The dethroned champions Red Bull Salzburg have opened the new Bundesliga season in style. In the first league game under coach Pepijn Lijnders, the Bulls celebrated a 3:2 (3:2) victory on Friday against GAK, who were playing with great euphoria about their promotion. After an early 0:2 deficit, the GAK came back to 2:2 in a fast-paced match, but ultimately had to let Salzburg go in their first top-flight game in 17 years.
An own goal by Benjamin Rosenberger (4th) and Dorgeles Nene (6th) gave Salzburg a 2-0 lead, Michael Lang (10th) and Romeo Vucic (18th) equalized just as quickly thanks to two perfect counterattacks. A penalty by Karim Konate (45th+2) shortly before half-time finally decided the game and secured a deserved victory for the guests. This also gave them a boost for the Champions League qualifying first leg against Twente Enschede (3rd round) on Tuesday (8.45 p.m.).
Shortly after the departure of regular players Strahinja Pavlovic and Luka Sucic, Lijnders ordered the same personnel onto the pitch as in the 6-0 cup win over Dornbirn. At GAK, central defender Martin Kreuzriegler, who suffered a shoulder injury in the final training session and will have to be out for around 4 to 6 weeks, was replaced by Lukas Graf. Romeo Vucic came on in attack for the injured Daniel Maderner.
The game was barely four minutes old when the ball landed in the GAK net in front of 9,107 spectators. Benjamin Rosenberger had sent the ball into his own goal with an unsuccessful save after a quick advance by the guests and a cross from Aleksa Terzic – it would not be the only slip-up from the 28-year-old that evening. But for now, they had to digest another shock. Less than two minutes later, Salzburg outmaneuvered the five-man chain with a pass to Nene, who lifted the ball over goalie Jakob Meierhofer with great skill from a tight angle. Everything pointed to a clear victory for the favorites.
But GAK also wanted to be part of the spectacle at the historic performance. The home team celebrated out of nowhere after a beautiful combination, and Lang was no less than Nene in terms of feeling and precision. From the edge of the penalty area, he flicked the ball into the far corner with the outside of his foot, making it unstoppable for goalkeeper Janis Blaswich. The Red Jackets’ sights remained open, and new captain Blaswich was called upon a short time later by a shot from Dominik Frieser (14th minute), but then had no chance. Vucic crowned the comeback after a quick switch of play with the equalizer – once again the Salzburg defense looked vulnerable.
The league giant was then again the dominant team and closer to scoring the fifth goal of the evening. Meierhofer had to intervene twice in the hustle and bustle against Adam Daghim and Konate (23′). Before the break, Nene also posed a threat from a similar position to the 1-0 goal (29′) and Amar Dedic with a shot that narrowly missed the far corner (39′). In the end, however, Salzburg needed a Rosenberger handball in the penalty area and the subsequent penalty from Konate to go into the dressing room with a 3-2 lead.
After the break, little changed in the action, even if it was less intense. Salzburg clearly dominated the game. Nene (51′) and Bundesliga debutant Daghim with a shot that hit the post (57′) were unlucky, so GAK remained within reach of the point until the final whistle. In one of the rare offensive actions, they celebrated the 3:3, but captain Marco Perchtold had caused an offside (73′). In the finish, substitute Petar Ratkov missed a good chance for Salzburg (89′), while on the other side Blaswich saved just in front of the onrushing Dominik Frieser.
