It was reminiscent of many a game of the messed up previous season: LASK played out top-class chances against Hartberg – and in the end the opponent celebrated the victory. The 0:3 against Hartberg, the second home defeat in a row after the 1:4 against Tirol, was a self-fall.
It had started so well. LASK started with the confidence of the 1:1 in Salzburg. Peter Michorl sent Marin Ljubicic down, whose shot was parried by goalkeeper Rene Swete (4th). When Keito Nakamura curled into the far post, a defender saved the battered goalkeeper (8′), Sascha Horvath’s shot from the post (9′). Up to this point, Hartberg also came forward, after that the game only went in one direction.
Swete kept Hartberg in the game
Ljubicic also missed his second chance: after winning the ball in the Hartberg penalty area, he was served and shot over the goal from the penalty spot (19′). Nakamura needed too long to finish (21′), Swete parried the corner kick deflected by Felix Luckeneder just as brilliantly (31′) as Rene Renner’s crack after a corner variant (32′). Thomas Goiginger only hit the crossbar (32′), Ljubicic couldn’t get close to Nakamura’s Stanglpass (37′). There were more than enough chances to decide the game in the first half, at least to take the lead in the eleventh game of the season – but with luck and Swete’s skills, Hartberg made it 0-0 at the break.
The Styrians showed how to use chances after the break: In the 55th minute, LASK couldn’t find a solution in the build-up, Alexander Schlager’s shot went straight to Okan Aydin, who headed Rene Kriwak into play from the center line. The central defenders, who had moved to the sides to build up the game, were no longer able to intervene – 0:1. At 0: 2, Schlager was unable to hold on to a shot by Aydin, Dario Tadic dusted off (62nd).
Seventh winless game against Hartberg
The goals conceded were impact hits. After that, accuracy and speed were lacking for a comeback, which finally became impossible after Matija Horvat’s 0:3 (78th). In the end, LASK had to blame themselves for waiting five Bundesliga games for a win. Against Hartberg it was even the seventh winless game in a row.
Source: Nachrichten
