Salzburg can continue to dream of its sixth consecutive Champions League appearance. Austria’s football giants mastered the qualifying test against Twente Enschede, and after a 2:1 win at home, a spectacular 3:3 (2:1) draw in the Netherlands followed on Tuesday evening. The last hurdle before the newly created league phase is Dynamo Kiev in the play-off, which beat Glasgow Rangers with an aggregate score of 3:1.
In the fiery furnace of Enschede, the young Salzburg players put on a strong performance. Maurits Kjaergaard (17th) and Dorgeles Nene (25th) scored an early double, with Moussa Yeo scoring the third goal (46th). However, the “Bulls” were vulnerable to set pieces. Twente twice reduced the deficit with a header from a corner. Because Kjaergaard missed a penalty (74th), the affair remained exciting until the end. After the 3:3 by Sam Steijn (87th), things were finally burning brightly from Salzburg’s point of view.
Salzburg had travelled to football-mad Enschede for the game of the season so far. With respect for the expected cauldron, but without the handbrake of being called “the crazy guys from Salzburg”, Lijnders sent his team into the match with two changes compared to the first leg. Kamil Piatkowski replaced the injured Hendry Blank in central defence. Lijnders did not use a nominal centre forward. Yeo played as a central offensive player, flanked by Oscar Gloukh and Nene. The 20-year-old from Mali had promoted himself with his dribbling skills in the 5-1 league victory against Blau-Weiß Linz.
Kjaergaard took the lead
After some atmospheric interludes – “You’ll never walk alone” and the Champions League anthem rang out – Salzburg pushed forward from the start. The guests’ efforts were evident after three minutes when Yeo was sent on his way by Nene and a Twente defender saved on the line. Salzburg’s attacker had started from an offside position, however.
Last season’s third-placed team in the Eredivisie had no offensive action for a long time. Salzburg goalkeeper Janis Blaswich only had to defuse one free kick from a long distance (10th minute). In the 17th minute, the sold-out “Grolsch Veste” (Grolsch Fortress) fell silent. Kjaergaard ran in perfectly for a Gloukh lob and calmly lobbed the goalie to take the lead. After scoring twice in the first leg, the Dane scored again.
Nene came close to making it 2-0 (19th minute) after a cross from Aleksa Terzic, but the double strike was only delayed for a few minutes. The former serial champions impressed again with their combination strength and determination, Amar Dedic served Nene at the perfect moment, who scored powerfully over the shoulder of Twente goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall (25th minute). Twente desperately needed the subsequent drink break in the humid, hot temperatures after 26 minutes.
Twente did not let up
The hosts seemed overwhelmed by Salzburg’s intensity, but managed to score a goal in the first small phase of pressure shortly before half-time. Goalie Blaswich (33), Salzburg’s only player over 24 years old on the field, came out of his goal over-motivated – Hilgers used the resulting corner to make it 2:1 (43′). The central defender had air supremacy near the five-meter box.
Two series were prolonged. Twente scored in every competitive match since March, Salzburg conceded at least one goal for the fourth time in a row under Lijnders. But his team remained dangerous with their tricky attacking line, Unnerstall prevented Nene (45.+3) from making it 1:3. The decisive goal came 30 seconds after the restart. Yeo scored from close range after a co-production by the Danes Kjaergaard/Bidstrup.
Twente also increased their offensive efforts with fresh forces. And caught Salzburg again with a corner. Van Hoorenbeeck (64th) headed in from the near corner, but again the allocation was not right. Lijnders stayed true to the line, made offensive substitutions and saw his team let the opponent, who were spurred on by the crowd, jump off the hook. Kjaergaard failed with a VAR handball penalty against Unnerstall (74th). After that, it was almost only Twente who played, and Salzburg were unable to relieve the pressure at all. Sam Steijn scored after a rebound to make it 3:3 (87th). In the seven minutes of stoppage time, a Steijn volley whizzed just past the Salzburg goal (94th).
“We played an incredible first half,” said Salzburg coach Pepijn Lijnders, who was satisfied with the first 45 minutes. “The goals were crazy. That was really good football. The way we started the game here, the way we found the free players, the way our counter-pressing worked, the way we dealt with their long balls, that was excellent. But on the other hand: compliments to the opponent who came back. We were so tired in the last 20 minutes, we were so, so tired. Only a team with this spirit gets this result. It’s really not easy to play here. You don’t want this stadium to wake up and get behind the team.”
