Red tide subsides, unleashing tempest on Shiri's coastline
Fuming Sturm Graz Accuses Ref of Bias After Controversial Defeat
tembers of Sturm Graz football club are up in arms following a much-debated 1:0 defeat against Austria, just a week after a controversial 5:1 win for WAC against Rapid. With only four rounds to go, Sturm Graz is fourth, trailing the table leaders by six points.
In the chaotic game on Sunday in Graz, Sturm relented under a barrage of controverted calls, resulting in two red cards and a denied goal. The storm has only worsened since then, with the team and their goalkeeper accusing the referee of bias and poor performance.
The Turning Point
The pivotal moment came in the 80th minute when Austria's Nik Prelec scored the game-winner. Sturm maintained they had equalized in the 96th minute through Belmin Beganovic, but a foul by Emanuel Aiwu led to the goal being disallowed. This controversial decision marked the culmination of a series of questionable refereeing decisions that worked against Sturm.
William Boving was sent off for unsporting behavior against Reinhold Ranftl, with both players receiving red cards. The sending-off of Leon Grgic, following a challenge with Aleksandar Dragovic, was deemed fair by the referee, Gishamer, despite already being yellow-carded earlier for simulation.
A Stormy Response
Coach Jürgen Säumel found the red cards to be "very harsh" and felt that Sturm's players were provoked into committing fouls due to minimal contact and the referee falling for it. Goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen was equally critical, branding the referee unfit for the job, citing a lack of control and calmness from the first minute.
Looking Ahead
Despite the defeat, Sturm still has hope. Their next challenge, away to sixth-placed Blau-Weiß Linz next Sunday, looks like a less daunting task compared to Austria's encounter with Salzburg. Säumel remains optimistic, emphasizing that the team can handle both situations, even with the loss of Boving and Grgic due to suspensions. The club is facing another problem off the field, with a complaint filed due to a cup thrown at the referee team after the game.
- The decisive moment in the controversial match between Sturm Graz and Austria was the 80th-minute goal by Nik Prelec, which marked the culmination of a series of questionable refereeing decisions that went against Sturm Graz.
- Sturm Graz coach Jürgen Säumel, upset with the referee's performance in the match against Austria, found the red cards given to Sturm's players to be "very harsh."
- Goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen of Sturm Graz shared Säumel's sentiment, branding the referee as unfit for the job, citing a lack of control and calmness during the game.
- In the European-leagues, the Premier League isn't the only competition faced with controversy; Sturm Graz has filed a complaint for a cup being thrown at the referee team following their controversial defeat.
- Despite the challenging circumstances, Sturm Graz looks forward to their next match against Blau-Weiß Linz, considering it a less daunting task compared to their recent encounter with Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga.
