Second Division
Lustenau stumbles! A title thriller awaits
In the Austrian Second Division, the final round will feature a head-to-head battle for the championship title. League leader Austria Lustenau squandered its first “match point” for promotion to the Bundesliga on Friday with a 2-2 draw at Austria Salzburg, but still sits one point ahead of St. Pölten at the top of the table. The Lower Austrians remained in the race thanks to a 3-0 win in Kapfenberg. Third-place FAC and fourth-place Admira Wacker, who lost 0-3 to FC Liefering, are out of contention.
Lustenau still has everything in its own hands this coming Thursday (5:00 p.m.) and needs only a home win against Amstetten. In the event of a loss, help from Hertha Wels, which faces St. Pölten, could also come in handy. In the Südstadt, the match between FAC and Admira is now just a matter of pride. Also celebrating wins on Friday were fifth-place Amstetten (3-0 against Austria Klagenfurt), tenth-place Wels (2-0 against Sturm Graz II), and twelfth-place Rapid II (1-0 against Vienna). Bottom-place Bregenz and the Young Violets Austria Vienna split the points in a 2-2 draw.
Lustenau showed nerves before halftime
Lustenau showed nerves before halftime in front of a sold-out crowd in Salzburg. Marinko Sorda (13th) and Daniel Bares (38th) gave the hosts a deserved lead, even though Lustenau were unlucky when Mame Wade hit the crossbar. After the break, the Vorarlberg side stepped up their game. The reward came with goals from Mohamed-Amine Bouchenna (63rd) and Robin Voisine (92nd), who headed in a corner kick from Pius Grabher. “In the first half, we weren’t on the field—that was also due to the situation. In the second half, we showed a different side,” Grabher summed up in an ORF interview.
They’ve knocked FAC out of the title race and still have the better starting position. “We now have to show against Amstetten that we’re real men and strike,” demanded the Lustenau captain. After two seasons in the 2nd Division, the return to the top flight is the goal. Amstetten, however, arrives on the back of a win after three consecutive games without a victory.
Kapfenberg put up a good fight against St. Pölten, but the visitors’ efficiency made the clear difference. While the Styrians were harmless in front of goal despite several chances, the Lower Austrians scored through Christoph Messerer (27th min.), Marco Hausjell (33rd min.), and captain Marc Stendera with a confidently converted handball penalty (41st min.). After the break, highlights were few and far between. The SKN secured the win after going four games without a goal or a victory, including three consecutive 0-0 draws.
Admir experienced déjà vu
For the Admira players, it was a case of déjà vu. Just as in 2024/25, their title hopes came to an end in the penultimate round during an away match in Liefering. Unlike the 0-1 loss back then, there were more goals this time. Liefering’s Aboubacar Camara (22nd) set the tone for the victory with a spectacular lob from his own half over Admira goalkeeper Clemens Steinbauer. The team from the south of Vienna were forced to win but were initially unable to make an impact offensively. That changed after the break with the introduction of star striker Alexander Schmidt, who had been sidelined with an injury but came close to scoring on several occasions. However, none of his attempts found the net.
The Liefering players lay in wait for counterattacks and were extremely dangerous on the break. Kenneth Adejenughure missed three chances (54th, 57th, 71st). Captain Phillip Verhounig fared better (79th), firing in a powerful shot. Miha Matjasec (87th) sealed the deal. This marked a clear revenge for the 0-4 defeat in the Südstadt. The Admiraner have won only one of their last seven games, causing them to run out of steam once again at the end of the season.
Round 29:
FC Liefering – Admira Wacker 3:0 (1:0)
FC Hertha Wels – SK Sturm Graz II 2–0 (2–0)
Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz – Young Violets Austria Vienna 2–2 (0–2)
Kapfenberger SV – SKN St. Pölten 0:3 (0:3)
SKU Amstetten – Austria Klagenfurt 3:0 (1:0)
Rapid Vienna II – Vienna 1:0 (0:0)
Austria Salzburg – Austria Lustenau 2:2 (2:0)
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