Red Bull Salzburg 2–0 SV Josko Ried (H/T: 0-0). RBS Goals: Pitak, Alex.
Red Bull Salzburg today triumphed 2-0 over SK Josko Ried in front of 14,000 at the Bulls Arena in the T-Mobile Bundesliga. Pitak and Alex got the goals to give Trapattoni's men another taste of victory while extending their superb defensive run to 405 minutes since last conceding.
The Bulls therefore passed an important test just days before Wednesday's crucial Champions League home tie versus Shakhtar Donetsk.
Red Bull Salzburg were today left without the services of the suspended Sekagya, with Miyamoto taking his place in the centre of defence. With Alex also making an appearance, it was the first time that both of Salzburg's Japanese contingent had made the starting line-up since being signed last winter. The line-up (4-2-2-1-1): Ochs; Steinhöfer, Vargas, Miyamoto, Alex; Carboni, Kovac; Pitak, Vonlanthen; Ilic; Zickler.
The match begins in far from ideal conditions with players from both sides having to contend with fierce rain lashing down at the Bulls Arena.
Salzburg's first good opening falls in the ninth minute: Ilic surges through and floats the ball across to Zickler but Daniel Toth makes an important interception.
12 minutes: Ried head forward and create their first moment of note. Drechsel's shot from the edge of the area takes a wicked deflection that also sends the ball flying over.
17 minutes: Steinhöfer cracks a beautiful free-kick from a good 30 yards out that sails dangerously close to the right post.
20 minutes are on the clock and the Bulls are putting in a rather off-colour showing. Ried are ahead on both the possession and shot counts, and to make matters worse the rain is belting down even harder. . .
Steinhöfer sprints and fires a shot on the Ried goal that Hans Peter Beger is just about able to keep out. A few seconds later the Ried shotstopper gets a less strenuous test in the form of a Carboni long-range effort.
32 minutes: A great chance for the Upper Austrians! A deep cross from the right is misjudged by Timo Ochs and it is left to Steinhöfer to prevent the hosts conceding with a last gasp stop.
37 minutes: Zickler lays onto Vonlanthen whose attempt on goal is blocked by Ewald Brenner.
44 minutes: Zickler has a wonderful opportunity to send the Bulls into a half-time lead but the German's shot is wide of the right post by a whisker!
The first half is brought to an end with the scores level on 0-0.
Red Bull Salzburg make their first substitution just after the restart as Ilic departs for Lokvenc (50 mins).
54 minutes: Vonlanthen's corner swoops perfectly into the middle of the area but Kovac makes a real hash of it and sends the ball miles over.
The Bulls are so far proving to be a lot more determined than in the first period however.
57 minutes: Ried threaten the Salzburg goal by outnumbering a pair of Bulls defenders on the break but Oliver Glasner blows it.
58 minutes: Salzburg make their second change as Jezek comes on for Vonlanthen.
59 minutes: 1-0 to Red Bull Salzburg! Jezek has a dream first touch, lofting a wonderful cross into the middle of the area where a dramatic Pitak diving header clinches a valuable lead!
Alex should have made it 2-0 after 67 minutes, missing after being supplied by Jezek.
73 minutes: The Bulls launch a fantastic move as Jezek grabs hold of possession and feeds Zickler, whose shot flies narrowly wide.
74 minutes: Jezek's day is brought to an abrupt end – 15 minutes after starting and one assist later – as a strain forces the Czech off the field to be replaced by Leitgeb.
Alex has another promising opportunity but is once again off-target (75 mins).
Ried have a short period of pressure with two corners in a row which both come to nothing (77 mins).
80 minutes: Vargas suffers what appears to be a pulled muscle in a challenge, and limps over to the sideline to receive treatment. Salzburg have used up all their substitutions. . .
86 minutes: Leitgeb fails to convert a simple chance to seal the match when, after receiving a great Zickler pass, he hesitates and is tackled by Berger.
89 minutes: Another fantastic chance is squandered by Pitak as he sends Leitgeb's ball wide of the goal!
It finally comes off at the third attempt after 90 minutes! Leitgeb sends Alex in on goal and the Japanese defender breezes past Ried goalkeeper Berger to tap the ball home and make it 2-0 with his first goal in Salzburg colours!
As stoppage time enters its fourth minute Pitak has another pair of golden opportunities but 2-0 it remains as Red Bull Salzburg seal their third win in as many home matches this season. The Bulls can now confidently turn their attention to Wednesday's huge Champions League clash.
Giovanni Trapattoni: "It was a tough match as expected. We performed well despite all our recent games but we should have scored more. Vargas and Jezek will definitely be out on Wednesday."
Alex: "I'm delighted to have got my first goal for the club today but I need to score more. Unfortunately we don't have any time to celebrate this victory as we've got our next important game on Wednesday."
