Perfect start to the season: Sturm celebrates “magical night”

After the 4-0 home win, they took care of things Simon Seidl (64.) and Emran Soglo (68th) two summer additions ensured that the away game on Tuesday was also rightly won. “The Scots tried everything to turn it around, but we didn’t allow that. We threw everything into it from the start, everyone gave 100 percent gas,” summarized Seidl.

Rapids’ 23-year-old brother Matthias Seidl quickly settled into his new club. He had already made a mark in the first leg and scored a goal in the confident 3-0 win in the ÖFB Cup against Seekirchen before Tuesday. The goal at Tynecastle Park, which had a capacity of 20,000 fans, was his highlight to date.

The initial phase was “survived cleanly”

“These are the games you dream about as a child, in Scotland in front of 20,000. It was simply magical,” said the ex-kicker from relegated Blau-Weiß Linz. Also be Coach Fabio Ingolitsch spoke of an “incredible” atmosphere at the beginning. “That’s why it was really important for us to get through this initial phase, this big pressure phase, cleanly. We mastered it very confidently as a group and worked our way out of it step by step,” analyzed the storm coach.

A lack of coolness from strikers Simon Wlodarczyk and Seedy Jatta prevented them from taking a lead at half-time, which, according to Ingolitsch, would have been deserved in a really difficult game. After that it wasn’t any more exciting. “It was the case that with every successful action we somehow pulled the plug on them minute by minute. And by the time we scored our first goal, it was clear to everyone that there was nothing going on,” said the 34-year-old.

After Seidl’s goal, almost only the more than 500 Graz supporters who had traveled with him could be heard, while numerous Hearts fans left the stadium early. “Our fans are incredible, they really give it their all, even away during the week in Scotland,” said Seidl. The next international trip takes them to Turkey or Poland; on Wednesday evening, Fenerbahce Istanbul defended a 1-0 lead from the first leg at Gornik Zabrze. Play dates are the 4th/5th. and August 11th. Before that, we need to get off to a perfect start in the league at WSG Tirol on Saturday.