European Qualification Play-Off: Semi-Final

TSV Prolactal Hartberg vs FK Austria Vienna

It’s that time of the year already, the Bundesliga season has reached its dramatic conclusion, but for three teams the action continues for a few more days at least. The Bundesliga’s final European qualification spot will go to the winner of this end-of-season play-off, and first up Hartberg and Austria Vienna will battle it out for the right to face Wolfsberger AC in the final.

Strangely enough, this match up is a repeat of last season’s play-off final, and on that occasion back in June 2020, it was TSV Hartberg who edged it over two legs to book their maiden voyage into Europe. This time, with it being the semi-final instead, there will only be one leg to decide who goes through to face the Carinthians, and Hartberg managed to secure home advantage for the game as they won at St. Pölten on the final day, whereas Austria were stunned in Ried as they lost to a late comeback and let first place in the Qualification Group slip through their fingers. The Styrian leg of their meeting last year ended 0-0, but there will definitely be an outright winner on the night this time around.

Aside from the blow of last season’s play-off, the outlook is rather positive for the Violets, who have won all four of the knock-out meetings between these two sides in the Austrian Cup, including a dramatic 5-3 win earlier this season. Hartberg, however, have won their last two Bundesliga home games against Austria, and are four unbeaten against the capital club at the Profertil Arena.

The home advantage for the East Styrians could also prove pivotal as they are now nine games without defeat on home turf, their longest ever Bundesliga unbeaten run, and they didn’t lose at home against any of their Qualification Group opponents in the 2020/2021 season. Watch out for set-pieces in this game too, as Hartberg have scored three goals from dead-ball situations against Austria this season, whilst Austria have scored two of their own versus Hartberg.