Sturm Graz secured a crucial 2-0 away win over SCR Altach on Sunday afternoon at Cashpoint-Arena, courtesy of two late goals that crystallized a largely cagey encounter and underscored the visitors' growing Bundesliga credentials.

The first half was defined by tactical discipline rather than attacking verve. Both sides tested each other’s defensive lines, but clear chances were at a premium, and the score remained deadlocked through 45 minutes. Altach kept the pressure on with aggressive midfield play led by Mike-Steven Bähre and Lukas Jäger, who picked up an early yellow for a robust challenge in the fourth minute.

Sturm Graz, deploying a 4-3-1-2 with the creative Otar Kiteishvili behind the strikers, slowly found rhythm after the break. Oliver Christensen, commanding in goal, denied Altach’s best chance when Patrick Greil’s close-range effort was smothered, maintaining the stalemate as time ticked away.

The turning point arrived in the 85th minute. Kiteishvili, already influential in midfield, stepped up after a penalty was awarded to Sturm Graz, coolly slotting his shot low into the bottom left corner beyond Dejan Stojanović’s reach. The goal was a just reward for Graz’s growing dominance in possession and territory, following a physical second half marked by escalating yellow cards, with Emir Aiwu and Dimitri Lavalėe booked earlier for the visitors.

Altach, desperate for an equalizer, surged forward in stoppage time, but their advances left gaps at the back. Belmin Beganovic exploited the space in the 95th minute, finishing off a swift counterattack with a composed right-footed strike to cap the contest. Leon Grgic provided the crucial headed assist for the clincher, wrapping up three points for Jürgen Säumel’s side.

Substitutions played a part in maintaining the match’s intensity, with both managers refreshing tired legs in the final 20 minutes. Marlon Mustapha and Ousmane Diawara tried to spark Altach’s attack, while Sturm Graz’s changes helped preserve their late lead.

For Altach, the defeat underlines their struggles in front of goal, with just 0.6 goals per game over their last ten outings. Sturm Graz, meanwhile, continue their red-hot away form, marking their fifth win in eight Bundesliga matches this season. The result lifts Sturm Graz to third place in the standings and highlights their title ambitions as the campaign intensifies.

This disciplined and dramatic late victory will be remembered for its clinical finishing and the composure of Kiteishvili under pressure—a performance fit for the highlight reels of Austria’s footballing elite.