The WAC has preserved its chances of reaching the championship group of the Bundesliga. On Saturday, thanks to a brace from Thierno Ballo (8th, 30th) and goals from Bernhard Zimmermann (50th) and Adis Jasic (88th), the Wolfsbergers deservedly won 4-1 (2-0) against latecomers WSG Tirol. three laps before the end of the regular round and reduced the gap to the top six to one point, at least until Sunday.
While the Carinthians, who were in eighth place, scored again after three defeats in a row, the WSG had to accept the next setback a week after the bitter 0-2 in the basement duel with bottom team Lustenau – even the consolation goal by Osarenen Okungbowa (75th) didn’t change that . The hope of the eleventh-placed Wattener (11 points) of being able to catch up with Altach (17) and Blau-Weiß Linz (19) is getting smaller and smaller.
In the duel between two opening losers, the WSG acted wide awake right from the start, as coach Thomas Silberberger demanded, but soon let the home team buy their edge. After a quick free kick, the ball came to Ballo, who ran towards Adam Stejskal alone and kept his nerve. Twelve minutes later, the ÖFB U21 team kicker almost provided the assist to make it 2-0, but Zimmermann put the ideal Stangl pass next to the Tyrolean goal.
Thierno Ballo ice cold in front of the goal
The WAC was clearly the team that dominated the game, and pinpricks from the guests remained rare. At the best opportunity before the break, Okungbowa put a header just wide of the goal (29th), and in return Ballo made it 2-0. After a glitch in the build-up to the game, the fit again Augustine Boakye served his strike partner, who once again finished ice-cold.
The WSG wasn’t badly served by making it 2-0 at half-time. Lukas Ibertsberger had previously forced Stejskal into a save with a shot from a tight angle (39′), and the WSG goalie had also excelled against Samson Tijani (42′). . Of course, the WAC made up for what was missed immediately after the restart. As a result of the aggressive Jonathan Scherzer winning the ball, Ballo sent Zimmermann on his way, who defeated Stejskal for the third time that day.
The WSG kept their efforts against the “Wolves”, who were now acting rather cautiously, and were rewarded at the beginning of the final quarter of an hour with a goal from Okungbowa, who was able to celebrate his first goal in the upper house. Despite the increase in performance, it was no longer enough to win points. Rather, Felix Bacher was sent off after his second yellow at the finish (86′), while Jasic made the final score with a soulful free kick.