1:0 – Sturm Graz scored against Rapid in the 91st minute

GRAZ. The fans in the sold-out Graz stadium had to wait a long time for the first goal of the Bundesliga spring – the cheering was all the greater when Sturm’s David Affengruber scored the hit against Rapid in the 91st minute to make it 1-0. It was his first goal in a home game for Sturm. “It’s great that it was a crucial one,” said Affengruber.

At Rapid played Denso Kasius on loan from Bologna for the first time. In addition to the right-back, Leopold Querfeld in the center of defense and Patrick Greil in the middle of the field were new to the starting line-up compared to the quarter-finals of the cup at WAC a week ago (3-1 after extra time). Sturm started without the injured Jakob Jantscher and William Böving with the same eleven as a week earlier in the cup promotion on penalties in Salzburg. However, defender Gregory Wüthrich had to be replaced by Affengruber shortly before the break due to an adductor injury.

The game was interrupted after just a few seconds when a flare hit the field in the dry, freezing cold of minus three degrees Celsius. Sturm found the first big chance through Albian Ajeti, who failed to get a header from Alexander Prass on goal (5′). Rapid disturbed Graz early on, won more duels before the break and was good in the game. However, Marco Grüll shot Guido Burgstaller, who was offside, from a good position (22nd).

Goal disallowed by Tomi Horvat

At the other end, Tomi Horvat made the Sturm fans cheer in the packed stadium: Referee Walter Altmann refused to recognize the Slovenian’s remarkable goal from just outside the penalty area (29′). After studying the video, he decided that Emanuel Emegha was not only just offside at the moment of the shot, but also in the field of vision of Rapid– Goalkeeper Niklas Hedl found. Storm coach Christian Ilzer reacted angrily and saw yellow.

In a very intense game, Sturm struggled for a long time and made more mistakes than usual when building up the game. A half-volley from Emegha was no problem for Hedl (38′). Rapid sometimes presented the back team of the Grazers with problems themselves. Greil played a bad cross pass in a promising position (39′), Wüthrich, who was already slightly injured after the cup game in Salzburg, was also injured in this action.

Rapid without a great chance to score

After changing sides, Sturm was closer to the lead for the time being. Hedl responded brilliantly to a deflected shot by Otar Kiteishvili, who broke through (60′). Rapid continued to find a few counterattack opportunities but was unable to find a goal from Arsenal loanee Arthur Okonkwo, who made an unspectacular home debut in attack kit.

Fifteen minutes before the end, the game was interrupted again because of heavy smoke from the stands. Okonkwo parried a Kasius shot from the edge of the penalty area with his fists (85′) before Affengruber struck on the other end.

The 1:0 spared referee Walter Altmann discussions about the disallowed Horvat goal. “The feeling for football has been lost somewhere in the jungle of rules,” said Ilzer, who fears two longer absences from defense chief Wüthrich and striker Albian Ajeti: “At first glance, it looks like more serious muscle injuries.”

The voices of the game

• Christian Ilzer (Sturm coach): “In the end, it was a deserved win, but we were also prone to making mistakes in the first half. It was a game in which a lot came together, and yet we leave the field as winners – that’s a very , a very good sign. The fact is that the Salzburg game took a lot out of it.
• David Affengruber (Strike scorer): “I’m happy. It’s important for the team that we start well in the Bundesliga. Now we’ve had two really good games. Of course it is Rapid a good team, we know that. We dominated the game but didn’t make the last pass well, but it doesn’t matter. Today was really cool. That it smokes once is part of it.”
• Zoran Barisic (Rapidcoach): “We’re disappointed because we lost. As far as the game is concerned, the team performed well. We saw that we were equal, that we could hold their own. I still see room for improvement, especially in the Play with the ball All in all it was a good game but we’re sad that we lost We were a bit clumsy in front of goal We don’t need to commit a foul out there But we still need to improve the set piece situation defend.”
• Nicholas Hedl (Rapid-goalkeeper): “In the end we scored a goal short, but I think the performance was okay and we deserved at least a point today. I think we had enough chances. We didn’t make it today, to put the ball in the goal, Sturm do.”