Points shared in home game against Hartberg

After advancing to the cup quarterfinals last Wednesday, head coach Markus Schopp made four changes to the lineup, bringing Philipp Ziereis, George Bello, Branko Jovicic, and Florian Flecker into the starting eleven. LASK got off to a strong start, with their first attempt coming just over a minute into the game when Maximilian Entrup missed the target with a header. Just under four minutes later, Robert Zulj intercepted a pass in Hartberg’s buildup play but fired the ball over the goal.

The Athletes appeared highly alert, preventing Hartberg from playing to their strengths in possession and keeping their dangerous offensive line under control. A well-executed passing combination led to the next chance for Linz, as Flecker, set up by Zulj, was denied by goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger from close range (25th minute). It was all the more frustrating when the visitors took the lead with their first real scoring chance in stoppage time of the first half. A single lapse in positioning by the center-backs allowed a long ball to reach Dominik Prokop, who found the open Patrik Mijic to slot it in (46th minute).

As disappointing as the first half had ended, the second half began on a positive note. Less than three minutes in, LASK once again showcased their renewed danger in set pieces. Robert Zulj's corner kick found the head of Hrvoje Smolcic, who, just as he did against Sturm, scored the equalizer (48th minute). The spectators at Raiffeisen Arena were then treated to an eventful match with chances on both sides. Jörg Siebenhandl made two impressive saves against Donis Avdijaj, Filip Stojkovic narrowly missed a shot after a cross from Bello, Zulj’s header went slightly too high, and substitute Valon Berisha’s long-range shot missed the goal.

In the final phase, LASK ramped up the pressure, pushing hard to secure a potential winning goal. Just minutes before the final whistle, the Athletes combined down the right side, but the pass back to Zulj was off-target. In the 90th minute, substitute Adil Taoui took a shot from close range, but the Hartberg defenders cleared it off the line, with goalkeeper Sallinger already beaten. That would be the last opportunity, and after their 2-1 away win in the first leg, LASK had to settle for a point this time.

LASK – TSV Hartberg 1:1 (0:1)
Raiffeisen Arena, 10,200, Referee Hameter
Goals: 0-1 Mijic (45+1), 1-1 Smolcic (48)
Yellow Cards: Bello, Bogarde; Prokop, Karamatic, Diarra

LASK lineup: Siebenhandl – Stojkovic, Ziereis, Smolcic (66' Talovierov), Bello – Jovicic (82' Taoui), Bogarde – Horvath, Zulj (C), Flecker (60' Berisha) – Entrup (66' Ljubicic)