Game Turned Around

Still 0-1—things are getting tight for Austria

Violet breathes a sigh of relief! Austria Vienna celebrates its decisive victory over Lustenau.(Bild: APA/MAX SLOVENCIK)

Wiener Austria has managed the breakthrough it was hoping for. On Sunday, in a dramatic match against promoted side Austria Lustenau, the Favoriten-based team secured its first home win of the Bundesliga season with a 2-1 victory. Dominik Weixelbraun gave Lustenau the lead (47'), but substitutes Julian Hettwer (81') and Kelvin Boateng (92') turned the game around in the closing minutes. Austria thus handed off the “red lantern”—the bottom spot in the standings—to Altach and moved up to eighth place.

Austria Vienna coach Stephan Helm included Valentino Müller, who had only been signed at the start of the week, in the starting lineup. The Lustenau native started in central midfield alongside youngster Philipp Maybach. Vasilije Markovic, who, like Maybach, is 18 years old and could be called up to the ÖFB senior national team for the first time on Monday, took on a slightly more attacking role. For Altach, right back Anilson, another new signing, also made his league debut in the starting lineup.

  The hosts started off ambitiously, but their early momentum faded. After a corner kick by Lee Tae-seok, Johannes Handl headed the ball just wide (5th minute), and a shot by Johannes Eggestein was blocked (14th minute). After 25 minutes, the nearly 12,000 spectators were already on the verge of cheering a goal. Following a through ball from Handl to Eggestein, Markovic played a pass into the path of Manfred Fischer, but the Austria captain hit only the side netting.

+7

Fotos

Lustenau Takes the Lead
Lustenau grew increasingly dangerous. A header by Weixelbraun off a corner kick sailed past the far post (28th minute). Antonio Verinac managed to get the ball past Handl with a through ball, but couldn’t get past Austria goalkeeper Samuel Sahin-Radlinger (36th minute). Weixelbraun also came up short against Sahin-Radlinger after a run into the box (42'). At the other end, Eggestein, who had broken through on the left side, was unlucky when his deflected shot bounced off the inside post back into play (45’+1).

  By this point, Lee Kang-hee had already substituted Daniel Nnodim—who was injured in the knee—for the Violets. A goal by the South Korean didn’t count because the assist provider, Fischer, was offside (45’+3). After the break, Lee made a costly misplaced pass. Substitute Sacha Delaye sent Weixelbraun on his way, and the attacking player—on loan from Rapid—confidently scored his third league goal of the season.

Helm’s team was under pressure. Aleksandar Dragovic failed to connect properly with the ball in the penalty area (51'), and Handl’s header off a free-kick cross grazed the top of the crossbar (54'). As in their recent 0–1 home loss to WSG Tirol, the Viennese lacked pace, and by the middle of the second half, the home fans began to boo. Delaye curled the ball onto the right post (73'), and Lustenau scored an offside goal through Seydou Diarra (80').

“Substitutes” Make the Difference in the Closing Stages
However, two “super subs” secured Austria Vienna’s first home points of the league season: First, Eggestein set up Boateng, who had come on as a substitute in the 78th minute, and Hettwer converted his perfect cross. In stoppage time, Lee Kang-hee headed an Eggestein cross onto the crossbar. Boateng converted the rebound with a spectacular bicycle kick. The goal stood, even though Lee may have been offside on the goal line after his header.

The Viennese followed up their 6-0 Cup win in Traiskirchen with another victory. After six league rounds, they now have the same number of points and moved one point ahead of Lustenau, which is now in ninth place. The Vorarlberg side was denied its first league win in Vienna-Favoriten even on its eleventh attempt. Across both seasons, they have won only one of their last 19 away games in the top flight.

FK Austria Vienna – SC Austria Lustenau 2–1 (0–0)
Generali Arena, 11,982 spectators, Referee Ciochirca

Goals: 0–1 (47.) Weixelbraun
1:1 (81.) Hettwer
2:1 (93.) Boateng

Austria Vienna: Sahin-Radlinger – Ranftl, Dragovic, Handl – Nnodim (41' Lee K.), Müller (78' Boateng), Maybach (46' Saljic), Lee T. – Fischer, Eggestein, V. Markovic (63' Hettwer)

Lustenau: Schierl – Anilson, Chukwu (70' Maak), Pertlwieser, Soares – Kacuri – Weixelbraun (70' Benjamin), Afrifa, Gashi (46' Delaye), S. Diarra – Verinac (81. Jastremski)

Yellow cards: none, or Pertlwieser