Wilted Violets

LIVE: FK Austria Vienna vs. WSG Tirol!

All the hard work by Reini Ranftl and his team was in vain; Austria Vienna had to admit defeat against WSG Tirol …(Bild: GEPA)

A bitter evening for FK Austria Vienna: The Violets, who had already been eliminated from European competition the previous week, extended their rough start to the new Bundesliga season against WSG Tirol, suffering their fourth loss in five games with a 0-1 defeat in the rescheduled Matchday 4 fixture. While the Tyroleans moved up to fifth place with their second straight win, Austria remains stuck at the bottom of the standings with just three points …

Austria coach Stephan Helm made six changes to his starting lineup from the team that lost 1–4 in Salzburg. Only goalkeeper Samuel Sahin-Radlinger, defensive leader Aleksandar Dragovic, Reinhold Ranftl, youngster Vasilije Markovic, and forward Johannes Eggestein remained in the lineup. U21 national team player Moritz Wels was once again left out of the roster; the forward is a likely candidate to leave before the transfer window closes on Thursday (5 p.m.).

WSG started with the same starting lineup that had impressively secured its first league victory with a 4-0 win in Lustenau on Saturday. Matthäus Taferner, who had only been re-signed at the start of the week, made his comeback in the 59th minute. By that point, his team had largely neutralized Austria. In front of 11,151 spectators, the Viennese struggled to create anything, and they also made several errant passes in the early stages.

Harmless Austrians
WSG pro Marc Strieding hit the post from close range following a corner by Thomas Goiginger and a header by David Gugganig (25th minute), and following a deflected shot by Nikolai Baden Frederiksen, Austria goalkeeper Samuel Sahin-Radlinger made a brilliant save after his own misplaced pass (36'). At the other end, Ranftl opted for the inside of his foot from a good shooting position just inside the penalty area, but WSG goalkeeper Salko Hamzic made the save (38').

After the break, the Violets were dealt a blow: Although Johannes Handl blocked a header by Marco Boras off a corner kick by Baden Frederiksen with his body just before the line, Drew Murray buried the rebound from close range and a sharp angle (66'). The 20-year-old Californian celebrated his first goal in a WSG jersey.

WSG’s winless streak at Favoriten ends
The Viennese remained harmless. A header by Ranftl posed little problem for Hamzic (77th minute). During the desperate attacks in stoppage time, even Sahin-Radlinger joined the attack. On one occasion, the goalie narrowly missed the ball in the opponent’s penalty area (92').

(Bild: GEPA)

So far this league season, Austria has managed only a 2-0 win in mid-August at Hartberg. After the second round of the Cup on Saturday in Traiskirchen, they’ll play at home again next week against newly promoted Lustenau. For WSG, a long winless streak in Vienna’s Favoriten district came to an end. The Watten-based team hadn’t won at Austria in eight straight matches, and in their previous four appearances there, they had failed to score a single goal. It was only the Tyroleans’ second win in their last 17 league matchups.

The result:
FK Austria Vienna – WSG Tirol 0–1 (0–0)
Vienna, Generali Arena, 11,151 spectators, Referee Harald Lechner

Goal: 0–1 (66') Murray

Yellow cards: Helm (coach), Dragovic, Lee K., Schablas; Murray, Striednig

Austria: Sahin-Radlinger – Handl, Dragovic, Feddersen (70. Saljic) – Ranftl, Markovic, Wustinger (59. Lee K.), Lee T. (86. Schablas) – Fischer, Eggestein, Boateng (59. Hettwer)
WSG: Hamzic – Murray, Boras, D. Gugganig, Oswald – Satin, Striednig – Balic (59. Taferner), Goiginger (90. Celic), Olakigbe (83. Gschösser) – Baden Frederiksen (83. Hinterseer)