T-Mobile Bundesliga, Round 13. Red Bull Salzburg 0–1 FK Austria Magna (H/T: 0-0).
Red Bull Salzburg today suffered their first loss in front of their own fans this season. A Sulimani goal in the 92nd minute allowed Austria Vienna to steal a 1-0 win in front of almost 14,000 fans at the Bulls Arena. After six home wins in a row, Salzburg’s fortress is no more.
It was a thoroughly frustrating afternoon for the hosts. The Bulls clearly dominated the game, enjoying 56 per cent of possession and coming off the better in most challenges. What’s more, Jorge Vargas missed a 58th minute penalty for the home side.
Red Bull Salzburg were forced into four changes as they tackled the league leaders. Kovac, Meyer and Zickler were injured, and Sekagya was laid low by a nasty case of the flu. Fortunately, Carboni got the green light to come back into the midfield after some intensive physiotherapy in the build-up to the match. The line-up (4-4-1-1): Ochs; Steinhöfer, Vargas, Miyamoto, Dudic; Vonlanthen, Carboni; Leitgeb, Jezek; Aufhauser; Lokvenc.
The Bulls begin to put their opponents on the back foot from the word go as they hunt an early breakthrough.
4 minutes: A wicked cross into the area is scrambled away by Franz Schiemer.
6 minutes: Premature celebrations in the Bulls Arena are brought to a cruel end as a Lokvenc goal is ruled offside by the referee.
Salzburg step up a gear and launch some attractive, free-flowing attacks. Lokvenc serves Vonlanthen from a Steinhöfer cross, but the Swiss midfielder’s shot doesn’t have the power to trouble the keeper (13 mins).
16 minutes: Jezek has a crack from 30 yards which Szabolcs Safar is just able to get a hand to.
19 minutes: A Lokvenc volley flies narrowly wide.
22 minutes: Austria have a superb chance! Kuljic sends a piledriver searing over the bar from a corner.
25 minutes are up with the Bulls continuing to dominate proceedings. 63 per cent possession is a statistic that speaks for itself!
After 15 relatively quiet minutes, the first period ends with a crescendo.
The Viennese have a wonderful chance to nab a half-time lead: An Acimovic free-kick gains a deflection off Christoph Leitgeb, and Timo Ochs has to pull off a superb reflex save to keep the visitors at bay (43 mins)!
45 minutes: Almost straight after, Vonlanthen fails in front of goal when he should have given the hosts the lead from a near-perfect position.
Half-time: 0-0.
Thomas Linke during the break: “Austria are sitting deep and staying tight, making it very difficult for us. We have been attacking well but we just need to watch out to make sure that they don’t hit us on the counter-attack.”
The second half kicks-off with Red Bull Salzburg’s clear will to win once more pushing on a forward surge.
49 minutes: Magnificent play from the Bulls. Vonlanthen takes on three Viennese and plays to Leitgeb who shoots instantly, troubling Safar, but the Vienna keeper can save after parrying.
58 minutes: Penalty to Red Bull Salzburg! Kuljic tugs Dudic’s shirt whilst trying to defend a deep cross, and referee Schörgenhofer points straight to the spot. Jorge Vargas steps up but Szabolcs Safar guesses correctly and is able to push the ball onto the post with a stunning fingertip save!
Salzburg refuse to be fazed by their spot-kick misfortune and continue to stream forward, trapping the visitors inside their own half.
62 minutes: Another super opportunity for Salzburg. Aufhauser to Leitgeb, who plays further to Lokvenc, but the Czech can only find the gloved hands of Safar.
64 minutes: The Bulls make their first substitution as Rakic comes on for Jezek.
Will the hosts ever get the elusive first goal? Dudic fires at Safar from inside the penalty area (66 mins); Salzburg’s sixth shot on goal in the second half with Vienna yet to get off the mark in this particular column.
They need not wait too much longer. After 69 minutes, Austria have their first shot of the half, Lasnik’s free-kick being deflected towards the corner flag.
72 minutes: Kuljic stabs an effort towards Timo Ochs’s goal from a corner but the Bulls’ keeper is equal to it.
The match is heading to an entertaining end with Salzburg continuing to rove forward but Vienna posing a constant danger on the counter-attack.
83 minutes: Second substitution for the Bulls as Vonlanthen goes off to be replaced by Pitak.
87 minutes: Acimovic fires an effort wide from a distance.
As stoppage time dawns, Carboni commits a fatal error. He loses possession in midfield, allowing Sulimani a sight of goal and the substitute makes no mistake from 30 yards to clinch a stunning, disastrous and sensational 0-1 lead!
94 minutes: The final whistle sounds around a devastated Bulls Arena. After six home wins in a row, Red Bull Salzburg have lost both that proud record and important ground in the title race to Austria Vienna.
Thorsten Fink: “It goes without saying that we’re annoyed to lose this match. Of course we knew it was going to be very difficult, but you have to say that we were by far the better team today and had loads of chances. From this perspective the loss was totally uncalled for.”
Vratislav Lokvenc: “We wasted so many chances today, really should have taken the lead and then conceded a stupid goal in stoppage time. That’s really annoying!”
