In its second European match, Club NXT U19 played 1-1 draw. Sturm Graz U19 took the lead against the run of play in the first half. The Austrians then threw the lock on the door. Furo made the deserved equalizer in the second half, but unfortunately failed to score the winning goal. A strong game by our youngsters, unfortunately without three points. They thus remain unbeaten in the Youth League with 2 out of 6.
The referee from Andorra approved the pitch at the Jacques Lemans Arena in Sankt Veit an der Glan. However, the heavens had been wide open all day and the field was completely flooded. No sinecure for our youngsters to play a match on such a heavy field. The ball often got stuck and sometimes the combinations looked more like a water ballet. The beginning of the match looked like nothing. Many mistakes, struggling with the ball, passes that did not arrive....
Goemaere soon forced a free kick, but it posed no danger. This was followed by a good attack by Club NXT through Da Silva on the left flank. His cross was dangerous and was not handled well. In the retrieval, Lund Jensen was unfortunately offside. A quick throw-in on the right was quickly sent to the other side. Vandeperre advanced but saw his shot disappear over the goal.
After fifteen minutes, Graz came up once. Koita captured the ball in midfield and kicked from long range, but goalkeeper Vanden Driessche had no problem with it. Da Silva tried again with a cross, but Furo just couldn't reach it. Captain Granados got the ball from Vandeperre and put in front of goal. Lund Jensen headed narrowly over the Austrians' goal. This was a great opportunity to open the score. Weinhandl put our goalie to work, but he easily caught the soft shot. On the half hour, however, he had to give in. An attack through the center ended up with a lucky shot at Grgic. His ball toward goal deviated and disappeared into goal. Against the run of play, the home team took the lead!
Club NXT toiled on the soggy pitch and continued to look for a goal. Furo was unlucky. His shot disappeared into the side netting. Lund Jensen dribbled his way through the Austrian lines and was able to put Furo in position. His shot was swept out of the top corner by goalkeeper Lorenz. On the ensuing corner kick, Furo went down, but the referee did not award a penalty kick. Shortly before halftime, it was Bisiwu who dribbled past everyone and everything, but his effort was tapped over the crossbar by the goalkeeper. It remained 1-0 at halftime.
The second half started immediately with a free kick from Club NXT. However, this disappeared just over goal. We saw the same pattern of play as in the first half. Club NXT played forward and Graz lurked on the counter. A Blauw-Zwart attack via Deuwel ended up at Bisiwu. His kick was blocked. Granados brought the ball to Da Silva at the next attempt. Our number ten popped straight at the goalkeeper.
A clever free kick by Granados was headed through by Furo to Spileers who just couldn't extend in goal. Both teams began to substitute. Yakymenko replaced Deuwel. Goalkeeper Vanden Driessche showed his talent by stopping an attempt by Ilic. From close range, the striker was able to lay on, but our goalie was cleverly in front of it. Club NXT continued to struggle on the heavy pitch, looking for the equalizer.
In minute 77, it finally worked. Furo headed a corner kick from Granados into goal. Meanwhile, Al-Hassa Kamara made his debut at Club NXT replacing Da Silva. Sturm Graz almost took the lead again, but first goalkeeper Vanden Driessche with a world-class save and then Spileers on the line prevented Hödl from scoring. Naim Amengai also came into the team at the expense of Lund Jensen. Our goalie tapped Sturm Graz's last chance over the goal shortly before the end of the match that ended in a 1-1 tie.
Club NXT: Argus Vanden Driessche, Alexander Vandeperre, Wout Verlinden, Jorne Spileers, Bruce Deuwel (61' Oleksandr Yakymenko), Laurens Goemaere, Alejandro Granados, Tobias Lund-Jensen (82' Naim Amengai), Jesse Bisiwu, Jessi Da Silva (74' Al-Hassan Kamara), Kaye Furo. Bank: Axl De Corte, Lucas Delorge, Jakke Van Britsom, Emiel Callens, Maik Poeketie, Axl Wins. Coach: Robin Veldman.
Sturm Graz: Elias Lorenz, Jonas Wolf, Ermal Krasniqi (62' Antonio Ilic), Jonas Löcker, Tim Ulreich (79' Olivier Sorg), Lord Afrifa (62' Jacob Hödl), Leon Grgic 62' Richmond Osayantin), Sebastian Pirker, Youba Koita, Jan Heuserer, Luca Weinhandl (71' Martin Kern). Bank: Christoph Wiener Pucher, Jonas Petritsch, Nico Forobosko, Abdoulie Kante. Coach: Jurgen Saumel.
Goals: 29' Grgic 1-0, 77' Furo 1-1.
Yellow cards: 24' Bisiwu, 26' Pirker, 42' Vandeperre, 59' Weinhandl, 84' Granados. 90+3' Kern.
Referee: Antoine Chiaramonti (Andorra).
Stadium: Jacques Lemans Arena, Sankt Veit an der Glan.