Sixth friendly of the year:
Red Bull Salzburg 3-0 Wacker Burghausen (H/T: 1-0)
Bulls’ goals: Janko, Mahop and Pitak.
With Wednesday evening falling on the Bulls Arena Red Bull Salzburg lined up for their sixth friendly match of the year against SV Wacker Burghausen. A few memories were no doubt rekindled as the teams kicked off their fifth encounter in the last two-and-a-half years.
The Austrian champions again had to do without new recruit Manuel Pamic, still suffering a knock. They started as follows: Ochs; Steinhöfer – Vargas – Sekagya – Prenn; Ilic – Kovac – Leitgeb – Jezek; Janko – Zickler.
Before kick-off the Bulls Arena witnessed the pleasant sight of two old Gelsenkirchen acquaintances greeting one another. Burghausen Coach Ingo Anderbrügge had a few words to share with his old Schalke team-mate Thomas Linke. The pair were part of the great Schalke team of the mid 1990s that triumphed in the 1997 UEFA Cup.
The Bavarians started well and carved out the first chance of the match. Marco Mauske was one-on-one with Timo Ochs after 3 minutes but fired past the far post.
5 minutes: The Bulls respond in deadly style. Jezek bursts through on the left and Marc Janko hammers home a spectacular scissor kick! 1-0 to Red Bull Salzburg. Salzburg are playing some beautiful football as they rove forward on the hunt of a second goal. Patrik Jezek is proving to be a real menace with some very clever play.
Janko (twice) and Zickler all had great chances to extend the lead within the first fifteen minutes but it stays 1-0.
16 minutes: Sekagya sends a Jezek corner just over.
Burghausen then get their best chance so far but Steinhöfer nicks the ball away from Mauske with a last-gasp challenge in the 25th minute.
The Bulls’ defence are showing signs of strain as the first half nears its conclusion.
30 minutes: Wonderful play from the Bulls as Zickler plays a perfect pass to Jezek. The Czech can run through and take the ball in acres of space before feeding Janko but the frontman misses the ball completely.
36 minutes: Jezek finds Steinhöfer from a free-kick on the edge of the area. Riemann saves a decent shot from the German and is at his best again moments later to deny Ilic.
Manuel Riemann has proved his worth before. Last season the keeper frustrated the life out of Bayern Munich in the German Cup with some amazing saves before suffering a heartbreakingly narrow defeat.
Half-time: 1-0 to the Bulls.
Alex Knavs comes on to replace Jorge Vargas at the start of the second period.
53 minutes: The Bulls have the first chance since the break through Patrik Jezek. The Czech sends the ball a fraction off-target with a shot on the turn.
The Bulls make some changes after 60 minutes: Kovac, Ilic, Jezek and Zickler came on for Vonlanthen, Aufhauser, Pitak and Mahop.
After 66 minutes Janko then made way for Rakic before Carboni took the place of Leitgeb.
After 73 minutes Red Bull Salzburg make it 2-0: Pitak sets Rakic on the way to goal and the Croat feeds Mahop. The Cameroonian striker makes no mistake to leave the net bulging from 10 yards.
After 79 minutes Vonlanthen misses from five yards as Riemann steals the show once again. Pitak makes the latest of a string of superb balls to grant his Swiss team-mate the chance. The Slovak completes a superb performance with a tap-in from a Vonlanthen pass after 88 minutes to make it 3-0!
The Bulls totally bossed their opponents in the second half and were well worth their 3-0 win. Salzburg are yet to concede a goal at home in all of their friendly matches so far this year.
