2023-04-30 20:33:00
It was an atmospheric cup final in the sold-out Wörthersee Arena: the two groups of fans created a great atmosphere in the stands, while Sturm and Rapid fought a gripping duel on the pitch – with the better end for Graz.
Even before the break, the Sturm players raised their hands to celebrate a goal following a header from Emanuel Emegha – but the video referee dampened the joy: the ball had not yet fully crossed the goal line when Tapid goalkeeper Niklas Hedl intervened.
Sarkaria was the match winner
Sturm dominated, but missed top chances himself at the beginning of the second half: After a bad pass from Martin Moormann, Emegha ran towards Hedl on his own, but mightn’t finish. The template for Manprit Sakaria was then perfect, but the strike partner did not hit the empty goal from close range (46th). Sarkaria’s header went over the goal from a cross (55′), Emegha missed the goal alone in front of Hedl (64′).
The missed chances didn’t take revenge: Sarkaria slammed the ball under the bar to make it 1-0 (66′). And when he made it 2-0 in the 84th minute, the cup final was practically decided. It was only in injury time that Rapid made the first dangerous goal, Roman Kerschbaum’s shot deflected to the post by goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo.
Photo: Erwin Scheriau (APA/Erwin Scheriau)
At 10:29 p.m., referee Christopher Jäger blew the whistle for the final – and the Sturm fans celebrated their sixth cup victory with the team following 1996, 1997, 1999, 2010 and 2018.
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The votes on the cup victory of Sturm Graz
Sturm paved the way for LASK
LASK is happy with Graz because the way to a European Cup group phase now seems to have been paved: The Bundesliga third party now inherits the place reserved for the cup winner in the Europa League play-off if Sturm Graz comes second in the Champions League -Qualification moves in. Even if they are eliminated in the play-offs, the group stage of the Europa Conference League continues.
LASK secured this third place in the Bundesliga with a 4-0 win once morest Klagenfurt immediately before the cup final – the fourth Rapid is nine points behind five laps before the end. Only two are missing for the second storm and thus the qualification for the Champions League.
If Rapids had won the cup, third place would have meant entry into the third qualifying round of the Europa Conference League – and thus two knockout rounds up to the group stage.
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4:0 – LASK made the pace in the race for second place
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