Jon Gorenc-Stankovic was spot on in the penalty area in the 43rd minute and spiked the ball into the goal to make it 1-0. Before that, the Admirans’ urgency hadn’t brought anything countable. After the break, striker Kevin Friesenbichler (58th) and in stoppage time Gregory Wüthrich (93rd) met again for efficient Grazers, who are in third place at least until Sunday afternoon.
The home crowd started very powerfully and with three dangerous actions in the first ten minutes. After just 70 seconds, captain Stefan Hierländer put the ball just next to the goal after a pass by Dante. Jakob Jantscher (6th) came next from a tight angle, while Andreas Leitner in the Admira goal had to fend off to the side. And after a free kick variant with two intermediate stations, David Nemeth hit the bar in the 8th minute.
Guests quite dangerous
After that, Admira gained more and more control in front of ÖFB team boss Franco Foda. With good positional play in the headquarters, the guests nipped most of the Graz actions in the bud and tried for their part to play forward in a targeted manner. Maximilian Breunig (24th), who missed the long corner after a quick start over half left, had the first chance for the Südstadt team.
Erwin Hoffer (28th) hesitated too long after a successful hook in the penalty area, his play intended for Breunig did not go through. Four minutes later, Marco Hausjell failed alone in front of Jörg Siebenhandl – the template came as before from Dane Morten Hjulmand. On the other hand, Jantscher (41st) narrowly missed before Gorenc-Stankovic let the ball flounder in the net after a corner kick and a template from Otar Kiteishvili.
Graz more effective
With the inclusion of Dominik Starkl, Admira coach Damir Buric wanted to achieve more offensive clout after the break. But at first there was still a storm on the trigger, as evidenced by a deflected shot by Gorenc-Stankovic (51.). A little later, Friesenbichler dared to shoot a left-foot shot from just outside the penalty area – it fit right into the near corner.
The Admira had to react now, but couldn’t really do it with the space available. Sturm Graz stood a little lower, managed the result and bundled forces. Central defender Wüthrich (61st) and substitute Bekim Balaj (77th) were very close to the 3-0. Marcus Maier and Joseph Ganda (both 92nd) missed the only Admira chances in stoppage time before Wüthrich set the final chord in a counterattack after the Admira defense made slapstick.
Tipico Bundesliga, eleventh round
Saturday:
Sturm Graz – Admira 3: 0 (1: 0)
Graz, Merkur Arena, no spectators, SR Spurny
Goal sequence:
1: 0 Gorenc-Stankovic (43rd)
2: 0 Friesenbichler (58.)
3: 0 Wüthrich (93.)
Sturm: Siebenhandl – Ingolitsch, Nemeth, Wüthrich, Dante – Hierländer, Gorenc-Stankovic, Kiteishvili (74./Ljubic), Kuen (87./Shabanhaxhaj) – Friesenbichler (74. Balaj), Jantscher (86./Huspek)
Admire: Leitner – Aiwu, Malicsek, Rath – Hausjell, Tomic, Vorsager (46./Starkl), Hjulmand, Auer (71./Maier) – Hoffer (71./Kronberger), Breunig (71./Ganda)
Yellow cards: Friesenbichler or Auer, Hausjell
The best: Gorenc-Stankovic, Kiteishvili, Wüthrich and Aiwu, Hjulmand
