The gold goal for promotion was achieved by Dejan Joveljic, who headed it from close range after a pass from Matthäus Taferner (31st). The “wolves” seized the historical opportunity presented to them and presented themselves courageously on the offensive and willing on the defensive. In the sixth attempt, the WAC also succeeded in their first home win in the sixth attempt in the group stage against too harmless guests, a draw would have been enough for promotion. After the sensational 4: 1 in Rotterdam, it was also the second WAC win against Feyenoord.
Wolfsberg ended Group K with a strong ten points behind the winner Dinamo Zagreb (14), who finally defeated CSKA Moscow (3) 3-1. While the European Cup season has ended for Feyenoord (5), who is unbeaten in eleven games in the Eredivisie, the journey continues for the Carinthians on Monday. The WAC is unset at the draw for the round of 32 and will play at home on February 18, the second leg will then take place on February 25.
In their third participation in the European Cup and the second in a row in the group stage in the Europa League, the “Wolves” had a historic opportunity on the last day of the match. Even a draw against the Dutch fourth would have been enough for their first promotion to the sixteenth finals. “But it is not in our DNA to go for a draw,” said coach Ferdinand Feldhofer the day before the game in Carinthia. “We want to attack, we want to act aggressively, and we will do that too.”
Joveljic instead of Peretz
The 41-year-old Styrian started almost the same starting line-up compared to the 1-0 win at CSKA Moscow last week, with Dario Vizinger and Dejan Joveljic instead of Eliel Peretz, who initially sat on the bench .
Feldhofer’s well-known counterpart Dick Advocaat was in a bad mood before the game for two reasons. The 1: 4 home defeat against WAC because of three penalties (“That won’t happen to us again”) was one, the other the conditions in the Wörthersee Stadium: “The pitch and the grass are very bad.” Feyenoord went anyway as a favorite in the duel, even if only two of the last 26 EC away games were won. In contrast to the 2-0 draw at home against Zagreb, there was also only one change in the starting line-up: Nicolai Jörgensen played in front instead of Luciano Narsingh.
“Wolves” brave and vicious
After a minute of mourning for the late Italian World Cup hero from 1982, Paolo Rossi, both teams waived a palpation. Feyenoord needed at least one hit, and the WAC wanted one. Joveljic announced his first ambitions with a deflected shot (7th). As promised before the game, the “wolves” acted brave and vicious. Guest goalie Nick Marsman (8th) had a vizinger volley. As usual for a Dutch team, Feynoord was looking for playful solutions, but had difficulties on the difficult to play track, on the other hand, the home side put pressure on them at the front and were compact at the back.
The WAC had the best chance so far, but Joveljic put a cross from Michael Novak over the gate (19th). It took until the 23rd minute before Feyenoord came dangerously in front of Alexander Kofler’s goal for the first time in this duel: After many attempts, the guests managed to shift the side, and Jens Toornstra prevailed in the duel against Jonathan Scherzer, but his conclusion in the penalty area steered Kofler into the outside netting (23rd).
Joveljic puts WAC in the lead
The Carinthians remained more dangerous overall and got closer to the leadership they deserved. Vizinger tested Marsman from an acute angle (27th). Director Michael Liendl steered the game and helped himself against the ball with a tackle when necessary. The 1-0 was initiated by the 35-year-old: Matthäus Taferner, who prevailed against Hurricane Kökcu in a duel and crossed over to Joveljic, found his pass. The striker was not offside and headed for the acclaimed lead (31st). He accepted the unpleasant contact with the pole, after which his direct thanks went to Feldhofer for today’s nomination.
Now Feyenoord already needed two goals for promotion, which also had a negative effect on Advocaat’s mind. The WAC stayed in offensive mode, Vizinger tried his luck from the edge of the penalty area, but Marsman had no problems with it (35th). In the same minute, Kofler was on the other side of a cross and so it went with the well-deserved WAC lead into the break.
WAC withstands pressure
Both teams came out of the locker room unchanged, Feyenoord increased the pressure without creating any chances. The WAC, which made too little of the many standard situations, kept the guests in check, also because they didn’t give away any centimeters and thus took away the enthusiasm of the strong guests. At first there were only a few relief moves forward, “Joker” Eliel Peretz forgave one with an imprecise finish to the right of the gate (59th).
The clock was ticking in favor of the Lavanttaler, who, driven by their delegation, stayed consistently in the duels. In addition, Kofler was always in control of the situation in seemingly dangerous situations in the penalty area. Feldhofer switched to a five-man chain after around 70 minutes with veteran Nemanja Rnic, so he didn’t want to make the game unnecessarily exciting. Advocaat took full risk, but initially nothing more than shots from captain Steven Berghuis (79th / over the gate) and Joao Teixeira (81st / in Kofler’s arms). A volley from Luis Sinisterra also landed in the safe hands of Kofler (87th), Jörgensen then missed in front of the goal (89th).
Wolfsberg brought the victory over time, a higher victory was awarded because the few attacks in the finish were not played cleanly to the end. Liendl missed the box twice, on the second attempt from a promising position in the penalty area (82nd / 84th). It didn’t detract from the great joy, because the WAC celebrated the greatest success in the club’s history by making it to the sixteenth finals.
Europa League, Group K, sixth matchday
Thursday:
WAC – Feyenoord 1:0 (1:0)
Wörthersee Stadion, SR Raczkowski (POL)
Tor: 1:0 (31.) Joveljic
WAC: Kofler – Novak, D. Baumgartner, Lochoshvili, Scherzer – Taferner (68./Rnic), Liendl, Leitgeb, Sprangler – Vizinger (83./Stratznig), Joveljic (56. / Peretz)
Feyenoord: Marsman – Geertruida, Spajic (72./Teixeira), Senesi, Malacia (79./Bannis) – Diemers, Toornstra, Kökcü – Berghuis, Linssen (72./Sinisterra), Jörgensen
Yellow cards: Joveljic, Sprangler or Spajic, Berghuis
