Despite a clear advantage in chances and playing a half with one man more on the pitch, LASK failed to secure a win in the Conference League once again. Frustration is starting to brew in Linz.
Although LASK dominated the second half against Cercle Brugge, the Schopp side could only manage a disappointing 0:0 draw (match report). The opportunities were there, but the Athletikers lacked the necessary edge to convert them, a recurring problem for the Linz squad.
Effort alone is not enough to succeed in European competitions. Coach Markus Schopp expressed his disappointment, stating, “We failed to score a goal. We should have been more intense in our attempts.”
Statistics show a clear advantage for the Athletikers (18:4 shots on goal), yet this did not translate into success on the pitch. “Whether the performance was good or bad does not matter to me. We wanted to win, but we didn’t manage to achieve that,” said captain Robert Zulj, expressing his frustration.
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Teammate Sascha Horvath was even more critical, lamenting, “We can’t seem to put the damn ball in the back of the net,” in an interview with “Sky.” The 28-year-old rejected the notion that mental issues were a factor, stating, “We create good chances and strike the ball well. If the ball is even two centimeters further on my side, it goes in. We have the quality; we know that.”
Horvath was one of the players to test the goal; after a corner from Zulj, he struck it directly on the volley, but the attempt was too centralized. Overall, there was little to cause any serious worry for the opposition. Cercle Brugge was kept largely contained at the back.
“That’s how football is. In 90 minutes we only allowed two chances from set pieces. Despite creating opportunities, it’s still a notch too little for me,” Schopp remarked. Zulj also pointed out what was missing for the Linzers.
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“In my opinion, we need more hunger to score a goal, especially with one player more for an entire half. We are not creating enough chances, that’s a fact. We need more passes into the box, and eventually the ball will fall at our feet,” Zulj summarized.
With three games remaining in the group stage, LASK still has realistic chances of reaching the playoffs, with just a point needed to progress to the knockout phase. They also remain in the ÖFB Cup. Whether the Linzers can endure their development phase in European football will soon be revealed.
“It would be catastrophic to measure our games only by the result. We did a lot right in the first half. We want to stay in all three competitions for as long as possible. One must force it and keep pushing, and then it will tip in our favor. It’s about sharpening these total senses,” Schopp mentioned.
LASK will now work to analyze their missed victory. Their next challenge is a Bundesliga match against Altach on Sunday (live ticker from 14:30).”We are in a situation where we play every three days and need to deliver. It will be important to get the players fresh again, to recover, and to prepare well for the next opponent,” said the 50-year-old head coach.
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After Bruges comes Altach, and Horvath has only one thought on his mind: “We are going there to take all three points.”
