Altach continued their extraordinary turnaround Sunday with a 1-0 victory over Blau-Weiß linz, marking their second consecutive win under new manager Ognjen Zaric.Building on a recent ÖFB-Cup upset against Sturm Graz, Altach secured the result with a 28th-minute goal from Ouedraogo at Stadion Schnabelholz before finishing the match a man down following a second-half dismissal [[3]].This victory underscores a potential shift in momentum for the Vorarlberg side as they navigate the Admiral Bundesliga season.
Altach secured their second consecutive victory under new manager Ognjen Zaric, defeating Blau-Weiß Linz 1-0 on Sunday. The win comes on the heels of a stunning 3-1 upset of reigning Austrian Bundesliga champions Sturm Graz in the ÖFB-Cup quarterfinal, signaling a potential turning point for the Vorarlberg side.
The match saw Altach take an early initiative, with Vesel Demaku firing a warning shot over the bar in the seventh minute. However, it was a well-rehearsed set-piece that ultimately broke the deadlock.
Altach Breaks Through with Set-Piece Precision
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In the 28th minute, Patrick Greil delivered a corner kick into the box, finding Demaku at the near post. Demaku skillfully laid the ball back for Ouedraogo, who powerfully slotted it home to give Altach a 1-0 lead.
Just five minutes later, Altach nearly doubled their advantage. Srdan Hristic found himself in a one-on-one situation with Blau-Weiß Linz goalkeeper Nico Mantl after a swift counterattack, but Mantl proved equal to the challenge, denying the attempt.
Blau-Weiß Linz came out with renewed energy after halftime, but struggled to create any clear-cut scoring opportunities. Altach remained a threat on the counter, with Demaku hitting the crossbar from inside the box in the 69th minute.
Red Card Dampens Altach’s Momentum
The match appeared to be heading for a comfortable victory for the hosts, but Altach were reduced to ten men when Ouedraogo received a second yellow card in the 75th minute for a foul and unsporting conduct. The dismissal came after a prior caution earlier in the game.
Despite being a man down, Altach largely held firm, though they faced some late pressure. Mamadou Fofana’s shot in the 81st minute and Ronivaldo’s acrobatic effort in the 86th were both thwarted by Altach goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic. Paul Mensah also missed a late opportunity in the 91st minute.
Post-Match Reactions
Ognjen Zaric (Altach-Trainer): „I am incredibly happy with the three points. The goal from the set-piece was something we had worked on; we even discussed how Manchester United scored a similar goal recently. Ouedraogo was very emotionally charged, and he will learn from his sending-off. We are on a very good path, and I really like how we are implementing our plans.”
Michael Köllner (Blau-Weiß-Linz-Trainer): „It was a lucky win for Altach. We conceded a frustrating goal from a standard situation. It’s a shame that, despite our dominance at the end and our chances, we couldn’t equalize. We need to stay calmer under pressure. You could see the team wanted too much at the beginning. There are still 14 games to go, and it will be a tight battle.”
Admiral Bundesliga, 18. Runde
Sunday:
Altach – Blau-Weiß Linz 1:0 (1:0)
Stadion Schnabelholz, 5.039; SR Jäger
Tor: Ouedraogo (28.)
Altach: Stojanovic – Milojevic, Zech, Jäger – S. Ingolitsch, Demaku, Bähre, Ouedraogo – Hrstic (78./Yalcin), Diawara (69./Benjamin), Greil (86./L. Gugganig)
BL Linz: Mantl – Pasic, Maranda, Moormann – Dahlqvist, Briedl (79./Fofana), Cvetko (64./Conde), Pirkl (84./Bumberger) – Goiginger (64./Ronivaldo), Weissman, S. Seidl (78./Mensah)
Gelb-Rote Karte: Ouedraogo (75./Foul, Unsportlichkeit)
Gelbe Karten: Ingolitsch bzw. Pasic, Maranda, Mensah
