With 2:1 at the Red Jackets

LIVE from 5pm: GAK must face Austria

Collective joy of victory for the Austrians(Bild: GEPA)

Vienna Austria's run of success only came to a brief halt - one week after the 0:1 against Red Bull Salzburg, the "Veilchen" celebrated a 2:1 away win against GAK on Saturday thanks to goals from Dominik Fitz (56th/hand penalty) and Maurice Malone (62nd), thus catching up with leaders Sturm Graz on points! GAK, whose consolation goal was scored by Tio Cipot (91'), remain three points ahead of bottom club Altach in second-last place.

Austria were without their suspended defender Aleksandar Dragovic, but the personnel situation was far worse for their opponents. Seven players were absent, five of them due to a viral illness.

Nevertheless, Graz were able to keep the game open in the first half, as evidenced by shots from Marco Perchtold (27') and Christian Lichtenberger (34') next to the goal and an effort from debutant Thomas Schiestl, who forced Austria goalkeeper Samuel Sahin-Radlinger into a save (43').

VAR took Barry goal back
Austria knocked on the door for the first time through Malone, but goalkeeper Jakob Meierhofer made the save (6'). Ten minutes later, Abubakr Barry was celebrating the supposed lead for the Viennese, but the VAR took the goal back because the assistant Matteo Perez Vinlöf had been just offside.

The preliminary decision was finally made with a handball penalty. A cross from Reinhold Ranftl landed on Benjamin Rosenberger's elbow, which was pushed away from his upper body, and after a minute-long VAR check, a penalty was awarded, which Fitz converted with ice-cold precision.

A few minutes later, Petar Filipovic made a serious mistake and Malone ran alone from the halfway line towards the GAK goal and slotted home effortlessly. In the final half hour, Austria held on to their lead with all their routine, and the home side's goal through substitute Cipot came too late.

The result:
GAK - FK Austria Wien 1:2 (0:0)
Graz, Merkur Arena, 5233 spectators, referee Hameter

Goals: 0:1 (56th/penalty) Fitz, 0:2 (62nd) Malone, 1:2 (91st) Cipot

Yellow cards: Lichtenberger, Satin, Graf, Rosenberger, Kleinheisler and Guenouche respectively

GAK: Meierhofer - Graf, Filipovic (84. Gantschnig), Tikvic (84. Revelant) - Schiestl, Fofana, Perchtold (68. Kleinheisler), Rosenberger - Lichtenberger (75. Cipot), Frieser, Satin
Austria: Sahin-Radlinger - Handl, Plavotic, Galvao - Ranftl, Fitz, Fischer (89. Wels), Barry (68. Gruber), Perez Vinlöf (68. Guenouche) - Prelec (81. Raguz), Malone (81. Potzmann