Bundesliga in the TICKER

LIVE from 5pm: WAC must face SCR Altach

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

24th round in Austria's Bundesliga: Wolfsberger AC host SCR Altach in the qualifying group. We report live (see ticker below). The score is currently 0:0.

Here is the LIVETICKER:

SCR Altach have traveled to Wolfsberg with a clear goal in mind. In the Bundesliga qualifying group clash, the Vorarlberg side want to pick up three points at WAC on Saturday and overtake the Lavanttaler sooner or later. Altach are unbeaten in three games, while WAC have gone two games without defeat - although all of these games have ended in draws. There has also been no winner in the two games so far this season.

WAC are currently second in the qualifying group behind Austria and have a six-point lead over third-placed Altach. "We've made it very clear that we want to overtake one of the two teams ahead of us by the end of the season. That's why we can only go to Wolfsberg with the goal of winning there," said Altach coach Joachim Standfest, verbalizing his plan. And that's despite the fact that the last win to date was some time ago. In the Ländle derby on 5 December, the Schnabelholz squad celebrated a 3-0 win against Austria Lustenau.

Standfest suspended
"I think we can go into the final rounds with a very good feeling. The performances in the basic round and also in the game against Austria were very appealing," said Standfest. As a souvenir of the 1:1 against the Violets, however, the Styrian has a red card, which now largely forces him into inactivity. Standfest is only allowed to coach the team in the dressing room until half an hour before the start of the match. "They'll have a place for me in the stands somewhere," he said with a grin. However, his anger at the referee has now evaporated.

The WAC have recently picked up two 1-1 draws in a row, one of which came against Altach in Wolfsberg less than three weeks ago. Before that, the score was 0-0 after 90 minutes in Altach in October. It was also not enough for a full success against WSG before the international break. "The boys were very self-critical and dissatisfied after the game against WSG Tirol. I really liked that and it shows that they are hungry," said WAC coach Manfred Schmid. "We want to show a different face now than in the last two games - we can do better, but we have to show it now."

In addition to Standfest, defender Lukas Gugganig is also suspended for Altachern. Mohamed Ouedraogo will have to wait and see how he copes with the stresses and strains of traveling after making his international debut for Burkina Faso. Incidentally, the team already traveled to Wolfsberg on Maundy Thursday to avoid travel on Good Friday. "It's not pleasant to sit on a bus for nine or nine-and-a-half hours, then lie down and have to perform the next day," emphasized Standfest. The WAC will have to make do without left-back Jonathan Scherzer due to a yellow card suspension.