawieschitzky – Veratschnig, Boma, Zabransky (74' Mellberg), Schmid – Barry, Mazurek (70' Kitano) – Redzic (82' Camara), Konate (74' Vertessen), Baidoo (70' Tohumcu) – Tabakovic

Mjällby: Wallinder – Miettinen, Noren, Pettersson – Nielsen (61' Agnarsson), Gustavsson (75' Leandersson), Enggaard (56' Lindberg), Granath (74' Svanberg) – Kjaer (75' Dalsgaard), Gustafson – Bergström

Yellow cards: none / Gustafson, Granath, Bergström