Patson Daka braces Salzburg into UCL group stage
By Aaron Mubanga Jnr | September 30, 2020
Zambia national team striker Patson Daka scored a brace to guide Austrian Bundesliga League giants Redbull Salzburg to a 3-1 win and seal their qualification to the 2020/2021 UEFA Champions League group stage.
Salzburg came into the match with a 2-1 aggregate lead from the first leg and was only looking for a draw to seal qualification and even a loss by a lone goal would have seen them into the group stage.
Coach Jesse Marsch made three changes from the team that won away in Israel, Rasmus Nissen Kristensen, Mergïm Berisha dropped to the bench to make way for Albert Vallci and Sekou Koita while Mohammed Camara came in for Antoine Bernede who is nursing an injury.
Salzburg started strong and Enock Mwepu tried his luck with a shot from outside the box but Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Brazilian goalkeeper Daniel could not be beaten. Patson Daka finally put the hosts in the lead 16 minutes into the first half with a first-time finish within the area after some good work from Koita. Eden Karzev pulled Maccabi level in the 30th minute, His initial powerful shot was pallied back into his path and he had another crack at it this time around, he gave Cican Stankovic no chance with his well taken low drive, 1-1.
Enock Mwepu came close twice first with a header at the near post from the corner and then a shot from inside the box which both went wide but overall put in a fantastic full shift.
With the match looking like going to the break level, Maccabi defenders tripped Masaya Okugawa in the area, Dominik Szoboszlai stepped up and made no mistake from 16 yards putting the ball in the upper left corner.
In the second half, Maccabi came back looking to level matters and came close a few times but Patson Daka increased Salzburg’s lead in the 68th minute heading in an Albert Vallci pinpoint cross to make it 3-1.
Coach Jesse Marsch made three changes in the second stanza with Berisha replacing Koita, Junuzovic coming on for Camara, and Noah Okafor taking the place of Okugawa.
3-1 the match finished and 5-2 on aggregate meaning Salzburg make it to the group stage through the Qualification rounds route for the first time after 12 tries. Salzburg now awaits their group stage draw.