Bundesliga: Ljubicic puts a stamp on LASK’s concert

Ljubicic, on loan from Hajduk Split, and who LASK says has an option to buy, scored after 28 seconds after Thomas Guijinger passed Thomas Guijinger. The assistant increased in the eighth minute with a low shot to make the score 2-0. Against a weak defense, Ljubicic scored two goals at first, first as a result of a pass from Hong (21), and then after a walk into the penalty area (37).

In the second half, the striker scored his fourth goal (57), before Michael Novak continued to work on the cosmetic results (61). In the table, undefeated LASK leads with seven points, ahead of Rapid (six), who can reclaim his place in the sun with a home win over Austria Lustenau on Sunday. For Carinthians, the rehearsal of Tuesday’s Conference League second leg in Malta against Al Jazira United – where an embarrassing European Cup defeat should be avoided after a measly 0-0 draw at home – went wrong. With just two points from three games, the Lavantalers are unwinnable in the league at the moment.

The only positive news for Wolfsberg came from the transfer sector before the match: Georgian Luka Lukoshvili has moved to Serie A promoted club Cremonese, where he meets Rapid Emmanuel Ayew in the center of defence. WAC should raise just under 2 million euros for this. It is also clear that defensive man Dominic Baumgartner, willing to change, will not give up.

Lightning start from Ljubicic

The match had just started when the guests were leading 1-0. Ljubicic turned Goiginger’s cross with a header. There were only 28 seconds left, which is the fastest goal in the league this season. The loan from Hajduk Split also wrote LASK history: 20-year-old Ljubicic is the first athlete in Linz’s history in the Bundesliga to score at least once in each of his first three league matches. In the first round of the cup, Ljubicic scored the goal three times.

The WAC presented themselves as insecure, the defense having great difficulty in switching actions and counterattacks at lightning speed from Upper Austria. Goiginger was given plenty of space by Kerschbaumer and Scherzer and thanked him with a low shot into the left corner to make it 2-0 (8). But that wasn’t enough for LASK, Kühbauer-Elf followed suit: Hong Hyun-seok Ljubicic sent on the trip with a superb cross pass, which the Croatian completed with his fourth goal of the season, missing WAC goalkeeper Hendrik Bonmann. option (20).

WAC goes down before the break

The Carinthians only slowly tried to free themselves from this nightmare, Nicholas Verachnig tried to score from a distance, but Alexander Schlager was at the post (23). On the other hand, Ljubicic shot far from Wolfsberger’s goal (30). The 20-year-old scored a hat-trick shortly afterwards: after a foul by Matthews Taverner, Keito Nakamura manned the striker. Croatian Simon Bisinger missed and scored to make the score 4-0 (37). WAC fans acknowledged their team’s performance at the break with a raucous whistle party.

Wydad coach Robin Dout brought in four new players in the second half, but that didn’t change much on the pitch. On the contrary: the hosts faced another counterattack, which Nakamura initially failed because Baumgartner removed the streak. Ljubicic refined the dust to make it 5-0 (57). Shortly thereafter, the striker was allowed to end his work day after his efficient and impressive performance and to the satisfaction of his coach Dietmar Koehbauer (60).

Wolfsberg tried to correct the score for the rest of the season. However, the consolation goal scored by substitute Michael Novak, which ended after a strong performance from Verachnig and a cross by Thorsten Rocher (61), did not work.

Admiral Bundesliga, third round

Saturday:

WAC – LASK 1:5 (0:4)

Wolfsberg, Lavanttal Arena, 3015 spectators, SR Eisner

target sequence:
0-1 Ljubicic (first)
0:2 Goiginger (8)
0:3 Ljubic (20 minutes)
0:4 Ljubic (37′)
0:5 Ljubicic (57′)
1-5 Novak (61 minutes)

WAC: Bonmann – Baumgartner, Piesinger (46./Schifferl), Scherzer (59. Gugganig) – Jasic (46./Nova), Taferner, Kerschbaumer, Leitgeb (46./Vergos), Veratschnig – Röcher, Baribo (46./Ballo)

Lask: Schlager-Stojkovic, Zeris, Lockendre, Rainer-Hung (73./Zulj), Jovicic (83./Putzmann) – Goijinger (82./Schmidt), Horvath, Nakamura (73./Balic) – Ljubicic (60./Colores)

Yellow cards: Taferner, Röcher, Bonmann or nothing

Best: None or Ljubicic, Goiginger, Renner, Horvath