Klagenfurt coach Peter Pacult was in a mild mood during the guest appearance in Lustenau despite being sent off after an outburst of anger. “To do it again is like winning the lottery six with an additional number,” said the 63-year-old Viennese, after his Austria had secured a place in the championship play-off for the second time in a row. Since the WSG Tirol did not win against Puntigamer Sturm Graz (0:2), the Klagenfurt team was sure of sixth place.
“It’s insane after we did it last year. The three victories before that, and above all the victory in Graz, made that happen,” emphasized Pacult. Even if he would have preferred to do it “on his own”. With 15 points, Austria from Klagenfurt is now one point behind Wiener Austria and Rapid after the halving, LASK has 19 points before the last ten games. Pacult gave the international starting place as a clear goal.
Klagenfurt in top six despite defeat
Austria Klagenfurt made it into the master group despite a 4-2 defeat at Austria Lustenau.
Because his team could not be satisfied with the secured sixth place. “The sporting ambition must be such that we want to attack and we have to perform accordingly,” added Pacult. The coach complimented his team and wished for more support from the home fans. “I hope that this will also be noticeable in the number of spectators at the home games. Now the big opponents are coming.”
WSG Tirol becomes fatal due to negative run
The WSG Tirol meanwhile missed the entry into the master group despite a comfortable lead in the meantime, six points were the Watteners four laps before the end of the regular round over the line. In the end, after five games without a win, they were two points behind sixth-placed Klagenfurt Austria. “But I don’t see seventh place with 28 points as a failure,” emphasized coach Thomas Silberberger after the decisive 2-0 home defeat against Sturm Graz on Sunday.
For Silberberger, the last games were not the main reason for missing the championship group. “We scored 17 points in the second half of the season, 34 points would have been enough. We missed it in the first half of the season,” said the 49-year-old. Nevertheless, a three against Sturm would have been enough for the top six in the end. This was absolutely within the realm of possibility for Silberberger until the avoidable goal.
Full focus on qualification group
“Exactly in the phase in which we had the reins in our hands in the highly intensive match, in which I had the feeling that we were going 1-0, a big buck happened again,” analyzed the coach with reference to defender Raffael Behounek’s failed back pass before conceding the first goal. After that, his team tried again to go “all-in”, with the 0:2 “then the lid was on”.
WSG Tirol must be in the qualification group
The WSG Tirol missed the leap into the championship group of the Bundesliga. The Watteners lost 2-0 to Sturm Graz in Innsbruck and ended the regular season in seventh place.
After two days off, the full focus of the qualifying group will apply to the WSG from Wednesday. The Watteners tackle this with 14 points and thus the best starting position, but the primary goal remains to remain in the league. “We know that the qualifying group is not easy. But if we perform like we have in the past few weeks and correct the mistakes, then we will quickly secure our relegation,” said WSG captain Ferdinand Oswald on Sky.
Cards are reshuffled
However, the other five teams in the lower half are also pursuing the same ambitions. Newly promoted Austria Lustenau improved their own starting position thanks to a turbulent 4-2 win against Klagenfurt, including an 86-minute majority. “The win gives a boost to the qualifying group,” said coach Markus Mader, whose team finished the regular season in eighth place.
One place behind is WAC after a disappointing season so far, which scored for the first time with a 0-0 at SV Guntamatic Ried on Sunday under neo-coach Manfred Schmid. While the Wolfsbergers are confident about the qualifying group, the Innviertel was not entirely satisfied. “We had the better chances, so I’m a bit upset about the result,” said coach Maximilian Senft, who expects a fight for survival from now on. Ried is penultimate after the division and is only one point ahead of bottom SCR Cashpoint Altach.
Hartberg tackles the qualifying group with the same points as the Upper Austrians. The 2:2 against LASK made coach Markus Schopp confident for the upcoming tasks. Altach set a strong exclamation mark in the last round of the regular season with a 1:1 draw at series champions Salzburg. “I’m obviously very happy with my team. She delivered in every respect, so I have to pay her a huge compliment,” praised coach Miroslav Klose.