Comeback secures quarter-final spot

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FC Red Bull Salzburg

·30 ottobre 2025

Comeback secures quarter-final spot

3-1 cup win against WSG Tirol

We are through in the UNIQA ÖFB Cup! We did not find it easy against our Bundesliga rivals WSG Tirol, but we came back from a goal down with three goals from substitutes Moussa Yeo, Maurits Kjaergaard and Clement Bischoff sending us into the last eight. The draw for the quarter-finals will be made on Sunday.

Match summary

Coach Thomas Letsch placed his faith in the starting XI that had led us to a win at Austria Vienna and saw them create the first opportunities on the new hybrid pitch of the Red Bull Arena. Sota Kitano had a go with his head (15') before Kerim Alajbegovic took aim from distance (16').

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We had the best phase of the first half around the half-hour mark when Frans Krätzig charged forward and Yorbe Vertessen targeted the far post. Tirol goalkeeper Stejskal proved to be unbeatable in both efforts. While it remained goalless at the break, the final chance of the half fell to the visitors with Lawrence heading just over from a corner.

Our boys proved to be in the mood for World Savings Day and were somewhat sparing with their attacking efforts after the change of ends. It was no surprise that our goalkeeper, Alex Schlager, had to pick the ball out of the net minutes after Baden Frederiksen had forced him into a superb save with an effort from distance. Lawrence beat Krätzig to the ball to take a deep Müller cross and convert tidily for the opening goal (68').

It was now down to us to seize the initiative. Things did click under that pressure, with a similar goal to the one we conceded. Edmund Baidoo turned a ball into the box from Bischoff to the edge of the six-yard box where Moussa Yeo was positioned unmarked (75')! The visitors were starting to tire from their efforts and were chasing the ball around. As Stejskal saved a Diabate shot in style, it went into stoppage time.

In the extra 30 minutes - the sixth in the UNIQA ÖFB Cup round of 16, marking a competition record, our Red Bulls immediately went to set out their stall. Petar Ratkov had a go with a header before Bischoff charged down the flank. He was not daunted at all by the tight angle, and Stejskal could only parry it into the middle - where Maurits Kjaergaard was able to pounce from 20 yards out (93')!

Tirol threatened again via Jaunegg, but the final word fell to Bischoff. After Terzic backheeled the ball, Kjaergaard found his fellow Dane and watched as the 19-year-old sealed the deal to put us into the quarter-final (107')! The draw follows on Sunday as part of ORF 1's coverage of the Bundesliga from 19:15 CET.

Views

I think both teams went straight on from the previous round of 16 matches. It was a close fight and showed that a cup tie like this is never a walk in the park. I'm pleased that the team always believed in themselves, as we ultimately deserved to win this battle. At the beginning, the opponents sat very deep, which made it difficult to find solutions. We lacked that final punch, and at the same time, Tirol are always dangerous from set pieces. We came back though, and considering the whole game, we deserved the victory! Now we need to recover well for Sunday in the short time available and we'll see which eleven we field then.

Thomas Letsch

I think we had them well under control in the first half. After that, things got a bit strange as we let them get more into the game. It was hard work, but we knew that before the match, so it's just great that we've advanced. At the end of the day, we're now among the last eight teams in the competition and, of course, we want to win it – but we still have some challenges ahead of us!

Alex Schlager

Match details

Line-ups & substitutions

FC Red Bull Salzburg: Schlager © – Lainer (101. Trummer), Schuster, Rasmussen, Krätzig (104. Terzic) – Diambou (46. Kjaergaard), Diabate – Kitano (61. Bischoff), Vertessen (46. Yeo), Alajbegovic (61. Ratkov) – Baidoo WSG Tirol: Stejskal – Naschberger (111. Rieder), Boras (85. Vötter), Lawrence, Kubatta, Böckle – Müller ©, Taferner (111. Huetz) – Baden Frederiksen (72. Anselm), Ola-Adebomi (56. Sabitzer), Wels (85. Jaunegg)

Goals: Yeo (75.), Kjaergaard (93.), Bischoff (107.) - Lawrence (68.) Attendance: 5,016 Referee: Christian-Petru Ciochirca Yellow cards: Diambou (32./Foul) bzw. Ola-Adebomi (48./Foul), Trainer Semlic (63./Dissent), Taferner (65./Foul), Böckle (90.+1/Foul), Stejskal (90.+3/Unsporting behaviour), Sabitzer (90.+4/Foul), Jaunegg (120.+2/Foul)

Injury news

Not available for the match were Bidstrup (thigh), Kawamura (knee), Konate (knee), Mellberg (knee) and Sulzbacher (ankle). Karim Onisiwo was also out with muscular problems.