Sturm Graz celebrates dramatic derby victory: GAK again disappointed!

Sturm Graz celebrates dramatic derby victory: GAK again disappointed!

Merkur-Arena, Graz, Österreich - The SK Sturm Graz won the 201. Graz Derby in a gripping duel with 2-1 against the GAK 1902. In front of around 11,000 enthusiastic fans, the game started promising for the "red jackets", which Marco Perchtold took the lead in the 78th minute. A goal that had the spectators cheered and brought the apparent first red derby victory to be within reach for almost 19 years. But the cheers did not last long, as laola1.at reported.

The "Blackys" from Sturm found back into play in the final phase: First, Otar Kiteishvili equalized in the 86th minute. The GAK also lost its captain Perchtold after a controversial yellow-red card. Sturm countered perfectly in added time, and Malick Junior Yalcouye achieved the decisive 2: 1 (90.+2). Despite the tour, GAK coach Rene Poms was faced with unexpected emotional turbulence. "Today it hurts brutally. Firstly, you lose a derby and then of course the way," said Poms after the final whistle, like Ligaportal.at executed.

The GAK showed a solid defensive performance in the first half, but could hardly be offensive. The gap in the second half made the team careless. Poms emphasized that such individual mistakes are no longer allowed to happen: "We know exactly what we have to work on." The next derby could only take place in the coming season, unless the GAK stays in the Bundesliga. The team will meet Rapid next Sunday, while for Sturm Graz in the fight for the top of the table, it remains important to take the momentum from this derby into the next games.