With a 1-1 draw against SK Sturm Graz, WSG Tirol kicks off the new ADMIRAL Bundesliga season with a respectable success (To the match report>>>).
While the Graz team bemoans numerous missed chances, the Tyroleans are delighted with a hard-fought point. Even though coach Philipp Semlic still sees plenty of room for improvement.
"We can be proud of the point"
"We can be proud of the point, but we also know that we have a lot of work ahead of us," says Lukas Hinterseer on "Sky" after the final whistle. The second half, in particular, demanded everything from his team.
"We defended with heart, defended with courage, defended with passion," the veteran praises his teammates. He particularly highlights goalkeeper Salko Hamzic, who made several strong saves, as well as debutant Raphael Gschössl, who played "an incredible game."
Semlic: "We still have a lot of work ahead of us"
Coach Philipp Semlic is also satisfied with his team's fighting performance. "We were a unit, we were ready to run, we were ready to commit. This foundation must always be right for us to have a certain probability of being successful."
Before the break, his team had already implemented much of what they had planned in possession. After the change of ends, it was "a defensive battle with a very good last line" that repeatedly caught Sturm offside.
Despite the point gained, Semlic puts the brakes on euphoria. "We still have a lot of work ahead of us."
The team still needs time to fully implement the new playing philosophy. "We will get better from unit to unit and from game to game. That must also be the expectation."
Balic looks to the big goal
New signing Husein Balic already feels at home at WSG. However, the 30-year-old remains realistic in terms of sports.
"Staying in the league is always WSG's goal," says Balic. The new stadium, which is to be occupied next year, is an additional motivation for the entire team.
At the same time, he also sees room for improvement: "Especially in offense, we need to improve."
