Title hopes remain after 5-1 win in Hartberg

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FC Red Bull Salzburg

·12 de mayo de 2024

Title hopes remain after 5-1 win in Hartberg

Home win on final matchday could seal it

The battle for the ADMIRAL Bundesliga is going down to the final day! We made up two points on Sturm Graz with a 5-1 win at TSV Hartberg, meaning the champions will be crowned on the final matchday next Sunday.

Roko Simic got us off to a great start today before Karim Konate widened the gap on the chasing pack in the Bundesliga top scorers' race with a hat-trick.

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Match summary

The hosts almost caught us off-guard with a quickly taken free-kick that Donis Avdijaj smashed into the woodwork in the fifth minute - although stand-in goalkeeper Timo Horn may have had it covered. After receiving that wake-up call, we seized the initiative, and it was not long until we were rewarded.

Following a hard-fought opening phase, Roko Simic gave us an 11th-minute lead after Hartberg goalkeeper Sallinger allowed a Konate drive to spill out to the Croatian's feet. Having scored the opening goal, we gained confidence and immediately hunted a second.

Roko Simic almost completed a quick-fire double, but his effort in the 20th minute found the frame of the goal, as did a shot from Karim Konate a short while later – with the exception that the Ivorian was able to follow up by heading in to make it 2-0 (27').

Markus Schopp's side were in no mood to throw in the towel, and sought to show why they belong in the championship group. Hartberg striker Avdijaj, the hosts' most dangerous player today, smashed a brilliant drive out of nowhere before the break to pull a goal back (41').

Our boys reacted in the best way possible and regained their two-goal advantage just before the break. A long pass from Gloukh landed at the feet of Sekou Koita, who chipped the opposing goalkeeper and finished acrobatically to make it 3-1 (45'). We kept our foot on the accelerator after the restart. Just five minutes into the second period, we made it 4-1. Flavius Daniliuc recorded his first ADMIRAL Bundesliga assist by floating a long ball over the defence for Konate, who took it on superbly before slotting through the legs of Hartberg goalkeeper Sallinger (50'). At the other end of the field, the hosts were able only to launch occasional attacks, and there was no late Hartberg attacking rally. With the tempo out of the game somewhat, we waited for the chance to recreate that strike.

It was our top scorer Konate who again raced onto a Daniliuc pass to complete his hat-trick (80'). That was the 19th goal of the season for Konate, who is six ahead of the rest in a top scorers' race he has surely sealed.

Title showdown on final day of season | Resales open!

With Sturm Graz held in Linz (drawing 2-2) and our boys winning 5-1, the title will now be decided on the final day.

Be there on Sunday 19 May at 17:00 when we host LASK and do everything we can to win the title - there are just a few tickets remaining! For those who have a ticket but can't make it, spots can be resold on our official resales platform.

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Views

We did a lot of what we planned to in this win. We knew that Hartberg are a good team, and they showed that today too. On the other hand, we knew that we could hurt them and managed that well. I am sensing happiness today, above all else, as we saw a real team on the pitch who gave their all and made every last metre count. We are pleased that we have a bit of a final now in front of our own fans. We have to perform as a team like we did today to keep our chance intact.

Onur Cinel

We wanted to show a reaction, and we achieved that today. On the whole, things went in the right direction today. We were fully focused on our own play and only heard about the result in Linz afterwards, which is super for us, of course. Sturm Graz are under pressure going into the last match.

Luka Sucic

You saw who Salzburg are today. We did well on and off the ball - that is Salzburg! We concentrated on ourselves and played well. I had to smile when I heard the result in Linz. It's good for us, and we will get a win next week!

Samson Baidoo

Line-up

Substitutions

Gourna-Douath for Gloukh (75'), Nene for Konate (83'), Terzic for Guindo (83'), Ratkov for Simic (90+2'), Yeo for Diambou (90+2')

Yellow cards

None

Injury news

Not available for the match were Mads Bidstrup (shoulder), Nicolas Capaldo (knee), Amar Dedic (calf), Fernando (thigh), Maurits Kjaergaard (thigh), Leandro Morgalla (recovering), Alexander Schlager (knee) and Andreas Ulmer (calf).