“Substitute Gizo Mamageishvili breaks the deadlock late on, converting to give Sturm Graz a deserved lead after an afternoon of sustained pressure.”
Pivotal“Stefan Hierländer adds a second in stoppage time to seal a comfortable 2-0 victory and confirm Sturm's dominance on the scoreboard.”
Sturm Graz
SK Rapid
Outstanding performance
SK Rapid•GoalkeeperSturm Graz delivered a composed, dominant performance to claim a 2-0 victory over city rivals Rapid in what was a lopsided contest for long stretches. The statistics tell a damning story for Rapid: 33% possession, just four shots all game and only one on target against a Sturm side that registered 22 attempts and controlled 67% of the ball. Rapid were reduced to ten men as early as the 22nd minute when Yusuf Demir was dismissed following an argument, and from that point Sturm's territorial dominance became suffocating, producing 63 dangerous attacks to Rapid's 17. Yet despite that dominance, the scoreline remained goalless deep into stoppage time — Sturm squandering three big chances and Rapid goalkeeper making six saves to frustrate the hosts — until substitute Gizo Mamageishvili finally broke through in the 88th minute, with fellow substitute Stefan Hierländer adding a second in injury time to reflect the one-sided nature of proceedings. For Sturm, the win consolidates their position and extends positive form, while Rapid's afternoon unravelled from the moment Demir lost his head in the first half, leaving their ten men to defend heroically but ultimately in vain.
How entertaining was this match?
Stefan HierländerStefan Hierlander takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
Gizo MamageishviliGizo Mamageishvili scores with a right-footed shot.
Tobias Fjeld Gulliksen replaces Andreas Weimann.
Stefan Hierlander comes on for Emir Karic.
Stefan Hierlander takes a header shot but misses.
Otar Kiteishvili takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Otar Kiteishvili takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Jon Gorenc Stankovic attempts a header but misses the shot.
Belmin Beganovic comes on for Seedy Jatta.
Belmin Beganovic comes on for Seedy Jatta.
Nenad Cvetkovic attempts a header but misses the shot.
Jeyland Mitchell attempts a header but misses the shot.
Axel Kayombo takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Otar Kiteishvili has a shot with his right foot, but it's blocked.
Andreas Weimann takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Ercan Kara's header is blocked.
Gizo Mamageishvili comes on for Luca Weinhandl.
Axel Kayombo is substituted for Maurice Malone.
Ange Ahoussou is substituted for Nikolaus Wurmbrand.
Lukas Grgic comes on for Petter Nosa Dahl.
Nikolaus Wurmbrand takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Emir Karic's left-footed shot is blocked.
Otar Kiteishvili takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
The first half ends with a score of 0-0.
Jeyland Mitchell takes a shot with his head but misses.
Emir Karic takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Otar Kiteishvili takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Albert Vallci takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Jacob Hodl takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Otar Kiteishvili takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Yusuf DemirRed CardYusuf Demir receives a red card.
Seedy Jatta takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Emir Karic attempts a header but misses the shot.
Otar Kiteishvili attempts a header but misses the shot.
Albert Vallci attempts a header but misses the shot.
Otar Kiteishvili takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Seedy Jatta takes a right-footed shot but misses.
