SV Guntamatic Ried (3) vs. FC Flyeralarm Admira (5)
Last Bundesliga meeting: ADM 0-2 SVR
SV Ried extended their unbeaten start to the Qualification Group to seven games (W3 D4) with a 1-1 draw at Hartberg last time out, while Admira won a relegation six-pointer against St. Pölten. Ried have won more Bundesliga matches against Admira than against any other club (23) and they are currently on a 15-game unbeaten home run against the Lower Austrian outfit (W8 D7). If they are to end that run, Admira will likely be reliant on set-pieces - with all three of their league goals against the Upper Austrians this term coming from dead-ball situations. Admira boss Schmidt has taken four points from his two games since returning to the club for a second spell as head coach. Aiwu is suspended for Admira.
spusu SKN St. Pölten (6) vs. SCR CASHPOINT Altach (4)
Last Bundesliga meeting: SCR 1-0 SKN
St. Pölten, who are without a win in 11 Bundesliga matches (D3 L8) and lost their crunch clash with Admira last time out, are now five points adrift at the bottom of the table. With three rounds remaining, that makes this match against Altach more or less a must-win. The men from Vorarlberg have been highly inconsistent of late but edged out a narrow 2-1 victory against Austria Vienna last time out. The recent head-to-head record will make for ominous reading for SKN fans: Altach have won five of their last seven meetings, and kept a clean sheet in each victory. St. Pölten have scored two of their last three goals from corner-kicks, yet Altach are the only team in the division yet to concede a goal from a corner this term.
FK Austria Vienna (2) vs. TSV Prolactal Hartberg (1)
Last Bundesliga meeting: HTB 1-0 FAK
Both teams dropped valuable points in the race for top spot in the Qualification Group in the last round, with Austria Vienna slipping to a 2-1 loss to Altach and Hartberg held to a 1-1 draw by Ried. Hartberg certainly have the favourable record in this fixture, having gone five league games unbeaten against Austria (W4 D1) and won each of the last three. However, Stöger’s men have a decent record in the capital lately, where they have not lost in their last three games (W1 D2). For Hartberg, this game represents the chance to make club history: they could extend their unbeaten run in the top flight to seven matches for the first time. Kainz and Gollner will be available again for the Styrians after serving a suspension.
RZ Pellets Wolfsberger AC (5) vs. LASK (4)
Last Bundesliga meeting: LASK 2-1 WAC
LASK were twice pegged back and ultimately held to a 3-3 draw by WSG Tirol in a pulsating encounter on Sunday afternoon. That result left Thalhammer’s side in fourth spot and needing to beat Wolfsberg to keep up the chase for an automatic European berth and grace continental competition for a third successive season. But the Carinthians, who are just a point and a place behind, are in the mix themselves after a surprising last-minute away victory against Rapid Vienna in the capital. The stats are on LASK’s side, however: they have won all three previous Bundesliga meetings with WAC this term and have not lost on any of their seven league visits to the Lavanttal-Arena. Trauner is suspended for LASK, as is Baumgartner for WAC.
WSG Swarovski Tirol (6) vs. SK Sturm Graz (3)
Last Bundesliga meeting: STU 3-2 WSG
WSG’s never-say-die attitude earned them a point in a high-scoring stalemate in Pasching, while Sturm Graz ran Salzburg close but ultimately lost 3-1 to the league leaders. Ilzer’s men are still unbeaten against Silberberger’s side, recording four wins and one draw to date. Only against Austria Lustenau have Sturm played more Bundesliga games without losing (W11 D1). WSG Tirol have taken points in 17 of their 29 games this season - already more often than they did last season (14 times in 32 matches). Their talismanic Dane Baden Frederiksen has six goals in this year’s Championship Group - no other player has more.
Red Bull Salzburg (1) vs. SK Rapid Vienna (2)
Last Bundesliga meeting: SCR 0-3 RBS
A win for Salzburg in this table-topping clash with Rapid Vienna would secure the Red Bulls an eighth consecutive league title and a second double in two years. They will feel optimistic about their chances too, having claimed six wins and one draw in their last seven clashes with the capital club. Marsch’s men have scored in a club-record 35 consecutive Bundesliga home games and are now chasing Rapid’s record of 41 set between 1983 and 1986. Kühbauer’s charges are unbeaten in five league away games (W2 D3), with their last defeat on their road coming in a 4-2 loss in Salzburg on 21 February. Barac and Petrovic are unavailable for the Green & Whites.