They were last represented in the Europa League in autumn 2011, where they ended up in a pool with RSC Anderlecht, Lok Moscow and AEK Athens with three points at the bottom of the table. The Grazers will find out about their nine group opponents on Friday (12 noon, live on ORF Sport +).
The team of head coach Christian Ilzer, who, like sports director Andreas Schicker, extended his contract early on Wednesday until 2024, expanded their unbeaten competitive series to six games. Apart from the most recent league 2: 2 against Austria, it always looked like a win.
Kiteishvili puts Sturm in the lead (39th minute)
A deflected shot by Otar Kiteishvili gives Sturm a 1-0 lead.
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Mura was forced to risk more due to the home game defeat, but more than one match at eye level did not look out in front of 8,237 spectators in the Merkur Arena before the break. Overall, the Styrians were closer to the opening goal. Kelvin Yeboah did not score a goal in a volley in the 17th minute after taking the ball down nicely with his chest. A direct close from Kiteishvili passed (31st).
Sturm hits, Mura outnumbered
A little later, the Georgian took the lead anyway – thanks to good luck. His shot from more than 20 meters was deflected into his own net by Klemen Pucko. After the restart, the Slovenes could not improve, and they weakened themselves by a yellow-red card from Matic Marusko (54th) for repeated foul play. This was another reason why a turnaround was miles away, the question was only the amount of home success.
Yeboah (57th) and Jantscher (61th) with their heads still left chances. Five minutes later, the veteran struck, however, hit the turn well into the Kreuzeck. With this, the team also gave “Joker” Manprit Sarkaria a present, who celebrated its 25th birthday on match day. The group stage starts on September 16. Before that, the second-placed Styrians in the league have to play against Admira on Sunday and, after the international break, against Austria Klagenfurt on September 12th.
Voices for the game:
Christian Ilzer (Sturm-Trainer): “To be in the Europa League group stage sounds fantastic. We have to be humble one year after the restart, but we enjoy this situation. It was a mature, intelligent, confident performance by my team. With the opening goal we gained security and could have scored one or two more goals. Celebrating with the fans in your own stadium after the game is something special. It can go on like this. We are looking forward to the draw, but I have no special wish, just those to be in the group stage. From now on the focus is only on the Admira game. “
Stefan Hierländer (Sturm-Kapitän): “If you prevail 5: 1 in two games, you deserve it. It was hard work, but the team deserved it. I came to Sturm Graz to have international games and reach group stages. I have now achieved that, now I have to redefine my goals. Playing with Sturm internationally is a really big story. “
Ante Simundza (Mura-Trainer): “The referee was the worst player on the field. My team got off to a good start, unfortunately we didn’t take the first good chance and then received the goal through a mishap. We have had eight games on the European stage so far and have represented Slovenian football well. I am proud of my team. In the end, Sturm were simply the better team. We will now go into the Conference League with ambitions. “
UEFA Europa League, play-off, second leg
Thursday:
SK Sturm Graz – NS Mura 2: 0 (1: 0)
Graz, Merkur Arena, 8,237 spectators, SR Jose Maria Sanchez / ESP
Goal sequence:
1: 0 (39.) Kiteishvili
2:0 (66.) Jantscher
Sturm: Siebenhandl – Gazibegovic, Affengruber (81./Geyrhofer), Wüthrich, Dante – Gorenc Stankovic (74./Kuen) – Hierländer (81./Niangbo), Ljubic, Kiteishvili (74./Prass) – Yeboah (67./Sarkaria) , Jantscher
If: Obradovic – Karnicnik, Gorenc, Pucko, Sturm – Horvat (77./T. Cipot), Marusko – Kous (63./Marosa), Lotric (46./K. Cipot), Skoflek (46./Klepac) – Mandic 56./Kozar)
Yellow-red card: Marusko (54./Foul)
Yellow cards: none or Gorenc
The best: Gazibegovic, Kiteishvili, Jantscher and Kous
Sturm with a total score of 5: 1 in the group stage of the Europa League (draw on Friday, 12 noon in Istanbul, 1st match date: September 16), Mura in the group stage of the Europa Conference League
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