Tipp3 Bundesliga, powered by T-Mobile, Runde 16. Red Bull Salzburg 5–1 FK Austria Vienna (H/T: 3-1). Goals: Janko (4, 12, 54), Nelisse (34), Pitak (88); Acimovic (41)
Red Bull Salzburg continued their superlative run of form to win their 16th match in the Tipp3 Bundesliga, powered by T-Mobile. FK Austria Vienna were humbled 5-1 at the Red Bull Arena in the match of the weekend!
Adriaanse’s team controlled the match in front of 16,500 fans and left the away side chasing shadows for much of the ninety minutes. Marc Janko put in another incredible match-winning performance, netting a hat-trick to secure the Red Bulls’ seventh home win in a row. The three points strengthen Salzburg’s grip on the top of the table.
The home win was the tenth Salzburg victory in a row at the Red Bull Arena going back to the end of last season – a Red Bull era record!
Red Bull Salzburg started with Leitgeb after the Austrian returned to fitness from his injury lay-off. Boussaidi was missing due to suspension. The line-up: Arzberger; Bodnar, Sekagya, Meyer, Gercaliu; Pitak, Leitgeb, Tchoyi; Zickler, Janko, Nelisse.
It’s another night of football at the Red Bull Arena – the Red Bulls kick off the second match of the evening with the club’s Ladies’ Day events providing added spice.
Referee Schörgenhofer gets the match of the weekend going with a blow of his whistle! The first shot of the match makes it 1-0 to Red Bull Salzburg!
Bodnar feeds Janko with a perfect cross and the in-form Austrian striker slams the ball into the net with his left foot! (4 mins) – Janko’s 18th goal of the season . . .
. . . and at the same time Salzburg’s 13th goal from a cross this season – the most in the league!
9 minutes: The Viennese have their first moments of note with a Bazina shot that somewhat troubles Arzberger. The goalkeeper’s punched clearances proves enough to clear the danger however.
10 minutes: Mayer rifles a shot from a good 25 yards that soars just inches wide of the top corner.
Ja-Janko – 2:0 to Red Bull Salzburg! Tchoyi bursts through on the left and centres towards Janko, who charges past Schiemer and Majstorovic before smashing in his 19th goal of the season, and sixth brace of the campaign! What a start for his team after just 12 minutes!
Salzburg have hit their 40th goal of the season in a prolific campaign to date! 15 minutes: Nelisse has a huge chance to send the Bulls into an even bigger lead but his weak header is easily saved by Safar.
Janko almost completes his hat-trick! He leaps to connect with a Gercaliu cross but his header goes a fraction wide of the right post (20 min)!
25 minutes: Now Austria Vienna threaten with Okotie taking advantage of a Sekagya mishap but being denied by a multi-part Arzberger save.
Standfest’s header is kept out by a goal-line clearance just seconds later! 27 minutes: Pitak’s powerful shot is caught by Safar.
The chances continue to come at both ends – Janko finds Zickler on the edge of the area after 29 minutes and the German’s shot goes over…
34 minutes: 3-0 to Red Bull Salzburg! A wonderful Leitgeb pass finds Bodnar in acres of space on the right touchline- he delivers another perfect cross which is converted by a Nelisse header!
37 minutes: Salzburg are exposed defensively by a quick Austria Vienna break but Okotie’s shot only finds the outside of the post to relieve the home team.
41 minutes: The Viennese get a consolation goal from nothing through Acimovic who capitalized on a moment of carelessness in the Salzburg defemce!
45 minutes: The Bulls launch another great move just before half-time. Zickler provides Leitgeb with a brilliant pass and the Austrian weaves his way into the penalty area before being denied by Safar.
Half-time!
RBS Sporting Director Heinz Hochhauser in the break: “I just heard an hour ago about the resignation of Austrian Football Association President Stickler. As ever it will be out with the old and in with the new. I hope that the new man can bring a dynamic approach to Austrian football. Today is Ladies’ Day and I think our female fans can be very pleased with the match so far.”
RBS’s injured goal keeper Timo Ochs (from the stands): “We’re playing with some great attacking verve and looking to score all the time. At the moment we don’t need many chances to find the net. My recovery is going totally according to plan. I’m getting closer to full fitness every day and may be ready for Ried on Wednesday.”
The match continues!
The Red Bulls have made one chance: Sekagya has remained in the dressing room due to a thigh strain with Milan Dudic replacing.
52 minutes – It’s Ja-Ja-Janko again to make it 4-1 to Red Bull Salzburg! A Pitak corner meets an onrushing Marc Janko and is headed into the net for the frontman’s hat-trick! The Austrian international’s 20th goal of the season allows him to extend his lead at the top of the European top goalscoring list!
A great free-kick by the brilliant Leitgeb from the left is missed by a fraction of a second by Dudic! (54 mins) The Bulls are playing some great football and are keeping the ball perfectly. The match is firmly in their control after 65 minutes . . .
66 minutes: Salzburg make their second substitution: Zickler is brought off for Kovac.
68 minutes: Tchoyi goes through on the left and centres to Kovac who hits over.
78 minutes: Salzburg’s third substitution: Marc Janko leaves the field to a raucous ovation with Aufhauser coming on!
Aufhauser has a great chance straight away: A Leitgeb free-kick is pushed away by the Austria Vienna goalkeeper towards him but his shot only finds a Vienna defender (79 mins).
85 minutes: Pitak finds Leitgeb who is off-target!
88 minutes, 5-1 to Red Bull Salzburg! Bodnar crosses and Pitak pushes the ball past Safar!
Full-time is blown with Red Bull Salzburg celebrating a 5-1 thrashing of Austria Vienna!
Co Adriaanse: “That was a dream result and the match was fantastic too. Janko didn’t waste any time with his goals as they were not easy at all. That’s his sheer quality. We’re top of the league now but it’s more difficult to stay at the top than to reach it.”
Marc Janko: “I can’t repeat it enough but the team played perfectly for me again. My role is to score goals and fortunately I’m doing that well at the moment. Things are going good for us at the moment and long may it continue.” Christoph Leitgeb: “Today was a brilliant day for us. We got an early lead and continued to attack and score goals. I was really pleased to play the full 90 minutes today.”
