1:2 – setback at the end of a blue-and-white dream year

Even though FC Blau-Weiß Linz goes into the winter break with a 1-2 defeat in the Bundesliga against WSG Tirol – it was an absolute dream year 2023 for coach Gerald Scheiblehner’s team. Champion in the 2nd league, inauguration of the new Hofmann Personal Stadium and 17 points in the first half of the upper house – Blue and White can be proud of what they have achieved. “It was an unfortunate defeat for which we ourselves are responsible. Nonetheless, it was an excellent year. “We’re going into the winter break with this feeling,” says BW coach Scheiblehner.

Video: Blue and White footballer Fabio Strauss in an OÖN interview:

Today, too, the start went according to plan: WSG coach Thomas Silberberger had praised Linz as the best “switching team” in the upper house before kick-off – his team didn’t seem to have necessarily taken his words into account: the Tyroleans were behind after just 55 seconds After losing the ball in the opponent’s half, they launched their first counterattack – and were down 1-0 early on. With Simon Pirkl, of all people, a native of Tyrol gave the blue-whites the lead: The 26-year-old even initiated his third goal of the season himself: During the quick counterattack via Pirkl, the side was shifted to Julian Gölles, who served Conor Noß. The guests were able to clear the goal of the German, who came into the first eleven in place of the injured Ronivaldo, with their combined efforts, but the Tyroleans were powerless when Pirkl’s follow-up shot was taken.

The early lead gave the home team something to look forward to: a header from Paul Mensah (29th) went just wide, and WSG goalie Adam Stejskal was there for a shot from Marco Krainz (30th) into the near corner. Noß also missed a great opportunity in the 37th minute: he took too long to finish from a promising position.

Two blue-white neck blows

As well as the blue-whites had the game under control up to that point, Scheiblehner’s team became careless in the end of the first half: Linz were lucky in the 39th minute when Nik Prelec made his way through on the right side and Luca Kronberger served ideally: The Tyrolean’s shot was cleared by Stefan Haudum before the line.

During the last action before the half-time whistle, the home team felt like they were already in the locker room as a collective: Gölles had lost sight of Kronberger when he hit a high ball, and BW goalie Nicolas Schmid was also out of the picture – Tyrol striker Mahamadou Diarra was standing when Kronberger’s cross was passed spot on.

The second half began as the first half had ended: with the next blow in the neck. Nik Prelec ideally took a perfectly played pass from Stefan Skrbo and converted it into the bottom left corner to make it 1-2.

Blue and White only woke up late: First Alem Pasic (88th) shot at a Tyrolean opponent in the five-meter area, and deep into stoppage time Danilo Mitrovic (94th) narrowly missed from eleven meters.