​In today’s friendly match that brings our training camp to a close, we secured a 4-0 victory over Kharkiv FC, the club formerly known as Metalist 1925. Our Red Bulls found the back of the net thanks to Eddy Baidoo, Nikolas Veratschnig, Gaoussou Diakite, and Dominik Schmid, delivering a strong performance to conclude the camp on a high note. Early on, Kharkiv pressed and tested our side, but Krätzig and his teammates gradually found their rhythm, working the ball out from under the Ukrainian press and growing more dangerous as the game unfolded. Baidoo came close with a golden opportunity in the 26th minute, and he didn’t miss his next chance, snapping home a well-placed shot to make it 1-0 in the 29th minute. At the back, Christian Zawieschitzky produced a superb save on a header, and we continued to raise the tempo, extending our lead. After a well-executed team attack, Veratschnig struck to make it 2-0 just before halftime (39’).
As in the first two friendlies, a completely new XI took the field for the second half and immediately made an impact. Gaoussou Diakite opened the scoring in the second period with an early goal (51’), and he soon had another excellent chance to add a second (60’). Kharkiv’s Nikola Sarcevic produced a crucial save to deny a goal (61’), while Leandro Morgalla also helped preserve the clean sheet by clearing off the line (74’). At the other end, Dominik Schmid wrapped up the win with a long-range strike to make it 4-0 (86’).
For the match, the lineup changes at halftime included Zawieschitzky (46. Sarcevic); Veratschnig (46. Lainer), Boma (46. Morgalla), Chase (46. Zabransky), Krätzig (46. Schmid); Barry (46. Diabate), Mazurek (46. Kawamura); Baidoo (46. Aguilar; 72. Bischoff), Kitano (46. Diakite), Redzic (46. Camara; 72. Matijasevic); Vertessen (46. Daghim). The team’s focus remains clear: protect the scoreline, press when possible, and execute with precision as the camp closes.
After the match, the team will have a recovery session tomorrow, followed by a weekend off to recharge. Looking ahead, a double-header of friendlies is scheduled for next Wednesday, July 15. At 15:00 CEST, we will face Gamba Osaka in Anif, followed by a 18:30 kickoff against Basaksehir FK in Nonntal. It was evident in stretches today that some players still had heavy legs, but there were many encouraging signs as well. Some aspects were strong, while others require further work. We won’t overstate the result, but overall the performance points in the right direction: three friendlies completed with one goal conceded and four goals scored. The general sense is positive, with the understanding that we must continue improving in all phases of the game.
Danny Röhl and Frans Krätzig weighed in on the performance. Röhl highlighted the resilience shown after Kharkiv started strongly, noting the team’s capacity to respond and seize opportunities, while Krätzig emphasized the hard work and intensity during training camp. He pointed out that maintaining consistency will be crucial as the team builds toward even better performances. Both coaches stressed that the squad must stay focused, keep the momentum, and translate training-ground advances into consistent results. Now, with two days off behind us, they’re ready to return next week for three more friendlies and continued progress toward the goals set for the season.