Sturm did not field their strongest available XI. Fabio Ingolitsch made four changes from the 2-1 win over LASK, bringing Paul Koller, Luca Weinhandl, Luís Balbo and Belmin Beganovic into the starting line-up. Jon Gorenc Stankovic was among those who initially started on the bench, while Otar Kiteishvili was left out of the squad altogether as part of his workload management. Rennes also made three changes from their 1-0 win over Marseille but kept much of their established core intact.
Sturm willingly concede possession to Rennes
Ingolitsch set his team up far more cautiously than in many domestic matches. Sturm’s back three became a five-man defensive line without the ball, with the aim of keeping the central spaces tight and forcing Rennes into wider areas.
That plan did not always work. The visitors were technically cleaner, moved the ball more quickly and repeatedly found ways into dangerous areas, particularly down the flanks. After just eight minutes, Rennes had the ball in the net for the first time. Adrien Thomasson scored after a series of attempts following a corner, but the VAR intervened and the goal was ruled out for handball.
Rennes were barely affected by the decision. Esteban Lepaul continued to find good shooting positions and fired over from a promising situation shortly afterwards. Around the half-hour mark, Khudyakov had to make his first decisive intervention, denying the striker with his foot.
Koller’s disallowed goal comes during Sturm’s best spell
Sturm gradually worked their way into the game after that. The hosts became more aggressive in the duels, won more second balls and managed, at least for a period, to keep Rennes further away from their own penalty area.
In the 34th minute, that improvement appeared to be rewarded. Jürgen Heil delivered a free-kick into the box, Joshua Quarshie flicked the ball on with his head and Paul Koller nodded it into the net. The celebrations did not last long, however. Jacob Hödl had blocked an opponent from an offside position and was therefore judged to have interfered with play.
The decision was particularly frustrating for Sturm because it came in the middle of their best spell of the first half. Had they taken the lead, the hosts would have been able to lean even more heavily on their compact defensive shape and quick transitions. Instead, Rennes remained level and regained control before the interval.
Khudyakov becomes Sturm’s key figure
Sturm showed after the break that they had no intention of simply sitting back. Hödl forced Brice Samba into a save, but Rennes soon began to take control again.
Khudyakov became Sturm’s most important player during this phase. Within a short period, he first denied Lepaul and then kept out an effort from Ludovic Blas. The Sturm goalkeeper was repeatedly called upon from close range and kept his side in the contest at the moments when Rennes were closest to breaking the deadlock.
The defenders in front of him also had to work relentlessly. Heil defended attentively on his side, Koller threw himself in front of several shots and Balbo stopped a number of dangerous attacks before they fully developed. Sturm spent long periods defending deep but generally remained well organised and repeatedly forced Rennes to recycle possession.
The visitors still managed to create danger. Mahdi Camara hit the woodwork in the 74th minute, and Bryan Reynolds then missed from close range. Those moments underlined that Rennes’ superiority was not merely territorial – they were also generating genuine scoring opportunities.
Rennes create the better chances, but Sturm stay alive
The xG figures reinforce that impression. Rennes finished on 1.98 xG, while Sturm recorded 0.83. The difference was significant and reflects the fact that the visitors produced the higher-quality chances over the course of the match.
Lepaul in particular could have decided the game. The striker repeatedly found himself in promising positions but either failed to beat Khudyakov or missed the target. Sturm therefore remained in contention despite extended periods of French pressure.
The statistical imbalance did not mean the Austrian side were completely outclassed. Sturm deliberately accepted less possession and relied on compactness, intensity in the duels and quick breaks after turnovers. Especially after half-time, they still found ways to threaten themselves. Simon Seidl forced Samba into another save following an excellent piece of work from Filip Rózga.
The 0-0 perhaps flattered Sturm slightly when measured against the quality of chances, but it was not simply the result of poor Rennes finishing. The hosts defended their penalty area with concentration for long spells and had a goalkeeper in Khudyakov who delivered when it mattered.
A valuable point against one of the tougher opponents
Rennes are certainly not one of the easier teams on Sturm’s Europa League schedule. The French side were unbeaten after four Ligue 1 matches, had collected ten points and arrived in Graz fresh from a 1-0 victory over Marseille.
Compared with Sturm’s remaining fixtures, Rennes belong to the more demanding half of the schedule. Away at Bournemouth and at home to Marseille, Sturm still face at least two similarly difficult or even more prominent opponents. Against sides such as Celje or OFI Crete, by contrast, they are likely to be required to take greater responsibility in possession.
Ingolitsch was therefore understandably satisfied afterwards. He stressed that Sturm would have happily taken a point before kick-off and that the basic match plan had worked. Given the number of changes and the youth of the side, the draw represented a positive start to the league phase.
Salzburg and Bournemouth up next for Sturm
There is little time for Sturm to recover. On Sunday, they travel to Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga, another demanding assignment immediately after their European opener.
Their Europa League campaign resumes on October 15 with an away match against AFC Bournemouth. After taking a point from Rennes, Sturm will therefore face another of their tougher league-phase fixtures against Premier League opposition.
