Sturm Graz lost 3-2 to Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday, despite a respectable second-half performance.
After trailing 2-0 in the first 45 minutes and appearing to have little chance, Otar Kiteishvili and Mika Biereth sparked a comeback with quick goals early in the second half, making it a much more open game.
However, it was Hakon Haraldsson, the substitute, who sealed the win for Lille in the 81st minute.
Before that, goals from Osame Sahraoui and Mitchel Bakker had put the French side ahead.
Two weeks after earning their first point in the group with a 1-0 home win over Girona, Sturm missed the opportunity to score again in their sixth Champions League match.
Their chances of advancing are now mathematically impossible. In January, they will face Atalanta Bergamo (21st, away) and RB Leipzig (29th, home).
Sturm spent most of the first half chasing the ball at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. The hosts, who were without the injured Edon Zhegrova, dominated possession and played with confidence, only lacking in finishing.
Sturm was notably passive in the first 20 minutes, fortunate that Jonathan David failed to capitalize on a simple cross inside the six-yard box, and Remy Cabella missed narrowly at the far post.
A penalty appeal for a shove by Niklas Geyrhofer on Sahraoui was overturned by the VAR review and David wasted a close-range opportunity.
It took until the 37th minute for Sahraoui to open the scoring, firing into the far corner after Sturm failed to defend a fast counterattack.
Just before halftime, Bakker doubled Lille’s lead, and the game seemed almost decided.
But just before the break, Sturm struck back unexpectedly. Kiteishvili connected with a cross, scoring from a few meters out into the top corner, much to the surprise of everyone.
Despite having only two or three weak attempts on goal up to that point, Sturm was suddenly back in the game, and they carried that momentum into the second half.
The momentum shifted in Sturm’s favor, and just two minutes into the second half, Biereth scored after a good tackle and a one-two pass with William Böving-Kiteishvili.
The team played with renewed energy, pressing Lille, who appeared increasingly rattled. The best chance for Sturm came when Kiteishvili’s long-range shot narrowly missed the far post.
However, Lille had the more dangerous chances. David, despite being in the right position, once again failed to score and Bakker’s shot was saved by goalkeeper Daniil Chudjakow.
In the end, Haraldsson, who had been substituted in, made the difference, finding the net after a pass from David, securing a deserved victory for Lille, who remain in contention for qualification.
