Loss in Athens

AEK Athens vs. LASK – LIVE starting at 6:45 p.m.

LASK was defeated by AEK Athens.(Bild: AFP/ANGELOS TZORTZINIS)

LASK kicked off the UEFA Champions League group stage with a loss. The Linz-based team fell 0-1 to AEK Athens, with Razvan Marin scoring the spectacular winning goal on a free kick in the 21st minute.

LASK suffered a loss in its Champions League debut. Austria’s reigning double champions lost 0–1 to AEK Athens on Tuesday due to a free-kick goal by Razvan Marin (21st minute), marking their twelfth consecutive European away defeat on Sasa Kalajdzic’s return. The Linz-based team will play its next Champions League match on October 14 in front of a home crowd against Liverpool.

In front of over 30,000 vociferous fans at the Allwyn Arena, the first shot on goal came from the visitors—Andres Andrade’s attempt after 90 seconds sailed well over the crossbar. Things got much more dangerous a minute later. Luka Jovic found himself alone in front of Lukas Jungwirth, but the Serbian’s shot hit the LASK goalkeeper’s head.

(Bild: EPA/GEORGIA PANAGOPOULOU)

  In the ensuing phase, LASK proved to be an equal opponent, though long-range shots by Moses Usor (9th minute) and Melayro Bogarde (17th minute) missed the target. The decisive moment came in the 21st minute. A botched goal kick by Jungwirth led, via a series of deflections, to a free kick earned by Bogarde at the edge of the penalty area, which Marin spectacularly buried into the top corner of the net.

LASK Under Pressure After Conceding a Goal
With the lead behind them, the Greek champions grew stronger. LASK was unable to mount any counterattacks during this phase, before the Upper Austrians finally made a promising foray into the opponent’s box: A shot by Christoph Lang was saved by AEK goalkeeper Alberto Brignoli (41st minute).

  But the home team also came close to scoring again before halftime: After a free-kick cross, Barnabas Varga was left unmarked at the five-meter line to head the ball, but he missed the goal by a wide margin. Shortly after the restart, LASK squandered a golden opportunity to tie the game at 1-1. Sascha Horvath broke through alone toward Brignoli, but the goalkeeper was there to block his shot at the near post with his foot.

Goal scorer Razvan Marin(Bild: AP/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Jovic’s goal disallowed
In the 64th minute, luck was on LASK’s side when the VAR disallowed a header goal by Jovic. Assist provider Lovro Majer had been narrowly offside. This kept the Linz team’s hopes of earning a point alive, especially since Kalajdzic made his comeback in the 74th minute.

Disappointment for Sasa Kalajdzic and Co.(Bild: AP/Thanassis Stavrakis)

Even with the ÖFB national team striker in the lineup, LASK was unable for a long time to really put pressure on the 14-time Greek champions—quite the opposite, in fact. AEK squandered a golden opportunity late in the game through Zini, whose shot was cleared off the line by Andrade (89th minute). In the 92nd minute, LASK nearly tied the game at 1–1, but Kalajdzic’s header off a corner kick sailed over the crossbar. Thus, LASK suffered its second loss of the season—its fourth in 37 games under coach Dietmar Kühbauer.