Austria Salzburg vs Wacker Burghausen

Austria Salzburg took control inside the opening ten minutes. Trialist striker Tamar Crnkic, a 20-year-old former Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz forward, opened the scoring in the 7th minute after a bright start from the hosts.

Christian Schaider's side dominated possession and created the better chances throughout the first half. They went into the break 1-0 up, having limited Wacker Burghausen to very few sights of goal.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Austria Salzburg remained the sharper and more cohesive side, and Crnkic sealed the result in the 85th minute with his second of the afternoon, completing a deserved 2-0 win.

Crnkic's early goal in the 7th minute set the tone. Wacker Burghausen had travelled to Salzburg expecting a stern test against a higher-tier opponent, but conceding so early forced them into a reactive game they never escaped. Austria Salzburg never relinquished control, and the visitors never truly threatened an equaliser.

Tamar Crnkic (Austria Salzburg) — The trialist was the match-winner with a brace (7', 85'), his second double in two pre-season appearances after also scoring twice against LASK Amateure in a 4-1 win earlier in the week. The 20-year-old's performances are making a strong case for a permanent deal with the club.

Austria Salzburg defence — The backline barely allowed Wacker a clear sight of goal all afternoon, keeping a clean sheet in a composed defensive display.

Wacker Burghausen midfield — The trio of Wagner, Bangerter and Gordok struggled to contain Salzburg's build-up. Sport coordinator Marius Duhnke told innsalzach24.de after the match: "We weren't aggressive enough in the duels. That's where we need to improve."

The 2-0 scoreline is straightforward, but Austria Salzburg's control was more comprehensive than the two-goal margin suggests. The club's own match report described the team as "clearly dominant" over long stretches, creating "numerous chances" while keeping Wacker to speculative efforts. Wacker Burghausen's head coach Matthias Ostrzolek conceded the defeat was "justified" — the visitors avoided a heavier defeat through resilience rather than performance.

For Austria Salzburg, the win extends their unbeaten pre-season run (D1 W2 after a 2-2 draw with Bundesliga side SV Ried and a 4-1 win over LASK Juniors). Schaider's side face SV Grödig on 14 July and NK Opatija on 18 July before the 2. Liga campaign begins.

For Wacker Burghausen, the defeat is a useful reality check. Ostrzolek's side face FC Augsburg II in their final pre-season friendly on 17 July — the club's official Saisoneröffnung — before kicking off the Regionalliga Bayern season at SpVgg Ansbach on 24 July.

A deserved win for Austria Salzburg, who looked sharper and more organised in their second week of pre-season. Crnkic's double strengthens his case for a contract, while Wacker Burghausen have clear work to do on their defensive organisation and duels ahead of the Regionalliga campaign.