Frustrating home draw v WAC

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FC Red Bull Salzburg

·23. April 2025

Frustrating home draw v WAC

Dream goal only enough for a point

In their fifth match in the championship group, our Red Bulls were unfortunate to only claim a point against a WAC side clinging on for their lives. A superb second half brought us back on level terms, but was not enough for us to claim a win.

Match summary

Our Red Bulls began the clash with the exact same starting XI as in the win against the Violets three days ago. Bidstrup & Co bossed the ball from the very start, with Didi Kühbauer's XI coming off second best in many challenges.

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It was therefore no surprise that our boys created some troubling moments in the early stages. Dorgeles Nene was unable to meet a ball turned in by Aleksa Terzic, and Adam Daghim was but his effort was blocked (4').

Didi Kühbauer's Wolves soon responded, albeit in fortunate fashion for them. A throw-in saw the ball reach Ullmann, who weaved his way to the edge of the penalty area and played a quick pass to the six-yard box. Ballo was waiting there and the ball bounced off him before he deflected it in. A surprised Alex Schlager had to watch on as the ball went in for 0-1 (7').

Thomas Letsch's boys quickly put conceding behind them as the football became one-way traffic. Daghim had the chance to level with his head after our youngster Valentin Sulzbacher floated a perfect cross in, but Polster in the away goal was just able to reach it (23').

After a short period in which both teams cancelled one another out around the centre of the field, it was again Nene and Daghim who were able to create notable chances after passes from Terzic, only for a WAC defender to always get a leg in the way. The final few minutes of the first period were therefore largely uneventful.

The spectators were treated to some furious football in the second period as our side with three changes tore into the visitors. Returning playmaker Oscar Gloukh provided extra variability in our attacking efforts. Terzic had a go with a free-kick from long-range (47') and Yorbe Vertessen – after a Mads Bidstrup shot was blocked – struck a powerful drive from just outside the box (51') as we pushed to level.

After an hour of play, Nene played a delightful one-two with Vertessen, only to send the ball wide to the left (63'). Moussa Yeo then went one better by taking the ball from Gloukh on the edge of the area and curling the ball into the top of the net for a spectacular equaliser (68')!

Having assisted our leveller, Gloukh had a go himself from a very similar position minutes later, but this time the ball zipped well wide (71'). That could have been the winner!

Then came a controversial moment as Vertessen went down in the box following a challenge from Nwaiwu and asked for a penalty - which failed to come, despite a VAR analysis (82').

Our Red Bulls now threw everyone forward to try to claim a winner, but despite our best efforts throughout the final minutes and the eight minutes of stoppage time - it remained frustratingly level.

We have a chance to put things right against WAC as soon as this Sunday, as we go away to face the same opponents at the Lavanttal Arena.

Views

First of all, we are very disappointed with the result. We allowed the opponents to come at us, and then came a phase that pleased nobody. We didn't have any togetherness or common belief - we played a very poor first half, on the whole. We created a lot more pressure in the second half. There weren't many big chances though. The fact we didn't get a penalty late on shouldn't excuse the poor first half, and we have to be critical with our own performance. Even though it annoys us, we have to live with the point today.

Thomas Letsch

We should have taken the three points. After such a weak first-half, in which we lacked tempo and didn't create enough chances, we made a good start to the second. It's not the result we expected in the end. We have the return match on Sunday though, and we need the three points then.

Mads Bidstrup

Line-up

Substitutions

E. Baidoo for Daghim (46'), Gloukh for Sulzbacher (46'), Trummer for Morgalla (46'), Ratkov for Trummer (86')

Yellow cards

None

Injury news

Not available for the match were Nicolas Capaldo (broken toe), Takumu Kawamura (collarbone), Maurits Kjaergaard (ankle), Karim Konate (knee) and Karim Onisiwo (knee).