West Vienna challenged

“We are well aware of our difficult situation”

West Vienna's top scoring talent Clemens Möstl.(Bild: © atelier schiffleitner)

Points are slowly becoming a must! As bottom of the Handball Liga Austria table, West Wien are longing for points. The best way to do that is to beat Schwaz at home on Saturday in order to keep Bärnbach/Köflach on their heels. The Fivers don't want to let anything get in their way against the Styrians. 

The year began for West Vienna with defeats against Bregenz and Vöslau - now the newly promoted club is looking to pick up its first points of 2025 against Schwaz in Stadthalle B on Saturday (18). In the young team of coach Roland Marouschek, which is two points behind penultimate-placed Bärnbach with five points so far, it is a special duel for two players: Gabriel and Jonas Kofler will face their brother Samuel at Schwaz - provided everyone is fit. Kreis started with the Tyroleans, currently seventh, with two wins against Bärnbach and the Foxes.

Schwaz circle Samuel Kofler meets his brothers Gabriel and Jonas at former club West Vienna.(Bild: GEPA)

Incidentally, the Greens lost their first game away from home in October by the narrow margin of 31:33. Matthias Wegerer is aware: "We know very well that we are in a difficult situation and that Schwaz is a very good opponent. Nevertheless, we will leave our hearts on the court. We'll do everything we can to keep the two points."

Fivers coach Fabio Schuh wants to leave nothing to chance in Bärnbach.(Bild: Anton Nigg)

With a win, West Vienna could close the gap on penultimate-placed Bärnbach - provided the Fivers win there on Saturday (19)! The fifth-placed Margaretner are eager for the duel, but are warned, as the underdogs recently won against Linz. Also thanks to Omer Mehmedovic. The Bosnian scored 14 of the 36 goals against the champions, is among the top five scorers in the HLA and is currently probably the most eye-catching of the eight legionnaires in the team. Fivers coach Peter Eckl: "Bärnbach is about very important points for us. The Styrians are a very unpleasant opponent at home. If they get on a run, it will be doubly difficult. Also because their crowd is one of the loudest in the league. But hot games like this are good for us. We want to show what we can do in a packed arena."