LASK Secures Crucial Last-Minute Victory

The match started at a lively pace: just four minutes in, Krystof Danek, making his first start, powered through the opposing defense, only to see his shot crucially blocked at the last moment. Seconds later, the woodwork shook on the other end as Valentino Müller struck the crossbar. Chances kept coming, with Danek, in particular, standing out as he repeatedly tested WSG keeper Adam Stejskal (9’, 23’, 26’). Despite LASK’s early pressure, it was WSG who struck first. In the 24th minute, Johannes Naschberger was played through in the box and finished unchallenged to make it 0-1.

However, the Athletiker once again proved their resilience, quickly bouncing back from the deficit. Linz repeatedly broke through the opposing defense with fast combination play, but the finishing touch was missing. A prime example came in the 31st minute when Maximilian Entrup, after a perfect pass from Jovicic, was denied by Stejskal. The breakthrough finally came in the 42nd minute: Ivan Ljubic unleashed a first-time shot from 18 meters out, scoring his first-ever competitive goal for LASK. A crucial equalizer that, after a VAR check, was confirmed to stand.

With the equalizer in their favor, the Athletiker kept up the pressure after the break, creating several promising chances. Danek once again came close, heading just wide from close range in the 64th minute. Three minutes later, Robert Zulj - who had been subbed in along with Modou Keba Cisse and Christoph Lang - also missed the target. Another header from Adeniran in the 77th minute went unrewarded, and the American forward came even closer in the 81st minute but couldn’t get past Stejskal after winning the ball high up the pitch.

LASK pushed relentlessly for a late winner. In the 89th minute, Adeniran had another opportunity after an attack down the left but failed to hit the target. Then came the dramatic 94th minute: one final attack, Jovicic delivered a pinpoint cross, and Zulj rose to head the ball home - sending the Raiffeisen Arena into ecstasy! His fourth goal of the season proved to be the match-winner, securing LASK’s third consecutive victory and maintaining their place in the top six. The battle for the championship group will now go down to the final matchday of the regular season.

LASK – WSG Tirol 2:1 (1:1)
Raiffeisen Arena, 10.900, Referee Arnes Talic
Goals: 0:1 Naschberger (24.), 1:1 Ljubic (42.), Zulj (94.)
Yellow Cards: Jovicic, Cisse, Ljubic, Ziereis; Taferner, Hinterseer, Üstündag

Line-up LASK: Lawal – Jovicic, Ziereis (K), Smolcic (54. Cisse), Bello – Horvath (65. Lang), Ljubic – Danek (65. Zulj), Berisha – Entrup, Adeniran