After an Austrian team’s first top-flight success over a German side, the next premiere is soon to follow for Red Bull Salzburg: a place in the last 16 of the Champions League.
If Noah Okafor had put his finish a few centimetres lower in the twelfth minute of the match, FC Red Bull Salzburg could have been a little more relaxed about the rest of their Champions League encounter against VfL Wolfsburg. But football, as ex Schalke professional Fabian Ernst already knew in 2007, does not take place in the subjunctive. And so, after about 15 minutes, the score was not 2:0 for the Bullen, but 1:1.
Only 180 seconds after Okafor’s crossbar goal, Lukas Nmecha nodded in the equaliser for VfL. After that, the Austrian record champions struggled for a long time, while the visitors from Germany found their way better and better into the match – and could well have taken the lead in the course of the first half.
Salzburg successful after corner kicks
“Of course we conceded the goal a bit unnecessarily from a standard situation. In fact, I don’t want to look for a fly in the ointment today, but rather enjoy the evening,” said head coach Matthias Jaissle on “Sky”. The 33-year-old was particularly impressed by the performance in the second half. It was “a cool feeling as a coach” to be able to “stress the opponent even more” after the break, said Jaissle.
Wolfsburg started well in the second 45 minutes, but only gradually did the Austrian champions regain their strength of the opening minutes. In the end, as in the first half, it was a standard situation that turned the game around – only this time in Salzburg’s favour. Okafor took advantage of a corner kick in the Wolves’ back line and made it 2-1 for Jaissle’s team after just over an hour. The 30,000 spectators saw a similar picture in the 77th minute: Once again, Okafor was the quickest to react to a corner, and once again the ball landed in the net. The preliminary decision.
“We played a great game. I’m very happy about the two goals, but even happier about the three points,” said the Swiss, who was named UEFA Player of the Match, on “ServusTV” after the match. “We have to continue in the same way, then we have a good chance of reaching the knockout phase.”
Jaissle, on the other hand, who is still unbeaten with Salzburg, was more reserved: “It depends on how we play the next matches and how the opponents do it. We’ve always talked about not playing any arithmetic games.”
Adeyemi: “That makes me happy “
However, Jaissle should also be aware that the Bullen are well on their way to the last 16 of the top flight after the first Champions League win by an Austrian team over a German one – and could thus ensure a first in the club’s history. The lead over Wolfsburg and Lille is already five points after the third matchday, that over Sevilla four.
“We are not finished yet. We want to win every game,” said Adeyemi, who showed no sign of the additional stress caused by the ongoing transfer rumours. He said he was concentrating on the task in Salzburg because “I enjoy playing here. We always play with joy and give gas. That makes me happy. “