Sturm Graz has taken the lead in the Bundesliga table for at least one day.
The runners-up scored a flattering 2-1 win in Altach on Saturday night, putting them one point ahead of Salzburg. The defending champion receives Rapid on Sunday. Otar Kiteishvili (62nd) and “Joker” Mohammed Fuseini (91st) fixed the fifth victory of the still undefeated Styrians in the sixth game.
The Altachers were the better team for a long time, but a goal from ex-GAK kicker Paul Koller (78th) was the only result. It was only the second goal Grazer conceded in the current season. For the Vorarlbergers a positive trend of seven points from three games ended, the team of coach Joachim Standfest can still be found in seventh place with this number of points.
Stable: Sturm “currently best team in Austria”
Standfest had previously described Graz as “currently the best team in Austria”. For a long time, the people of Graz could not prove that in front of 5,760 spectators in the Cashpoint Arena. After an initial overhead kick half chance from David Affengruber (4th), it was the Vorarlbergers who repeatedly put needle pricks on the offensive with their courageous performance. A header from Atdhe Nuhiu went centrally to Kjell Scherpen (8′), and David Schnegg saved in dire need from Mike-Steven Bähre, who was ready to score (20′).
A minute later, Nuhiu made it 1-0 from close range after a Gugganig shot was deflected. After a few minutes of waiting, referee Gerhard Grobelnik rightly took the goal back, Altach’s striker was just offside with his heel. The hosts didn’t let that deter them, they remained more dangerous in an event characterized by a duel. Gustavo Santos headed wide of the box (31st).
Vorarlberger took momentum in the second half
The Vorarlbergers took the momentum with them into the second half, but there was still a lack of efficiency. Santos failed to scissors (51st). A penalty after a handball by Schnegg as part of a support movement in the penalty area was rightly withdrawn. The second tight decision against his team was wild as hell. In the phase, the home team’s opening goal was really in the air, but Nuhiu again failed to get a header in the goal (60th). That should pay off.
Grazer got one shot in the dangerous zone and Kiteishvili, having had the necessary luck with the ball, hit the corner after a pass from Wlodarczyk. But the beach festival squad also recovered from this setback. And in the third contentious situation, the VAR sided with the home side. Koller dusted off at the long corner. However, the ball did not come from his teammate Gugganig, but from Jon-Gorenc Stankovic. That’s why the decision ‘no offside’ was correct.
“Joker” Fuseini traf in 91. Minute
However, Graz could still rely on a “joker”. Shortly before coming on as a substitute, Fuseini overcame Dejan Stojanovic in injury time after a lucky effort by Kiteishvili. Altach’s final offensive remained unrewarded. Felix Strauss also saw the traffic light card because of criticism. Nevertheless, the hosts proved that they are on a “really good way”, as Standfest had said before the game.
2023-09-02 19:41:53
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