Starting position
The recent overtime away win against EC iDM Wärmepumpen VSV has once again shown that the Red Bulls have staying power and can turn games around late on. The Red Bulls gained further confidence from the two points against Villach, who are strong at home, but were not entirely satisfied with their defensive performance. Against the Pioneers, it will be important to stabilize the defense again—the Red Bulls still have the second-best defense in the league with 62 goals against—and not allow the opponent any chances.
This is all the more important against Feldkirch, as the Vorarlberg team is currently making the most of relatively few opportunities. In their last 4-1 home win against Hydro Fehérvár AV19, they had a shot ratio of 28:36, and in their 5-3 win in Linz, it was 21:31. In addition, their two recent victories mark the first time this season that they have won two games in a row, which could signal the start of an upward trend.
Efficiency is crucial
Salzburg is ahead of Feldkirch in almost all statistics. Only in scoring efficiency does Feldkirch lead the Red Bulls, with 9.59% compared to 8.54%. In absolute terms, this means that the Red Bulls have scored 76 goals from 890 shots on goal, while the Vorarlberg team has scored 56 goals from only 584 shots.
