Sturm Graz in media blackout over latest friendly ahead of Hearts as they take part in lung-busting warm-up
Hearts’ Champions League opponents have gone secretive ahead of action next week.
Sturm Graz have gone dark over their final warm-up match ahead of Hearts - that included 120 minutes of action.
The Austrian side host Wouter Vrancken’s Premiership Jambos in the second round of Champions League qualifying next Tuesday before a return leg at Tynecastle on July 28. They have played a slate of pre-season friendlies to get ready for the match and most of them have been uploaded to the official Sturm Graz website with the thoughts of head coach Fabio Ingolitsch.
For their clash with Polish side Pogon Szczecin, however, they opted on keeping coverage to a minimum to keep plans for competitive action secretive. Their opponents have revealed a 1-0 win for Sturm Graz in a fitness-building exercise that consisted of two 45-minute halves plus an additional 30 minutes. Axel Kayombo - who scored a hat-trick against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their most recently friendly - continued his goal rush with a 117th minute strike to seal victory ahead of Hearts.
Why did Sturm Graz not broadcast details of their latest friendly?
No squad details have been released by Sturm Graz for the game either. An announcement on the club’s website reads: “Following previous friendlies against NS Mura, LNZ Cherkasy, FC Kosice, SC Kalsdorf, and Sanfrecce Hiroshima, SK Sturm Graz faces its final pre-season test before the start of its European campaign. This coming Tuesday, they will play Heart of Midlothian in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League at the Graz-Liebenau Stadium. Sturm will face Pogon Szczecin, an established club from the Polish Ekstraklasa, who finished ninth in the league last season.
“For Sturm, the main objective in this final test is to put the tactics and strategies developed during pre-season training into practice. Tactical procedures, automatic movements, and team coordination are the focus before the first major milestone of the new season awaits a few days later with the home game against Hearts. For strategic reasons, both clubs have agreed to keep media coverage of this final pre-season friendly to a minimum. The match will therefore not be broadcast.”
Pogon’s report on the game though let some details slip. It reads: “Pogon Szczecin lost 1-0 to Sturm Graz in their final friendly match during their training camp in Austria. The match was played in 2 x 45 minutes plus 30 minutes, and the outcome of the match was decided by a goal scored in the 117th minute.
How did Sturm Graz get on in their most recent friendly?
“The decisive moment came in the 117th minute. After a quick, combined move, Sturm player Axel Kayombo received the ball outside the penalty area, switched it to his right foot, and with a precise shot, he ground past Alex Peskovic near the post, making the score 1-0 for the Graz team.”
Back in Scotland, Vrancken put his side through their paces in a 2-1 win over Arbroath on Tuesday, Pierre Landry Kabore and Alexandros Kyzirdis scoring the goals. Hearts’ final friendly comes at Tynecastle this Friday against La Liga side Rayo Vallecano.