2023-05-06 05:12:54
Only one defeat in the last seven rounds, four points from the two duels with Altach: The WAC should no longer have anything to do with relegation in the Bundesliga. The Carinthians dominated the 0-0 home draw against Vorarlberg on Friday at the start of the second half of the qualifying group, but didn’t get the ball into the goal. In the end, however, the positives prevailed, also because the gap to the penultimate is still seven points.
“It was very good in terms of play, and we didn’t allow much defensively either. Positioning and offense are also going in the right direction,” summed up WAC trainer Manfred Schmid. He only had to criticize the chance evaluation. Above all, Matthäus Taferner, who is to be held over the summer, “Joker” Thierno Ballo and Maurice Malone should have met. “We clearly dominated Altach and had a lot of players, but just didn’t score,” the 52-year-old knew. Disappointment was therefore clearly present. “It’s a shame we didn’t get the three points.”
Austria Lustenau could not be put under much more pressure in the fight for a place in the European Cup play-off before Saturday’s game of Vorarlberg against bottom-placed Ried. “If you look towards the relegation battle, that’s of course a very important point for us. It’s two points lost at the top. But I’m absolutely satisfied with the team’s performance,” summarized Schmid. And midfielder Mario Leitgeb added: “It’s going in the right direction again.”
Referee Stefan Ebner also prevented a win, after an “on-field review” in the final phase he decided on a free kick for Altach instead of a penalty. Altach’s Jan Jurcec handball happened after a slight physical contact with Jonathan Scherzer, so the referee denied the Wolfsberg team a penalty. “Not a foul for me,” Scherzer said angrily. And Schmid also spoke of a “contentious situation” in which there should have been penalties.
It wasn’t the only one in the game, shortly after the break a Scherzer hit was rightly disallowed for offside. “Luckily there was VAR today,” emphasized Altach coach Klaus Schmidt. And Tino Casali shone in goal with an outstanding performance, saving his team from going behind more than once. “Tino was outstanding, captured the point for us,” said the Styrian. “And a point is better than none.” His team defended themselves with all available means and brought in a happy X. Offensive player Husein Balic knew that too: “The draw was the most we could get.”
Altach still plays at home against Hartberg, in Ried, against Lustenau and finally at WSG Tirol. In order to keep the league, it will probably also need one or the other win. Those responsible in the country are also fully aware of this.
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