FC Red Bull Salzburg
·1 October 2024
FC Red Bull Salzburg
·1 October 2024
We took our second win in our second match! Daniel Beichler's XI left no doubt about it against Stade Brest with Phillip Verhounig's early brace leaving us well on course. A strong performance secured a comfortable victory against a French side who struggled to threaten.
Everything looked shiny and new at the Red Bull Football Academy - the brand-new stand offering space for a total of 400 fans was completely packed, while our young stars of the future did their stuff on a freshly laid pitch. What perhaps wasn't new was the way our Young Bulls seized the initiative with their usual spirit in our first Youth League home match of the season. While a Brest defender's leg got in the way of Baidoo converting with a brilliant solo charge, Phillip Verhounig proceeded to pounce twice.
Our young striker scored in a smash-and-grab style attack from the right, as he calmly turned a Baidoo ball into the box over the line (21'). Just three minutes later, Edmund Baidoo beat several Pirates to pick out Verhounig in space once more. The striker and a deflection off a defender's chest did the rest (24').
Our boys then went on to boss the play. It only remained 2-0 at the break because Jakob Brandtner went narrowly wide. Tricky away customer Geraux then forced shot stopper Salko Hamzic into making his first move of the day to save.
Verhounig showed the way ahead straight after the restart, and while his latest effort zipped over the crossbar - it was clear the side from the Atlantic port were heading for the rocks! Our boys just kept on overwhelming the Bretons. Zeteny Jano profited from a Salaun handball to smash the resulting penalty into the top left (48'). Baidoo then rose up at the far post to head in from a Sulzbacher corner and get a reward for a superb showing (64').
Substitute Julian Hussauf then added another by smashing the ball from distance inside the far post (76').
The visitors were brave despite being outclassed, and Geraux grabbed a consolation goal for them from the penalty spot after Hussauf had brought an opponent down (80').
That would be that. Our XI triumphed 5-1 after a performance that was brilliant in parts and are top of the UEFA Youth League table!
That was very positive and a cool experience – you can't take that for granted in the Youth League against a French team. The boys really invested a lot in the first 70 to 75 minutes and took an absolutely deserved big win. Victories are what the league phase is all about - we are delighted to have six points!
Daniel Beichler
Hamzic – Gadou (72' Hussauf), Schuster (46' Zabransky), Brandtner – Paumgartner (59' Lukic), Sulzbacher, Bendra, Jano, Rackl (34' Aguilar) – E. Baidoo, Verhounig (72' Murillo)
Brandtner (49' foul), Sulzbacher (83' foul)
425
Marek Radina (CZE)
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