Violet slip-up

Hartberg wins again against Austria

Hartberg coach Manfred Schmid defeats his old love.(Bild: GEPA)

TSV Hartberg ended their winless streak in the Bundesliga and bid farewell to their "exile" in Südstadt with a win against Vienna's Austria. In their last home game in Maria Enzersdorf, the ice-cold team from Eastern Styria narrowly beat the "Veilchen" 2:1 (2:0) in front of 4,378 spectators on Saturday. It was coach Manfred Schmid's third win in a row against his former club.

As a result, coach Manfred Schmid's team moved past the Violets, who are level on points, into fifth place in the table after the 12th round. 

(Bild: GEPA)

Hartberg, who have gone five games without a three-pointer in the league, made amends for their bitter defeat in the Cup round of 16 four days earlier at Blau-Weiß Linz on penalties thanks to goals from Dominic Vincze (13) and Elias Havel (16). Philipp Wiesinger (74) scored the equalizer for Austria, whose attacking play was often too imprecise. In a hectic final phase, coach Stephan Helm's team were unable to avoid their second consecutive defeat after the 3-0 loss to Salzburg. TSV, who picked up three points for the first time in their fourth game in Südstadt, will return home against SV Ried on 22 November once the modernization of their own arena is complete.

(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

Blunder by Sahin-Radlinger
In a home match atmosphere, Austria initially tried to control the game with longer periods of possession. Manprit Sarkaria had the first opportunity, hitting the outside of the net in the 8th minute after an assist from Johannes Eggestein. However, it was Hartberg who took the lead when Austria goalkeeper Samuel Sahin-Radlinger made a poor save from a corner kick. Vincze was in the right place and only had to push the ball over the line from close range after a rebound.

(Bild: GEPA)

Schmid's team went one better shortly afterwards: After a misunderstanding between Aleksandar Dragovic and Reinhold Ranftl, Havel moved into the penalty area and finished powerfully under the crossbar for his sixth goal of the season. Austria continued to have the upper hand, but did not create any really dangerous chances to close the gap. Long-range shots from Ranftl (19), Sarkaria (36) and Eggestein (38) were all saved by Hartberg goalkeeper Tom Ritzy Hülsmann.

Hectic final phase
Little changed after the break. Austria went on the offensive, Hartberg waited for counterattacks. A shot by Lee Tae-seok from a good position was blocked (51'), a header by Manfred Fischer flew harmlessly past the far corner (57'). While Schmid's team missed the preliminary decision with shots from Damjan Kovacevic (61) and Dominik Prokop (68), Austria made it exciting once again. Wiesinger headed in after Tin Plavotic had extended the lead with his head following a corner.

(Bild: GEPA)

Cheered on by the Violet fans, the visitors pressed for the equalizer, but could thank Sahin-Radlinger that it was not 1:3. The Austria goalkeeper kept his team in the game with a strong foot save from Havel, who failed to score from six meters (80'). In the final phase, Helm's team went for the equalizer and Sahin-Radlinger also got involved in the attack. However, Hartberg managed to hold on to their lead. In the 95th minute, the Violets complained about a possible punishable handball by a Hartberg player in their own penalty area.

TSV Hartberg - FK Austria Vienna 2:1 (2:0)
Maria Enzersdorf, Datenpol Arena, 4,378, referee Gishamer

Goals:
1:0 (13.) Vincze

  2:0 (16.) Havel

2:1 (74.) Wiesinger

Hartberg : Hülsmann - Kovacevic (79. Fillafer), Vincze, Spendlhofer, Wilfinger, Hennig - Heil (83. Kainz), Markus, Prokop (79. Diarra) - Hoffmann, Havel (88. Fridrikas)

Austria: Sahin-Radlinger - Plavotic (83. Raguz), Dragovic, Wiesinger - Ranftl, Barry, Fischer, Lee T. (77. Guenouche) - Botic (60. Boateng), Eggestein, Sarkaria (46. Lee K.)

Yellow cards: Heil or Lee T., Dragovic, Lee K.