Two penalties and a red card

LIVE: Ried scores, but the goal doesn’t count

Two penalty kicks and a red card decided the match.(Bild: APA/DIETMAR STIPLOVSEK)

SCR Altach ended the 2025/26 Bundesliga season with a win but missed out on the European Cup playoffs. The Vorarlberg side defeated Ried 2-0 (1-0) at home on Saturday. 

However, since the results elsewhere did not go their way, they ultimately finished third in the qualifying group. For Ried, it was a meaningless match in sporting terms, as the Innviertler had already secured seventh place in the league beforehand.

(Bild: GEPA)

Patrick Greil gave them the lead from the penalty spot in stoppage time of the first half (45+6), and Yann Massombo added to the lead in the 75th minute, also via a penalty. Both penalties resulted from handballs by the Upper Austrians, which were uncontested. After six competitive matches without a win, Altach was at least able to celebrate a victory again at the end of the season, though their chance to qualify for the Conference League is now gone.

For Ried, on the other hand, anything is still possible. On Tuesday, with home-field advantage against WAC, the match will determine who advances to the final showdown against the fifth-place team in the Championship Group. It is not unlikely that this will be SK Rapid.

(Bild: Kronen Zeitung)

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(Bild: APA/DIETMAR STIPLOVSEK)

Ried with an Unfamiliar Starting Lineup
“We’re going all-in with our best team,” Altach coach Ognjen Zaric had emphasized the importance of the match in a Sky interview before kickoff. In contrast, Ried coach Maximilian Senft benched most of his regular starting lineup to save energy for the playoffs. Compared to the previous week’s match, six new players got the start. Incidentally, due to the passing of former coach Alfred Tatar, the Ried players took the field wearing black armbands.

After a disjointed start, Altach had their first dangerous approach toward the Ried goal after twelve minutes, including a shot by Greil. The former Rapid player and ex-Sandhausen man had no luck, however, and the play was called off for offside anyway. In the 25th minute, Greil tried again from close range, but Ried goalkeeper Andreas Leitner denied him this time. For the visitors, the VAR disallowed a goal by Christopher Wernitznig in the 34th minute because the veteran had used his right upper arm.

(Bild: GEPA)

Yellow-red card for Ried’s Rasner
Deep into stoppage time, referee Markus Greinecker awarded a penalty to Altach after another Ried player, Oliver Steurer, committed a handball. Greil won the one-on-one with Leitner and scored his twelfth goal of the league season. After the break, Leitner saved a Demaku shot aimed at the near post (48th minute). With Antonio van Wyk and striker Kingstone Mutwandwa, two regulars for SV Ried had entered the game; later, Nikki Havenaar and Nicolas Bajlicz joined them as well. Overall, however, the match remained at a manageable level.

The nearly 4,700 fans who had made the pilgrimage to Schnabelholz did at least get to see one more goal. Ried were down to ten men on the field from the 68th minute on, after Martin Rasner received his second yellow card. Five minutes later, it was penalty time again; this time, Wernitznig had handled the ball in his own penalty area. Massombo gave Leitner no chance.

SCR Altach – SV Ried 2:0 (1:0)
Altach, Schnabelholz Stadium, 4,700, Referee Greinecker.

Goals:
1:0 (45+6) Greil (handball penalty)
2:0 (75.) Massombo (handball penalty)

Altach: Stojanovic – Jäger, Zech, Rahmani – Ingolitsch, Demaku (80. L. Gugganig), Bähre, Ouedraogo – Massombo (91. Oswald), Hrstic (80. Gorgon), Greil (91. Benjamin)

Ried: Leitner – Weissenbacher (57. Bajlicz), Sollbauer (68. Havenaar), Steurer, Scherzer – Maart (57. Zeqiri), Rasner – Boguo (46. Van Wyk), Nasrawe, Wernitznig – Sane (46. Mutandwa)

Yellow cards: Greil , Rasner, Sollbauer, Steurer

Yellow-red card: Rasner (68th minute/repeated fouls)