No title sensation despite memorable afternoon | OneFootball

7-1 win leaves us runners-up

After perhaps our best performance of the season in the ADMIRAL Bundesliga season we took a 7-1 win against LASK. Due to Sturm Graz winning 2-0 against Klagenfurt, we have to be content with second place and congratulate Sturm Graz on winning the title. We are going into the summer break on a high regardless after that sensational showing, and some emotional moments before kick-off.

Match summary

Around 20 minutes before kick-off, we drew the curtain on an incredible 16 seasons with our captain Andreas Ulmer, while the departing Sekou Koita was also honoured– before chipping in with a brilliant individual performance.

We made a fine start to a fabulous afternoon with a corner in which we showed just how much we wanted to win. Karim Konate sprinted to get to a ball that seemed to be lost and chased down the flank. His ball in was turned behind for a corner, and LASK goalkeeper Lawal could only punch it out for Sekou Koita to slam it in from inside the box (7').

We weren't finished there, as we wanted to heap the pressure on Sturm Graz! Less than a minute later, we netted the next goal. Goalscorer Koita won the ball with some superb spirit in the centre circle and launched an attack. A deflected through ball fell to Luka Sucic, who turned in from a tight angle to make it 2-0 - and send the Red Bull Arena into raptures (8')!

After that lightning start, the visitors battled back and tested us. After two opportunities for a third (Konate in the 18th minute and Koita in the 20th minute), the Linz outfit had a good spell. The visitors thought they had levelled after 21 minutes - although a foul was awarded, and the goal was disallowed. Moments later the ball was in our net again. Maksym Talovierov teed up Moses Usor, who drilled the ball in from the edge of the box (25'). LASK were clearly boosted by the goal and looked for another, leaving us having to regather – which we did very well!

A corner led to us restoring our two-goal lead, with Luka Sucic curling the ball in and Strahinja Pavlovic leaping to send the ball straight in at the near post (36'). We went into the break on course to be crowned champions with the score 0-0 in Graz.

Things were quieter to begin with after the change of ends, but we soon increased the tempo and penned LASK back into their own box. That led to Philipp Ziereis sliding in to fell Konate in his own area – a clear penalty! Captain Luka Sucic made no mistake from the spot to make it 4-1 (61'). We weren't finished there! With another great move, we charged through on the left and Karim Konate was able to slot in from the middle to extend his lead in the top goalscorers' race (66'). Shortly after the goal sending us 5-1 up, the Red Bull Arena had some bad news to digest. With Sturm Graz taking the lead against Klagenfurt, they were back ahead of us in the table again. Our Red Bulls proved to be totally unfazed. The ball fell to Koita from another corner, and he smashed the ball in for 6-1 (71'). What a brilliant brace on the Malian's final performance for our side!

In the final 15 minutes, coach Onur Cinel made a number of changes, bringing on four fresh pairs of legs. That led to a seventh as Dorgeles Nene turned it in after a ball threaded through by Gloukh (78'). That sealed a thumping win, although Sturm were able to take the title with a 2-0 victory.

It was a joyful afternoon nonetheless that makes us look forward to the new season - in which we want to go back on the attack together!

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Onur Cinel

Flavius Daniliuc

Line-up

Substitutions

Terzic for Guindo (76'), Ratkov for Simic (76;), Gourna-Douath for Diambou (76'), Nene for Konate (76'), Solet for Koita (88')

Yellow cards

Daniliuc (45+2' unsporting behavious), Simic (49' foul)

Injury news