SCR Altach Saved

LIVE: Goal! GAK pulls one back just before the end

The rain-soaked battle between GAK and Altach ended in a draw.(Bild: GEPA)

Drama in the relegation battle! GAK equalized in the 98th minute to make it 2-2 against Altach, but must still worry about staying in the league. With this result, SCR Altach is saved and will remain in the top flight next season.

SCR Altach secured its place in the Bundesliga on Saturday in a rain-soaked battle at GAK. In a turbulent match, the Cup finalist from Vorarlberg and the Graz team drew 2-2 (1-0) on Saturday in the penultimate round of the qualification group, meaning Altach will remain in the top flight next season. For GAK, however, their survival in the league will be decided this coming Saturday in the relegation final against bottom-of-the-table Blau-Weiß Linz.

Graz has its fate in its own hands
In Linz, a draw in the final round will be enough for coach Ferdinand Feldhofer’s “Red Jackets” to secure their place in the Bundesliga on their own merits. The Altach team missed out on a better starting position in the battle for the European Cup playoff due to two late goals conceded. Coach Ognjen Zaric’s team took the lead in Graz-Liebenau in pouring rain thanks to a dream goal by Patrick Greil (37’). Vesel Demaku (59’) extended the lead in front of 7,221 spectators with a powerful long-range shot for the Vorarlbergers, who nevertheless squandered their first away win since mid-December 2025 and seven games. GAK managed to salvage a point thanks to their two “super subs,” Daniel Maderner (87th) and Murat Satin (98th), but it was still not enough.

(Bild: GEPA)

Rain hindered fluid play
Due to the heavy turf, fluid play was difficult to achieve, and the ball often came to an unintended stop in standing water. Nevertheless, good scoring chances arose. Greil, who had returned to the starting lineup after a calf injury, failed to convert from 11 meters out despite being unmarked, as GAK goalkeeper Franz Stolz made the save (14th minute). At the other end, goalkeeper Dejan Stojanovic was on hand to stop a long-range shot by Ramiz Harakate (20th minute) and a direct free kick by Mark Grosse (27th minute).

Then came Greil’s stroke of genius: The Altach top scorer won the ball on the sideline, looked up, and tried his luck from distance. The ball dipped into the far top corner off the underside of the crossbar for his eleventh goal of the season. The restart after the break was delayed by more than a quarter of an hour due to technical issues with referee Isa Simsek’s headset.

Demaku put Altacher on the path to victory
After an hour, Altacher moved even closer to securing their league status when former Sturm player Demaku struck the ball precisely into the left corner from about 25 meters out. Then emotions ran high: Harakate, who had charged in at full speed, was brought down by Stojanovic at the edge of the penalty area, though the Altach goalkeeper also made contact with the ball. After a VAR review, Simsek decided against awarding a penalty.

(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU)

 ’s Last-Minute GoalGAK now needed three goals to secure their survival early. But the visitors had the better chances through Yann Massombo (78th, 84th). At the other end, Maderner made the closing stages exciting once again with a well-placed shot into the corner. In the final minute of stoppage time, Satin scored to make it 2-2—too late.

Bundesliga (Round 31) – Qualification Group (Round 9):

GAK – SCR Altach 2-2 (0-1) 
Graz, Graz-Liebenau Stadium, 7,221 spectators, Referee Simsek.

Goals: 0–1 (37') Greil 0–2 (59') Demaku 1–2 (87') Maderner 2–2 (98') Satin

GAK: Stolz – Owusu, Pines, Kreuzriegler – Italiano (82.), Schriebl (62. Satin), Olesen (19. Koch), Lichtenberger (46. Hofleitner), Klassen – Grosse (62. Maderner), Harakate

Altach: Stojanovic – Milojevic, Zech, Jäger – Ingolitsch, Demaku (85. Gorgon), Bähre, Ouedraogo – Massombo, Hrstic (79. Diawara), Greil (73. L. Gugganig)

Yellow cards: Schriebl, Stolz, Klassen, Kreuzriegler, Harakate; Milojevic, Stojanovic