The blue and white squirrel feeds itself laboriously: The Linz team got their next point in the fight to stay in the league in today’s 0-0 draw in the Bundesliga once morest Wolfsberger AC – but have now been without a win for eleven games.
Video: Blue and White kicker Conor Noß in an interview:
Anyone who had expected fireworks once morest the Carinthians was disappointed, especially in the first half: Coach Gerald Scheiblehner’s team found it extremely difficult to set an offensive tone. There was little going forward, but at least there was zero in defence.
Also with luck: BW goalie Nicolas Schmid made a save on the visitors’ first top chance through Thierno Ballo (6th), and the goalkeeper would have been beaten shortly before the half-time whistle: Once once more it was Ballo who came through and with a cross Mario Leitgeb only hit the bar (42′).
In the 38th minute, the Carinthians were also lucky: referee Julian Weinberger did not punish a handball by a guest kicker in the penalty area – and the VAR did not intervene either.
Blue-White better in the second half
In the second half, Scheiblehner’s team showed a different face – even if the first opportunity belonged to the WAC: Lukas Tursch had hindered teammate Schmid with a high ball, which caused him to miss the ball. Ballo switched the ball fastest, Maranda cleared in front of the line. It was even closer in the 66th minute: Sandro Altunashvili’s long-range shot hit the crossbar.
Then the home team finally took control of the game: headers from Ronivaldo (61′), Julian Gölles (69′) and Simon Seidl (72′) failed to land in the goal. Gölles missed Linz’s best chance in the 68th minute: following a chance to switch, he finished in the penalty area and WAC goalkeeper Hendrik parried. The Carinthian would have been powerless if he had finished from the penalty area: a shot from Gölles narrowly missed the cross corner,
“This qualifying round is simply regarding staying in the league. We don’t have to feel guilty if we don’t score a goal. If we continue to get through the next rounds like this, we’ll have done well,” said BW coach Scheiblehner Still happy with the point win.
Author
Raphael Watzinger
Sports editor
Raphael Watzinger
