Despite being in the lead, the superior Viennese team only managed a draw against the bottom team.
Vienna Austria lost their mandatory win against Austria Lustenau. Despite one-way street football, the first and last teams in the qualifying group drew 1-1 (0-0) on Saturday. A penalty converted by Dominik Fitz (59th) only temporarily brought the leading Viennese team onto the winning path. Lukas Fridrikas also equalized with a penalty (77′). After three rounds, both teams are still without a win.
The “Veilchen” remained unbeaten for the twelfth home game in a row, but drew six times. Next Saturday the top duel in the qualifying group against the WAC will take place in Lavanttal. Lustenauer Austria scored points in the fourth of five away games in 2024 and could sneak within two points of their rivals with a derby home win against Altach.
Austria coach Michael Wimmer had announced Lustenauer as a “nut” that needed to be cracked. That’s how it happened. The guests holed up in a 5-3-2 formation and willingly let Violett have the ball. The home team used 80 percent of the ball possession at times to create numerous shots, although the fewest were clear chances to score.
In order to possibly get things going early, Andreas Gruber was only centimeters away from a header from the pole in the 17th minute. Reinhold Ranftl served the striker, who was freely rising in the five-man position, with a cross. After a flurry of goals at the start of the season, Gruber has only scored once since November.
Manfred Fischer had previously approached the cross with a long-range shot (13th), but the purple captain missed miserably twice before half-time (38th/head, 45th/with a reserve). In addition, an excursion by Domenik Schierl was successful; Lustenau’s goalie was just in front of Muharem Huskovic, who was sent into the alley (26th).
The sports club, which increasingly needs points in the relegation battle, did not even pose any danger through counterattacks. Most of the time the ball was gone again immediately after it was captured. At halftime, the Green-Whites had only played 53 passes in the opponent’s half and had lost another defensive force in Luca Meisl. The central defender injured his knee due to a foul on Fitz and was replaced by Fabian Gmeiner (30th).
A penalty seemed to put the favorite on course for three points. The Brazilian Chato supported himself in the aerial duel with Reinhold Ranftl, which referee Stefan Ebner initially let pass. However, after VAR intervention, he reversed his decision. Fitz loaded Schierl confidently. The goalie decided against the signals from the dugout, who, gesticulating violently, suggested a shot into the right corner.
The Viennese missed half chances to make it 2-0, and so the guests celebrated after a triple substitution. Romeo Vucic, who had just been substituted, only had eyes for the ball and brought Fridrikas down in the penalty area. The fouled man used the gift to equalize out of nowhere (77th). The “Violets” seemed dismayed afterwards – and were no longer able to add to the equalized finish. (APA)
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