Red Bull Salzburg are still chasing their first win since August 21st, or four games. On Sunday, the Bulls only managed a 0-0 draw with WSG Tirol in the 7th round of the Bundesliga, and with two games less they are still only in the chasing position in the table. Four days after the 0-3 thrashing in the Champions League at Sparta Prague, the league giants once again failed to deliver against a disciplined and self-sacrificing outsider.
Pep Lijnders makes four changes after Prague defeat
Salzburg coach Pep Lijnders made four changes to his starting eleven compared to the Sparta away game, the most prominent being in the center of the attack. Karim Konate made his first start since August 2 after recovering from a knee injury and making his comeback in Prague.
WSG makes life difficult for Salzburg
The man from the Ivory Coast hardly made an appearance in the first half. The WSG disrupted the favorites’ build-up play well and initially offered little space, and the too sluggish Salzburg team didn’t create any either despite lots of ball circulation. Defensively, the Bulls were under-employed apart from a few pinpricks and a harmless long-range shot from Valentino Müller (4th minute), but as the game went on they at least posed a little more of a threat. Oscar Gloukh’s first shot was captured by Adam Stejskal (29th minute), and the WSG goalie also had no problem with Kamil Piatkowski’s header (31st minute).
FC Red Bull Salzburg Red Bull Salzburg (beige) in the CL opener at Sparta Prague.
Seven Salzburg total failures in Champions League
Newly assembled Bulls were punished for many of their own mistakes in the Champions League. Seven Red Bull Salzburg professionals were a total failure in the 0:3 defeat against Sparta Prague. …
Wattens survived the small power play, remained bold as they did when Matthäus Taferner attempted to shoot from the halfway line (39th minute) and brought the score to 0:0 at halftime. The nature of the game did not change after the restart. Salzburg struggled in vain, and a desperate shot from distance by new signing Stefan Bajcetic, who was back in the starting eleven (50th minute/over) was the only thing that counted. At the hour mark, the game was then suspended for around eleven minutes because a steward was hit in the head by the ball and had to be taken away after receiving medical attention.
Red Bull Salzburg only briefly shakes Wattener
After Dorgeles Nene replaced the unlucky Moussa Yeo, Lijnders brought on Bobby Clark and Mamady Diambou (78th) to further freshen up the team. Around 20 minutes before the end, they had what was probably the best chance of the game. Adam Daghim, who had been inconspicuous up to that point, forced Stejskal to make a real save (82nd), and Salzburg tightened the screws.
But WSG only faltered briefly and countered with a dangerous header from Jamie Lawrence and a shot from Florian Rieder that was blocked at the last second (both (90th). On the other side, Samson Baidoo missed by just centimeters with a header (96th), but no more goals were scored.
LIVE: WSG Tirol vs Red Bull Salzburg
(Source: APA/SALZBURG24)
