Salzburg wins a classy start against Austria 3-0
For Austria, who started the season with three minus points, it was the seventh defeat in a row against the series champion. The Violets were too ineffective with their chances in the first 45 minutes to take a point from Wals-Siezenheim.
In the first home appearance, Salzburg coach Matthias Jaissle relied on Adeyemi’s successor Fernando behind a double lead with Okafor and Sesko. Maximilian Wöber started as captain as in the Cup links in the back four, veteran Andreas Ulmer stayed on the bench again. Lukas Mühl is missing in defense at Austria. The neo-captain of the Favoritner left Friday morning for the upcoming birth of his daughter. Johannes Handl replaced him, replacing the sick Aleksandar Jukic, Can Keles started.
After the kick-off, there was no scanning at all at almost 30 degrees Celsius. Nicolas Capaldo invited Austria after just 20 seconds with a bad pass, but Manfred Fischer, Keles and Andreas Gruber were unable to capitalize on it. Fernando showed his qualities on the other side. The lightning-fast Brazilian tested Christian Früchtl for the first time with a low shot (5th). Shortly afterwards, the new Austria keeper had to throw his 1.93 m into the balance again against the attacking 23-year-old (9th).
Austria seeks their salvation in speed counterattacks, launched the pressing and swayed the defensively unconvincing master. In the first quarter of an hour, both teams found another big chance. Sesko was unlucky at first. After a wide pass by Bernardo, the Slovenian circled the ball to the post (14′), Austria’s Marvin Martins scraped the ball away with his heel while still on the goal line. The VAR was used, it was a millimeter decision. A minute later, Gruber escaped Salzburg’s back line, but shot wide of the far corner.
Salzburg finally struck thanks to their playful class. The strong Luka Sucic gave the threader with an ideal pass to Okafor, Sesko dusted after Fernando’s header attempt. Austria had another chance just before the break. The agile Muharem Huskovic tried to head after a corner kick, Philipp Köhn parried. The Viennese had to get angry at the break. The efficiency in front of the opponent’s goal hoped for by trainer Manfred Schmid was missing. In addition, Handl was injured when he fell on his shoulder. He was replaced by Billy Koumetio after changing sides from a Liverpool loan.
Früchtl saved Austria in a one-on-one against Capaldo before they conceded the second goal, but after that he too was powerless. After a throw-in, Fernando was free from around 18 meters and hammered the ball into the cross corner with his right. The leadership of the Jaissle-Elf was now deserved, the Viennese hardly came on the offensive. They obviously had to pay tribute to the pace.
The “bulls” made the decision quickly and with the help of the opponent: Koumetio made a hair-raising blunder with a bad pass to Sesko, Okafor was there. The Swiss fell in the penalty area after Gruber’s shove, but according to VAR the penalty was not given due to a previous foul by the striker (68th). Austria still struggled to score. Salzburg played the clean sheet home dry.