Qualification Group
FC Blau Weiß Linz 0-0 SC Austria Lustenau
Only a week had passed since their duel on the final day of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga regular season, on that occasion Austria Lustenau broke their home hoodoo and secured a rare victory. However, in Linz on Saturday, the points were shared to keep the Blue and Whites four points ahead of the Vorarlbergers in the table.
After a nervy start, Brazilian striker Ronivaldo saw the first sight of goal but was tackled at the crucial moment by his fellow countryman Anderson. Lustenau responded with a trio of opportunities via a Darijo Grujcic free-kick (15’), Ben Bobzien forcing a smart save out of Nicolas Schmid a minute later, and then a Yadaly Diaby curling effort was parried away by the Linz keeper. Simon Seidl (33’) and Julian Gölles (45’) were both denied by Lustenau’s shot stopper Domenik Schierl as the first half ended goalless.
The Bundesliga’s basement club went agonisingly close via Paterson Chato as Anderson’s deep cross found the Congolese midfielder who was denied at point-blank range by Schmid (63’). However, Blau Weiß defender Fabio Strauss rose highest and directed his header mere centimetres wide in the 89th minute as the Linz side’s winless run extended to nine league games and Lustenau came away with another crucial point in their battle against the drop.
CASHPOINT SCR Altach 1-1 FK Austria Vienna
A 95th minute equaliser from substitute Lukas Gugganig denied FK Austria Vienna a perfect start to the Qualification Group at the final moment in Vorarlberg. After last week’s heartbreak at missing out on the top six by the barest of margins, Michael Wimmer’s side started in convincing fashion with Dominik Fitz firing in after nine minutes; but CASHPOINT SCR Altach refused to give up and equalised with seconds to spare.
Altach burst out of the blocks with Gustavo Santos putting the ball into the net after only 36 seconds, only to be flagged offside after a lengthy VAR check. Austria took the lead after a well-worked move was finished superbly by Fitz, but Joachim Standfest’s side fought back with Santos creating multiple chances. However, Tin Plavotic saw a header cleared off the line by Altach defender Constantin Reiner just before the break.
The hosts pushed and pushed for an equaliser and it finally came in the dying embers of the game with a pinball-like situation in the box finally seeing Sofian Bahloul laying the ball off to the unmarked Gugganig to slot home into the empty net to keep the Vorarlberg side four points off the bottom of the table.
WSG Tirol 1-1 RZ Pellets WAC
Thierno Ballo’s 89th minute penalty salvaged RZ Pellets WAC a draw against relegation battlers WSG Tirol. The Tyroleans had taken the lead on the hour mark through Nik Prelec and looked set to record a rare victory, but after Adam Stejskal’s reckless foul, Ballo slotted home to share the points to deny WSG a much-needed three points.
The visitors from Carinthia had the better of the first half with Ballo shooting over from close range after a Adis Jasic cross (17’) and Augustine Boakye attempting to lob Stejskal but seeing his effort loop on top of the goal net (30’). For WSG, their main attempt came via Lukas Sulzbacher who volleyed wide from the right (20’). Thomas Silberberger’s side almost took the lead but Sandi Ogrinec’s header went just past the goal (53’), however their persistence paid off with Prelec directing an effort into the bottom corner for the lead seven minutes later.
Unfortunately for the hosts, with full-time looming, Stejskal’s foul gave Wolfsberg the golden chance to equalise. Ballo stepped up, saw his penalty saved, but he poked home the rebound to keep the gap to Qualification Group leaders Austria Vienna at only one point.
Championship Group
SK Rapid Vienna 0-0 LASK
For the third consecutive time in the ADMIRAL Bundesliga this season, SK Rapid Vienna and LASK shared the points as the two started off their Championship Group aspirations with a draw at the Allianz Stadion. The official “kick-off” to the final stretch of the season on Friday night pitted Rapid Vienna, so far unbeaten in 2024, against a LASK side who have yet to win in 2024 - both runs that are set to continue.
It took until the 11th minute for the game to kickstart as Moses Usor wasted a golden opportunity after capitalising on a defensive error and then lifting his shot from distance wide with the goal fully open, followed by Marin Ljubicic making Niklas Hedl work six minutes later. Isak Jansson retorted with an effort wide from the left (23’) but LASK proved to be more dangerous in the opening.
Ljubicic’s header forced a top save from Hedl, but Rapid were much improved with Leopold Querfeld seeing a header go just over the bar. Ismail Seydi, making his Rapid debut, added a new aspect to the Green and White attack and forced Tobias Lawal into two late saves but both sides had to settle for a draw to keep LASK in third and elevate Rapid into fourth spot.
SK Austria Klagenfurt 0-4 SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz
SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz sent a warning shot to league leaders Red Bull Salzburg with a rampant first half performance in Klagenfurt to show they mean serious business in the Championship Group. A double from Mika Biereth, plus finishes from Tomi Horvat and William Böving, put Sturm into a stunning 4-0 lead at the break which they kept until the final whistle.
Biereth opened the scoring after only four minutes by passing in a rebound after the Klagenfurt defence failed to clear. Biereth’s second (18’) was a simple head into an empty net after a delicious cross from the left by Alexander Prass meaning the Danish Under-21 international couldn’t miss. Horvat added a third in the 23rd minute with goalkeeper Phillip Menzel getting a strong hand onto it, but failing to keep it from sneaking into the bottom corner. The final goal (39’) saw Jusuf Gazibegovic deliver a perfectly-timed assist into the path of Böving to chip over Menzel and into the net.
Peter Pacult’s side couldn’t have imagined a more lacklustre start to their third Championship Group campaign in a row, but for Christian Ilzer’s Black and Whites, the beginning of a vital two months.
FC Red Bull Salzburg 5-1 TSV Egger Glas Hartberg
FC Red Bull Salzburg’s start of their title defence was successful with a thumping 5-1 victory over 10-man TSV Egger Glas Hartberg to keep up their two-point lead at the top of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga table. Petar Ratkov, Mads Bidstrup, Fernando, Oscar Gloukh and Sekou Koita all registered on the scoresheet, with Jurgen Heil adding a consolation for the Hartbergers.
Hartberg’s mission went from difficult to almost impossible in the 22nd minute after Scottish defender Ibane Bowat was dismissed after fouling Fernando when in-behind the Hartberg defence. The Champions took full advantage with Ratkov scoring only six minutes later with a header from a Maurits Kjaergaard free-kick. Bidstrup made it two just before the break with a lovely goal from the edge of the box. Fernando added a third (51’) after the ball fortuitously ended up in his path and he slotted home with ease.
Despite the man deficit, Hartberg hit back on the counter with Heil in the right place after Donis Avdijaj’s shot was parried into his path (75’). The fightback didn’t last long with Gloukh scoring a stunning solo effort in the 84th minute and then turning into the provider with his shot saved by Raphael Sallinger and Koita making it a five-star performance in injury time (90+3’).
Redakteur: The Other Bundesliga
Fotos: GEPA pictures