"We're Evolving in an Exciting Way"

"It was the tough match we expected," said head coach Markus Schopp after the 2-1 win in Klagenfurt, where the team stuck to their game plan despite conceding an early goal—securing their 14th Bundesliga point from a trailing position. Particularly in the phase leading up to the winning goal, the Black and Whites dominated, pushing deep into the opponent’s half. Remaining unbeaten in all 23 encounters with the Carinthians, they showed their growing strength.

"We're evolving in an exciting way. Last week against Rapid, we won against a team with a completely different playing style. We're on a good path to finding solutions against all types of opponents," Schopp emphasized, highlighting another step in his team’s development.

Maximilian Entrup, who scored the decisive goal, highlighted an additional key factor: "We are now playing much more as a unit and bringing our qualities onto the pitch," said the forward. Only in the closing stages did the lack of a third goal create some late tension. "I believe we need to decide the game earlier and not allow ourselves to be pushed back like that. That’s an area where we still need to improve," Entrup emphasized.

Nevertheless, the team’s development is heading in the right direction. This is reflected in the standings after their sixth consecutive unbeaten competitive match and second straight league victory. With two rounds left in the regular season, LASK remains on course for the championship group, though the race remains tight with only a one-point lead over Blau-Weiß Linz. "We want to collect as many points as possible in the last two games," said head coach Markus Schopp, looking ahead to Sunday’s home match against WSG Tirol (5:00 PM, Raiffeisen Arena – tickets available now) and the away fixture at SK Sturm the following week. "It’s good that we have it in our own hands. We want to be in the top six—that’s our big goal," added Entrup.

The seven-goal striker is building an increasingly strong partnership with his attacking teammate Samuel Adeniran, as demonstrated by Adeniran’s assist for the winning goal. "He set it up perfectly. He’s a great guy, a fantastic character, and helps us tremendously. He has high quality and can handle one-on-one situations really well," Entrup praised the American, who also played a key role in the equalizer. Adeniran returned the compliment: "It’s amazing to play with him. I always try to find him, and our connection on the pitch keeps improving."

Meanwhile, midfielder Sascha Horvath had double reason to celebrate. The 28-year-old played his 100th Bundesliga match for LASK. "Of course, I’m happy to have played so many games for LASK. I think there were quite a few really good ones in there," he said with a grin, sporting his number 30 jersey. Now, the focus shifts to Sunday’s home game against Tirol, where the team aims to build on their positive momentum.

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