Red Bulls take another trio of important points from title rivals.

Tipp3 Bundesliga, powered by T-Mobile, Round 25.
Red Bull Salzburg 2–1 SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz (H/T: 1-0). Goals: Sekagya (31), Janko (53); Kandelaki (72)

Red Bull Salzburg today extended their superb run of home form and took a vital 2-1 win over SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz in their 25th match of the 2008/2009 Tipp3 Bundesliga, powered by T-Mobile.

The win was Salzburg’s twelfth at the Red Bull Arena this season.

The Bulls dominated long periods of the game and are now ten points ahead of Rapid Vienna, for 24 hours at least!

Red Bull Salzburg gave Leitgeb the chance to make his comeback from injury against his former club with Gercaliu starting in place of the injured Aufhauser at centre back. The starting line-up: Gustafsson; Bodnar, Sekagya, Gercaliu, Ulmer; Leitgeb, Boussaidi; Pitak, Vonlanthen, Tchoyi; Janko.

The big match kicks off as part of a ‘Wings for Life’ foundation event at the Red Bull Arena. Striking star Marc Janko is today sporting a Wings for Life shirt to show his support for the cause.

The Bulls attack their opponents confidently from the first minute . . .

Salzburg dominate the opening ten minutes with Graz, for their part defending diligently and refusing to gift the hosts an easy route to their goal – only Vonlanthen shoots on the away goal during the opening phase.

14 minutes: Janko has a superb chance! A brilliant Vonlanthen pass gives the Austrian hotshot the chance to bear down on the away goal. He attempts to flick the ball inside the far post from the inside right but knocks it wide!

20 minutes: Graz’s first moment of note sees Haas firing well wide of goal.

24 minutes: The Bulls have another great opportunity! A brilliant move is stringed together from Ulmer to Pitak and onto Leitgeb, who pulls back to Vonlanthen. The Swiss midfielder’s shot sails narrowly wide of the left post!

With half an hour gone, both the snow and cold swirling wind are getting stronger, but the exciting football continues . . .

31 minutes: 1-0 to Red Bull Salzburg! Sekagya shoots on goal from 35 yards. Christian Gratzei is positioned perfectly to make a routine save but somehow manages to spill the ball into the net for Sekagya’s first goal of the season!

Graz have the chance to equalise on the break shortly afterwards but Hölzl shoots wide of the right post after receiving the ball in ample space!

37 minutes: Janko seizes control of the ball and takes a few steps goalbound before smashing a shot just wide.

38 minutes: A magnificent one-two with Leitgeb gives Pitak a chance to fire on goal from a difficult angle. He is thwarted by Gratzei.

After one minute of stoppage time, the referee brings the first half to a close with the Red Bulls deservedly leading 1-0.

According to the stats, the Bulls are dominating on the shot count (10-3) and controlling possession (52 per cent), although their opponents have been more successful in challenging (53 per cent).

RBS Sporting Director Heinz Hochhauer at half-time: “It hasn’t been a bad game at all in such difficult conditions. We’re just missing that elusive final ball. We need to attack more down the flanks after the break.”

The match resumes!

47 minutes: Tchoyi crosses and Pitak heads just over.

Salzburg continue to control the match and confidently keep possession.

55 minutes: 2-0 to Red Bull Salzburg! Vonlanthen bursts through on the right and sends a fabulous cross towards Janko who leaps and heads the ball past Gratzei. Janko has now scored in all three matches against Sturm this season and has netted 32 goals in total!

57 minutes: The Bulls continue to press the away side. Tchoyi finds Pitak, who turns the ball onto Janko who fails to get a clean contact with the ball on this occasion.

Sekagya’s header from a Pitak corner is scrambled away by Gratzei in desperate fashion after 59 minutes.

Ulmer’s tasty cut-back finds Janko at the near post but the striker’s shot is blocked (65 minutes).

70 minutes: Hölzl has two chances to get a goal back for the visitors but is denied by Gustafsson before smashing a shot into the post!

An away goal arrives two minutes later! Beichler rushes down the right flank and crosses to Kandelaki. Gustafsson can’t quite get to his shot and the ball finds its way into the Salzburg net!

The Bulls face a difficult final few minutes as a courageous Graz team sense they have a possibility of stealing a draw . . .

77 minutes: Salzburg make their first substitution with Mahop coming on for Leitgeb.

78 minutes: Pitak gets his fifth booking of the season, ruling him out of next Saturday’s match in Altach!

84 minutes: The Bulls make another change with Janko being replaced by Nelisse.

With five minutes remaining, the two teams are effectively checking each other. The chances have completely dried up in the past ten minutes.

88 minutes: The Bulls’ third substitution sees Dudic replacing Vonlanthen.

Three minutes of stoppage time remain!

Sturm Graz throw everything forward as Salzburg concentrate on defending their vital three points. The Bulls’ defence stand firm and the league leaders even have the chance to snatch a third goal on the break, although Nelisse miscontrols Tchoyi’s dangerous pass.

The referee signals full time and Red Bull Salzburg celebrate a great 2-1 home win over Sturm Graz as the snow continues to fall at the Red Bull Arena.

Co Adriaanse: “We deservedly won today. We played some great football and were only really troubled in the final 15 minutes. The team became nervous towards the end. There is still a long way to go on the road to the championship with many more tough matches standing in our path.”