Salzburg missed the early lead by Karim Adeyemi, who missed from the penalty spot after a foul on him (13th). Sucic made it better after a second foul in the penalty area on Adeyemi (21st), before the Croatian failed after another penalty foul on Adeyemi and hit the bar (31st). Not enough, there was also a fourth (correct) penalty in the first half, the first for Sevilla, which Rakitic safely exploited at the bottom left (42nd).
After the break, the home side weakened after an equally curious swallow by Youssef En-Nesyri himself and played almost the entire half outnumbered. However, Salzburg found only a few chances, Seville also missed two good opportunities according to standards.
The second Group G game between Lille OSC and VfL Wolfsburg is currently on the rise. The French champions will then visit the stadium in Wals-Siezenheim on the second matchday in two weeks.
Salzburg’s “youth” continue to research
For the third time in a row, Salzburg is participating in the group stage in the premier class in the Red Bull era. With the youngest squad (average age: 22.07 years) and the youngest coach (33 years) of all 32 teams, the motto for this season is “Jugend forscht”.
“The boys are developing especially at this level,” said coach Matthias Jaissle in advance, who had the same starting line-up as in the 2-1 win in the second leg of the play-off against Bröndby. Veteran Zlatko Junuzovic had to pass with a bruised heel.
Sevilla could rely on significantly more experience. The six-time winner of the Europa League and the UEFA Cup also started with captain Jesus Navas, who already took part in the two 2-0 victories against Salzburg in the European Cup 13 years ago. Coach Julen Lopetegui also started a long-time Barcelona player with Rakitic.
Four penalties in the first half
Salzburg initially relied on the pressing factor. Not only defense chief and Seville’s short-term legionnaire Maximilian Wöber hoped to surprise the hosts. The seasoned Spaniards skilfully eluded this at the beginning and controlled the initial phase, in which the home side did not find any compelling chances either.
After around ten minutes, Salzburg also came forward dangerously over Sesko and Adeyemi for the first time, a minute later the German neo team player took the first penalty. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) corrected referee Alexej Kulbakow from Belarus, who had seen Diego Carlos bump into Adeyemi just before the penalty area – but the striker missed on the right (13th).
After another brief urge phase by the hosts, in which Papu Gomez lifted the ball over the goal and the bustling En-Nesyri also carried the game device over the box, there was the next penalty kick in this game. Seasoned Navas pushed youngster Adeyemi with both hands, so Referee Kulbakow had no choice but to decide on a penalty again. Adeyemi wanted to try again, but Sucic “won” the short discussion and used the bottom left – Goalie Bono landed in the wrong corner (21st).
Salzburg awards two out of three penalties
Sucic then had to verbally give the spectators something, which of course additionally heated up the atmosphere in the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan stadium – En-Nesyri let out his anger on Rasmus Kristensen and saw his first yellow card after a hard climb. Sevilla ran after the deficit with a lot of possession, but Salzburg were able to keep the opponent from further chances. The pressing was throttled well and also served as a basis for quick counter-attacks.
That turned out well, because it was time for a penalty again: After a long pass to Adeyemi, goalie Bono cleared him out of the way in the penalty area. Sucic started with the self-confidence after the converted penalty – and only hit the pole on the right (37th).
In the end, three penalties were not enough for Salzburg to take a break, because Sevilla also got another one before halftime: Wöber hit En-Nesyri in the leg, and Rakitic safely scored on the left (42nd). There had never been four penalties in a CL half, nor had a player taken three penalties (Adeyemi). It also went with this strange game that it was raining from buckets in the otherwise sunny Seville before the break.
Swallow weakens Seville
It should go on curiously, but initially Sesko missed a good chance of 2-1 after an Adeyemi pass from the left: The Slovenian did not hit the ball optimally, but Bono also saved with a good reflex after a close range (47.).
The following action by En-Nesyri, who weakened his team with a rarely uncreative swallow (50th), was far less worth seeing. Salzburg played almost the entire second half outnumbered, but subsequently had a harder time than when they were equal.
Oumar Solet missed a huge chance for Salzburg after a set piece, he chased the ball over the gate on the fiver, but was offside (57th). Adeyemi put the leather in Bono’s hands four minutes later (61st). But then Salzburg also missed the pace to bring Seville in the majority in distress.
Chances on both sides in the finish
In the finish, Seville was even a bit more dangerous when outnumbered, because the substitute Rafa Mir initially headed dangerously on the goal of Köhn (74th). “Joker” colleague Erik Lamela also missed a narrow head (78th), only after hectic minutes with a lot of nodding on the part of the hosts, Salzburg also had another chance.
Brenden Aaronson (91st) first tested Bono with a long-range shot, which the goalie steered over the goal, which was worth seeing. A short time later, the substitute striker Junior Adamu had a chance after a Sevilla mistake, but failed because of the goalie (93rd). After a memorable game, Salzburg scored a point in Seville that might seem meager after three penalties and a long outnumber, but can still be worth gold in the fight for the first promotion.
Voices for the game:
Matthias Jaissle (Salzburg coach): “If someone had told us that before the game, we would have absolutely signed it. Especially the way, as a young team, makes me extremely proud. If you look at the course of the game, it’s a tad annoying, maybe a tad more would have been possible. But appearances are a bit deceptive, we did it really well. It was a very, very emotional evening for me and for the players. “
Karim Adeyemi (Salzburg player): “There are mixed feelings. We didn’t have that much possession in the first half, but we had enough chances. Three 911s, what can I say. Afterwards we had more possession, but there were six of Seville and seven of them behind and they defended. And they are good at that, they have big and strong players. But in the end it was a good game and a deserved point. “
Luka Sucic (Salzburg goalscorer): “I am very proud of my first Champions League goal. Of course it’s a shame that I then missed. But I can’t let my head hang, I have to keep looking up and concentrate on the next games. We will certainly practice penalty shoot-outs in the next few training sessions. It was a crazy game. We gave everything to make life difficult for Seville, we succeeded on the whole. “
UEFA Champions League, Group G, first matchday
Tuesday:
Seville – Salzburg 1: 1 (1: 1)
Sevilla, Stadion Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, SR Kulbakow / BLR
Goal sequence:
0: 1 Sucic (21./Elfmeter)
1:1 Rakitic (42./Elfmeter)
Sevilla: Bono – Navas (87./Montiel), Diego Carlos, Kounde, Acuna – Jordan (46./Delaney), Fernando, Rakitic (66./Mir) – Suso (46./Ocampos), En-Nesyri, Gomez ( 58. Lamella)
Salzburg: Köhn – Kristensen, Solet, Wöber (51./Piatkowski), Ulmer – Sucic, Camara, Aaronson, Seiwald (79./Capaldo) – Adeyemi (80./Okafor), Sesko (67./Adamu)
Yellow-red card: En-Nesyri (50./Foul/Schwalbe)
Yellow cards: Diego Carlos, Rakitic, Delaney, Navas or Seiwald, Capaldo, Camara, Okafor
Note: Adeyemi missed a foul penalty (13th / next to it), Sucic missed a foul penalty (37th / rod)
