Christopher Kane had put the “Saints” from Perth near Edinburgh in the 16th minute after an inattention on the part of the LASK defense, which Mamoudou Karamoko was only able to equalize from a penalty in the 60th minute. A pole headball from Keito Nakamura almost brought victory for the Upper Austrians in the final minutes, but they showed too little in the 90 minutes before.
St. Johnstone, Scottish Cup and League Cup winner, did not have to shine, made the basic requirements in modern football, such as direct play in the build-up and consistent defense, right. The LASK, which could not play in the best line-up, only reminded in the last minutes of the dynamic team that showed against Tottenham in the Europa League last season and last week shot Vojvodina Novi Sad 6-1 off the field.
Few spectators see little football
Only a few spectators had traveled from Upper Austria to Klagenfurt, where LASK had to move internationally during the construction of the new Linz stadium. “LASK will have watched our game and will know that it has to be ready for a battle. We’ll give everything, ”said St. Johnstone striker Callum Hendry before the game. The first chances, however, had the LASK, who appeared dangerously in front of the gate of the Scots after around 60 seconds.
Kane submits for St. Johnstone (17th minute)
With the first noteworthy action, St. Johnstone takes the lead. Christopher Kane scores 1-0 for the Scots.
But the Upper Austrians ‘initial elan ebbed quickly and the Scots, who were fifth in the Scottish Premiership last season, were able to successfully intervene in the athletes’ build-up of the game. Coach Dominik Thalhammer’s team felt this especially when in the 16th minute another ball flew behind the defense and Kane slipped past LASK defender Petar Filipovic into a pass from Glenn Middleton to make it 0-1.
LASK is looking for its line
The LASK defense did not cut a good figure collectively. The Upper Austrians have still not coped with Gernot Trauner’s departure to Feyenoord Rotterdam. Even the short-term failure of Philipp Wiesinger was not good for the team.
As a result, the fifth from Austria did not manage to get something like a line in his game. The offensive efforts mostly ran in the proverbial sand no later than 30 to 40 meters in front of the opposing goal. The wide balls of the LASK had absolutely no effect, only slowly the Linz tried to combine with a short passing game in front of the goal of the Scots.
Boller with a rare LASK chance (42nd minute)
The LASK tries to combine in front of the gate. In the end, Jan Boller pulls out from around 25 meters and provides a dangerous shot on goal and only the second chance for LASK to make it 1-1.
It was only in the 42nd minute, a good 40 minutes after the first chance, that Jan Boller checked the Scottish goalkeeper with a long shot. But Zander Clark was not surprised and cleared the corner. But there was still no countable result. “LASK plays without ideas and thus the Scots in the cards,” said ORF expert Herbert Prohaska at the break.
Elfer helps LASK on its feet
Thalhammer brought in Alexander Schmidt for the ineffective Husein Balic at the beginning of the second half. That didn’t change the game characteristics. In the 55th minute, Middleton even missed the opportunity to increase to 2-0. The LASK fans in the stadium knew that the time had come to cheer on their team so that they might get the game going.
At least Thomas Goiginger felt spurred on by it and entered the penalty area, where he was knocked off his feet by Jamie McCart. Mamoudou Karamoko used the penalty to equalize (60th). ORF co-commentator Roman Mählich drew hope and said: “I am optimistic, the Linzers will still make the second goal.”
Rod prevents victory
Instead, coach Thalhammer sent long-injured striker Marko Raguz onto the field instead of goal scorer Karamoko in the 69th minute. Marvin Potzmann replaced Florian Flecker, and the 22-year-old South Korean Hong Hyun Seok came in for Peter Michorl. A well-worn shot by Potzmann was blocked in the 78th minute.
The LASK took off late, but was still picking up speed. A header from substitute Keito Nakamura after a cross from Potzmann and preparatory work from Goiginger bounced off the inside bar back into the field. Clark had been beaten. The Linz’s biggest scoring chance so far from the game came in the 89th minute. Shortly thereafter, Clark fended off a placed free kick from Boller. The last urge phase of the LASK brought nothing more, the offensive spirit of the Linzers was awakened too late.
Nakamura header to the bar (90th minute)
The “Joker” almost sticks. The recently substituted Keito Nakamura fails with a header on the bar.
One hope for LASK before the second leg is perhaps that the Scots in the preliminary round also scored 1-1 away in the duel with Galatasaray Istanbul before they went down 2-4 at home and switched from the Europa League qualification to the Conference League had to.
Voices for the game:
Dominik Thalhammer (LASK coach): “The goal we conceded made us lose confidence in our game. It was really gross to play against her. In the second half we were in control a lot more often. We knew we had to get involved in this game, but then we also had to be able to get control. And we didn’t make it in the first half. Everything is absolutely open for the second leg. “
Callum Davidson (St. Johnstone coach): “It’s a fantastic result for us to play 1-1 away. But the cards will of course be reshuffled in the second leg. We’ll see a good fight by both teams and an exciting game. “
UEFA Europa Conference League, Play-off, Hinspiel
Thursday:
LASK – St. Johnstone 1:1 (0:1)
Klagenfurt, Wörthersee Stadium, 400 spectators, SR Nyberg (SWE)
Goal sequence:
0:1 Kane (17.)
1: 1 Karamoko (60./Elfmeter)
LASK: Schlager – Boller, Andrade, Filipovic – Flecker (69./Potzmann), Grgic (84./Nakamura), Michorl (69./Hong), Renner – Balic (46./Schmidt), Karamoko (69./Raguz), Goiginger
St. Johnstone: Clark – Kerr, Gordon, McCart – Rooney, McCann, Davidson, Middleton, Booth – O’Halloran (92./Hendry), Kane (87./May)
Yellow cards: Goiginger, Grgic or Gordon
The best: Goiginger, Boller or Kane, Middleton
Second leg on August 26th (8:00 p.m. CEST) in Perth – Promoted team in the group stage of the Conference League
