“The performance was very decent, but the result is okay,” says Ried coach Christian Heinle, whose team has been waiting for a complete success in a league game against Sturm for more than ten years. Ried couldn’t spoil the golden October for the Black and Whites either: In the ninth game this month, coach Christian Ilzer’s team remained undefeated.
His opponent Heinle used his tactical bag of tricks for the match against the Europa League heroes: The switch to a 4-4-2 alignment did not change anything about the dominance of Graz in the first half. Seifedin Chabbi started alongside Stefan Nutz at the front, with Matthias Gragger defending at right-back. David Ungar had to take over the unfamiliar part on the left full-back position. The 22-year-old was the center of attention in the 21st minute: the defender tried to clear a cross from Tomi Horvat while sliding, but the storm kicker hit him right in the hand. Jakob Jantscher converted the penalty due to take the lead 1-0. After that, the Rieder team thanked goalie Samuel Sahin-Radlinger for not being even further behind.
When Otar Kiteishvili (32′), a header from Albian Ajeti and a shot from Alexander Prass, the guest goalkeeper saved in dire need.
Ried comes out of the break better
In the second round, Ried was more offensively present: Leo Mikic (48th) and Michael Martin (55th) made the first shots from a distance. In the 59th minute the ball wriggled in the net – with a bit of luck: Stefan Nutz hit Chabbi on the back with his long-range shot, who steered the ball into the goal to equalize.
At least as happy was the recent leadership of the home side. Chabbi was involved again: Tin Plavotic hit him in the head while trying to clear a corner, from there the ball bounced back into the danger area in Rieder, where Kiteish-vili scored the right spot – 1:2 (71 ‘).
Philipp Pomer missed Rieder’s greatest chance of equalizing: His volley (74′) went wide of the far post. “It was a deserved number, we didn’t trust ourselves enough in the first half. Then we come back, score the second goal exactly in a phase where we bravely play out. Then it will be very difficult,” summarized Ried goalkeeper Sahin -Radlingen.
Source: Nachrichten
