SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz 1-3 FC Red Bull Salzburg
A masterclass from Adeyemi saw Salzburg come from behind to beat bogey team Sturm Graz 3-1 in the opening game of the 2021/22 Bundesliga campaign. An Ulmer own goal - awarded following the first decisive VAR intervention in Austrian Bundesliga history - put Ilzer’s charges ahead in the opening period, only for the German youngster to notch two goals and an assist to seal the win in new boss Jaissle’s first league game in the Salzburg dugout. It was Adeyemi’s third brace in the top-flight, and he now has 10 goals in total in the competition. The other goal was scored by Kristensen, who found the net for the fourth time in the league. Whenever the Dane scores, the Red Bulls have always won.
SK Rapid Wien 0-2 TSV Egger Glas Hartberg
Perennial overachievers Hartberg shocked Rapid by claiming their first-ever opening-day Bundesliga victory. Tadic opened the scoring with a thumping strike in the first half, before coolly slotting home a second-half spot-kick given by the video assistant referee. The 31-year-old forward’s brace extended his record goal tally for the East Styrian club to 34 and handed new coach Russ three points in his first game in charge in the Austrian Bundesliga. The average age of the Rapid Vienna starting XI was 27 years and 102 days - making it the oldest line-up the Green & Whites have fielded since 18 May 2013 (27 years and 256 days).
SCR CASHPOINT Altach 0-1 LASK
LASK kicked off the new campaign with a 1-0 away victory against Altach amid a heavy downpour in Vorarlberg. Wiesinger’s piledriver from range - struck at a lightning speed of 110km/h - in the 36th minute gave LASK their sixth Bundesliga victory in a row against Altach, who have now failed to beat the Linzers in their last 13 league meetings (D3 L10). Though a narrow scoreline in the end, Thalhammer’s charges were superior in almost every statistical category - shots (22-5), possession (55%-45%), pass completion (71%-59%) and corners (10-1) - and should have put the game to bed earlier. But they still came away with the three points, winning on the opening day for the third season in succession.
WSG Swarovski Tirol 1-1 FC Flyeralarm Admira
WSG Tirol took the lead through Awoudja on the hour-mark - he became the first player to score on his Bundesliga debut for the club - only for a 94th-minute header from Vorsager to rescue a point for Admira in new boss Herzog’s first-ever Bundesliga game as a coach. Despite being denied the victory in the dying seconds, WSG extended their unbeaten run against Admira to six league games (W2 D4) - their longest undefeated streak against any single opponent since being promoted to the Bundesliga. After one round of matches, the Lower Austrians already have as many points from a 1-0 losing position (one) as they managed in the entirety of last season!
SV Guntamatic Ried 2-1 FK Austria Wien
The Schmid era in the Austria Vienna hot seat kicked off with a 2-1 defeat to Ried in Upper Austria. Bajic’s seventh Bundesliga goal was followed by a brilliant free-kick from Offenbacher and, though the capital club pulled a goal back through Pichler with a quarter of an hour to go, they ultimately could not draw level. The Violets have now scored in 19 consecutive Bundesliga away games against Ried; the only club to find the net in more successive league away games against a single opponent is Red Bull Salzburg, who did so in 21 matches against Admira between 2004 and 2019.
SK Austria Klagenfurt 1-1 RZ Pellets WAC
A last-minute goal from Pink rescued Austria Klagenfurt a point in the first Bundesliga derby between two Carinthian clubs since the 1984/85 season - when Austria Klagenfurt and Spittal/Drau were both in the top tier. WAC took the lead through star man Liendl’s 26th-minute spot-kick, only for Pink to pop up with the crucial leveller for the promoted outfit in the dying embers. The forward has scored 24 goals in total in the Austrian Bundesliga - for five different clubs: Austria Kärnten, Mattersburg, Sturm Graz, Admira and now Austria Klagenfurt. He was undoubtedly among the standout performers, and had more ball possessions (27) and was involved in more challenges (22) than any other player.