Late LASK victory in the opening match

The visitors had the better start in the opening match of the Summer Series Upper Austria. Just three minutes in, the ball was already in LASK’s net after the Croatians broke through too easily down their left flank. A low cross found captain Marko Livaja, who calmly slotted home from close range. In their sixth pre-season friendly, LASK needed a few minutes to find their rhythm, but responded all the more effectively: a perfect pass from Andres Andrade found Samuel Adeniran, who placed the ball past goalkeeper Ivica Ivusic into the far corner – 1-1 in the 8th minute.

Gradually, LASK managed to disrupt Hajduk’s fluid possession play more effectively, thanks in part to bold pressing higher up the pitch, which led to increasingly frequent ball recoveries in the opponent’s half. In possession themselves, the Linz side grew more confident, managing to move the opposition around and create problems. Ismaila Coulibaly had a great chance to score a second with a close-range volley (31’), and Adeniran missed a header after a delicate cross from Bello (35’). At the other end, Hajduk only threatened briefly from a free-kick just before the break, when Roko Brajkovic fired narrowly wide from a few meters out.

The second half began with no personnel changes and a LASK side that showed some neat passing combinations in possession. Around the 64th minute, they advanced nicely down the left wing, and the ball eventually fell to Krystof Danek, who missed the target at the far post. Two minutes later, LASK goalkeeper Lukas Jungwirth was called into action during a double chance for the visitors: he parried a shot from Marko Capan and was also on hand to stop the rebound from Noa Skoko.

After that, notable attacking moments were few and far between on both sides, with most of the action taking place in midfield for a long stretch. Toward the end, the visitors had two promising chances to take the lead, but it was LASK who struck late: in the 92nd minute, substitute Valon Berisha delivered a corner to forward Adeniran, who powered in a header to complete his brace and secure the 2-1 win for the home side. It marked LASK’s third win in six pre-season friendlies, with their summer preparations set to conclude on Saturday with a season-opening match against German Bundesliga club Union Berlin.

LASK – Hajduk Split 2:1 (1:1)
Raiffeisen Arena, 2,850 spectators, referee Alexander Autherith
Goals: 0:1 Livaja (3'), 1:1 Adeniran (8'), 2:1 Adeniran (92')

LASK lineup:
Jungwirth – Jörgensen, Bogarde, Andrade, Bello – Coulibaly, Horvath – Danek (79' Usor), Lang, Kacavenda (71' Berisha) – Adeniran