Brenden Aaronson likely closed his Salzburg chapter with a start as the champions signed off with a draw, while Ulysses Llanez missed St. Pölten’s last game of the season with a thigh injury.
RB Salzburg 1 – 1 Austria Klagenfurt
Brenden Aaronson was in the starting lineup for what is likely his last game in Salzburg, putting in a solid shift on the left side of the team’s midfield in their season-closing draw against visiting Austria Klagenfurt.
Over 78 minutes of action, he managed 57 total ball contacts, completed 33 of 38 passes, set up three chances for his teammates, forced the Klagenfurt keeper into a save with a shot of his own, beat opposing defenders on two of his four dribble attempts, and won nine of his 13 duels.
His lone scoring attempt came after 21 minutes, when his 25-yard blast towards the center of goal was easily saved by Lennart Moser.
Despite the Red Bulls putting in their typical dominant performance, holding just under 70% of possession and attempting 23 shots compared to Klagenfurt’s seven, the visitors were the first on the board.
Their opening goal came following a set piece, where Markus Pink headed the ball towards the center of the box, where Turgay Gemicibasi rose to put his own header in the upper left corner for the 1-0 advantage.
Aaronson was pulled out after 77 minutes, along with Karim Adeyemi, whose departure to Borussia Dortmund was already recently confirmed, to give both players a last round of applause from the home crowd.
A final push finally saw the hosts salvage a draw in the ending moments. A shot from Mohamed Camara was initially blocked by Moser, however Sekou Koita was in place to pounce, pushing the ball over the line for the 1-1 equalizer.
The draw completes a hugely successful season for Aaronson and his Red Bulls teammates. They won yet another Austrian league and cup double, with no teams having even come close in Bundesliga play, and also reached the knockout stage of the Champions League.
The 2022-23 season will begin in late-July, however Aaronson has likely played his last game for the team, as the Salzburgers are expected to cash in on a lucrative transfer for the young American.
Notes
Ulysses Llanez is out with a thigh injury, and missed SKN St. Pölten’s season finale, a 2-0 loss on the road against Vorwärts Steyr.
