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No Points! Austria Vienna Loses in Lisbon

Austria Vienna leaves Lisbon without any points.(Bild: GEPA)

The Austria Vienna women’s team must head home from Lisbon empty-handed. In their Champions League match against Benfica, the “Violets” suffered a 1-3 defeat.

It is almost certain that Austria Vienna will not advance to the knockout stage of the Women’s Champions League. Coach Stefan Kenesei’s squad, weakened by injuries, lost 1–3 (0–1) to Benfica Lisbon on Thursday at the Estadio da Luz in the fourth round of the group stage—a match that had been postponed by one day—and slipped to the bottom of the 18-team standings with just one point. The Portuguese team is well on track for advancement with six points.

Austria’s double champions, who took the field without their two injured key players, Louise Schöffel and Modesta Uka, could only celebrate the temporary equalizer by captain Carina Wenninger (53rd minute). Andreia Norton (5th minute), Caroline Möller (76th), and Nycole Raysla (93rd) sealed the home victory. The last two goals came while the home team had a numerical advantage, as Austria goalkeeper Jasmin Pal was shown a red card (73rd) for a goal-denying foul. As a result, Austria came away empty-handed, just as they had in their 0–1 loss to Chelsea and most recently in their 1–4 defeat against Juventus Turin. Their only point came from a 1–1 draw against Inter Milan. Next Thursday, FC Bayern will visit Vienna, and the season will conclude with an away match against Manchester City.

One Change from the Juve Match
Kenesei made only one change from the lineup against Juve. The team took no risks with star striker Uka, giving her a rest due to her thigh muscle issues. Katharina Schiechtl, now back in shape, made her return and formed the central part of the back three. Before halftime, amid heavy rain, the defense was caught out of position just once—and they were punished for it after just over four minutes. The Viennese players weren’t close enough to their opponents on either the inside or the outside, and Norton had no trouble finishing in the middle.

Austria Vienna was the visiting team in Lisbon.(Bild: GEPA)

Otherwise, the hosts focused primarily on defense and waited for counterattacks with their speedy players. Kenesei’s team played boldly, pressed high, dictated the play, and earned many free kicks and corner kicks, but were unable to capitalize on them sufficiently. Shots by Lotta Cordes (7th min.), Yvonne Weilharter (16th min.), Patricia Pfanner (28th min.), and Verena Hanshaw (38th min.) lacked power. On the other side, only Norton posed a threat once more, but Pal was up to the task (41st minute).

  After the restart, Austria maintained its offensive dominance for the time being, but Lena Pauels was not caught off guard by a Schiechtl shot into the near corner (47th minute). It was one of the few good plays by the Benfica goalkeeper, who repeatedly made mistakes while clearing the ball, which the Viennese players capitalized on. Valentina Pötzl intercepted a goal kick attempt in the penalty area and was struck on the foot. The VAR intervened, and Belgian referee Caroline Lanssens subsequently pointed to the penalty spot. Wenninger didn’t let the chance slip away.

Carina Wenninger scored from the spot.(Bild: GEPA)

(Bild: EPA/ANTONIO PEDRO SANTOS)

Hanshaw misses a golden opportunity
But that woke up the Portuguese, who stepped up their game and took control. Weilharter (55’) and Hanshaw (58’) were able to clear the ball at the last moment. Nevertheless, Austria came close to taking the lead twice. Hanshaw failed to connect properly with the ball from a prime position inside the five-meter box (60'), and “Joker” Almedina Sisic missed the goal (66'). Pal was in goal for Austria for only a short while longer, as she “made up for” a mistake by Wenninger with a goal-preventing foul on Flourish Sabastine and was sent off.

In the end, the Portuguese team celebrated.(Bild: GEPA)

Emma Götz was able to stop the resulting free kick taken by Lund. But after the ensuing corner, the ball found its way to Möller via a header; she controlled it with her chest and headed it in from close range. Götz prevented a second goal by stopping a shot from Carolina Tristao (79'). In stoppage time, the action went back and forth once more. Pauels stopped a shot by Paffner (92'), and almost immediately afterward, Raysla sealed the victory from five meters out.