2:2 in Stripfing

Dornbirn stay in the race

Gabryel (r.) was once again one of the Red Rose's main assets. However, the Brazilian was denied a goal.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The Reds picked up a point in Stripfing and remain in the race for a second division ticket. On a soaking wet pitch, the two relegation candidates played a game full of chances, with the final score 2:2. FCD coach Eric Orie was satisfied with the draw and is already thinking about the next round.

What Stripfing and FC Dornbirn offered in Vienna Floridsdorf, where the game was played, paid off for the sparse crowd of 100 in the pouring rain. The two relegation candidates in League Two fought a duel with open sights.

Ramon Tanque profited from a serious blunder by the Stripfing defense.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Stripfing got off to a good start with a couple of high-caliber goals, but Dornbirn scored early. Defender Lackner slipped with the ball as the last man, Ramon gratefully accepted the gift, curved around goalkeeper Kretschmer and slotted home to make it 1:0 for the Reds. They should have gone one better after that - but Felix Mandl shot twice instead of crossing. Instead, the home side equalized and FCD keeper Jakob Odehnal did not look good from the direct free-kick, which bounced awkwardly on the wet ground. Nor did he when he poorly cleared a high ball a little later, resulting in the 1-2.

Exclusion for Stripfing
Shortly before the second goal, Stripfing's Furtlehner was sent off with a yellow-red card and the Lower Austrians dropped back. Dornbirn came back into the game and immediately shrugged off the two quick goals. With 25 minutes remaining, Gabryel played in his Brazilian compatriot Ramon with a back-heel in the penalty area - the striker again played around goalkeeper Kretschmer, but then shot over the empty goal.

But then it was 2:2: A corner from Lars Nussbaumer bounced to the feet of Dragan Marceta, whose finish made it 2:2. And there could have been two more - but Gabryel's shot shortly before the end hit the crossbar, then the bar, but not the goal. "I'm happy, we're still in the race," said a delighted Orie, "Stripfing are no pushovers. It was a good game, now we'll prepare for Sturm."