4/12/2025

Entrup Fires LASK to Victory on Return to Former Club

Lead extended: With a 1–0 victory in Matchday 25 of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga against TSV Hartberg, LASK increased their lead over their closest rival in the qualification group to eight points. Maximilian Entrup became the match-winner on his return to his former club, scoring the decisive goal and securing a third consecutive league win for the Athletiker.

With four changes to their lineup, LASK kicked off their third match in the qualification group. George Bello returned to the starting eleven after serving a suspension, joined by Andres Andrade, Ivan Ljubic, and Robert Zulj. The match initially offered few noteworthy moments. Linz dominated possession and dictated the tempo, but it took some time for their superiority to be reflected on the scoreboard against the Styrians' 5-3-2 setup. Virtually out of nowhere, the Upper Austrians took the lead in the 22nd minute with their first real chance: Robert Zulj delivered a perfect through ball to Maximilian Entrup, who kept his composure in his first game back at his former club and coolly slotted home to make it 1-0 — his eighth goal of the season.

Following the Athletiker's opener, the hosts attempted to step up their offensive efforts and began pressing higher. Apart from a single chance by Jed Francis Drew, which was denied by Tobias Lawal, the LASK defense once again proved solid. Just before halftime, Zulj came close to doubling the lead with a direct free kick, but his effort brushed the side netting from the wrong side.

Final Phase with a Numerical Advantage

LASK got off to the better start in the second half and initially maintained control of the game, although this only led to one clear scoring chance: a shot from Krystof Danek following a cross from Ljubic (55th minute). As the second half progressed, however, their dominance began to wane, which was evident in shorter periods of possession. Apart from another chance by Drew — who once again was denied by the well-positioned Lawal — the Athletiker largely kept their opponents’ efforts in check.

Even more so after the 77th minute, when Hartberg’s Youba Diarra received a second yellow card for a foul on George Bello and was sent off. With the man advantage, LASK did not allow the Hartberg side any further opportunities to equalize. As a result, head coach Markus Schopp’s team celebrated their third straight win in the final phase of the season — once again without conceding a goal. LASK now tops the qualification group table with an eight-point lead over TSV Hartberg.

TSV Hartberg – LASK 0:1 (0:1)
Profertil Arena, 3356, Referee Emil Ristoskov
Goals: 0:1 Entrup (22.)
Yellow Cards: Demir, Diarra; Jovicic, Flecker
Yellow-Red Card: Diarra (72.)

Line-up LASK: Lawal – Jovicic, Ziereis (K), Andrade, Bello – Horvath, Ljubic – Danek, Zulj, Flecker (77. Lang) – Entrup (77. Adeniran)

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It was the tough match we expected. The opponent kept the spaces very tight at first, and we failed to play the balls into the final third early enough. The game tilted in our favor thanks to an incredible pass from Robert Zulj to Maximilian Entrup. We're not yet at the point where we can punish opponents like that with a second or third goal, but we’re happy to have rewarded ourselves with three points once again and to take something positive away from the result.

Markus Schopp, Cheftrainer