Austria - Football Season 2022/23

[krdel]

Great, thanks. Interesting things.

I wisited Höhe Warte last time I wast in Wien, beatiful stadium.

[matt]

Friendly:

Barletta - Austria Salzburg 2-0

Barletta play in the Italian fourth division, in the south of Italy, while Austria Salzburg in the Austrian third division. So random

[matt]

So random

Not so random after all. There is a friendship between the ultras of the two clubs.

[Club-Mate]

Cup QF
Red Bull Salzburg vs Sturm Graz 4:5 (0:1, 1:1) on PSO
Wolfsberger AC vs Rapid Wien 1:3 (0:0, 1:1) after OT
Wiener Sport-Club vs SV Ried 0:2 (0:0)
LASK vs Austria Klagenfurt 1:0 (0:0)

SF draw on 19th February

At least in Cup football series champion Red Bull Salzburg has been dethroned. In a worthy quarter-final of the currently best domestic teams on Friday the Bulls had to admit defeat 4:5 on penalties after a 1:1 (1:1, 0:1) after extra time. For Salzburg it was the first defeat in the cup since May 9th, 2018 or after 27 games - the opponent in the final at that time: Sturm Graz.
Salzburg is already four games en suite without a win against Sturm.
Sturm has made good progress in the last years not only on the pitch. They cleared almost all debts which prevented a positive development. Now they are able to buy prospective young players and give them long term contracts so they can sell them later for good money. About half a dozen of their players are with Salzburg/Liefering origin so no wonders that they play almost the same football as them.

Rapid was able to equalize at the end of the match only but substitute player Bajic decided this match with two beautiful lobs within minutes in OT a so called "doublepack lob" a very rare species in football.
In a competitive game in Wien-Hernals Ried was able to use his experience and deservedly won after WSC received a red card at beginning of second half.
The same destiny happened to Austria Klagenfurt in Pasching/Linz. With a red card in the neck they could not challenge LASK which played the very last match in this smaller stadium near Linz. The new Raiffeisen Arena will be inaugurated on 24th February against Austria Lustenau.

[Club-Mate]

Saturday matches
Ried - Austria 1:3 (1:1)
Austria Lustenau - Sturm 0:2 (0:0)
Hartberg - WAC 2:1 (1:1)
WAC coach Robin Dutt has been dismissed after this match.

SK Rapid continued their negative series against Red Bull Salzburg in the 20th round of Bundesliga on Sunday. The Viennese lost on their homeground in Allianz Arena in front of 24,200 spectators 2: 4 (1: 1). Rapid has been without a win for four years or 17 competitive games in which they lost 15 times. Benjamin Sesko who came in for second half scored a flawless hat trick.
Austria Klagenfurt after their surprising win last week at Sturm in Graz 1:2 could beat Altach 3:0 and came into a good position to reach top 6 after round 22 compared to WSG Tirol or even Austria Wien because of their favourable draw.

[krdel]

Also worth mentioning is how LASK cheaters won the oppening game with a made up penalty.

In other news BW Linz took the top of the 2. liga.

[Club-Mate]

Also worth mentioning is how LASK cheaters won the oppening game with a made up penalty.

In other news BW Linz took the top of the 2. liga.

to them was told clearly how not to cheat anymore! next time on lock out nobody can watch their training session anymore in new arena - except satellite watching. But we don't hold grudges so much here we rather make a joke out of it this fits maybe more to our mentality.
But this penalty in the opening game vs Lustenau in 93 min was a serious mistake from ref. He apologized later for this. At this round their game deciding goal against WSG Tirol fell in OT again. Ref. did not allow this goal in first instance (it was 15 cm behind the line) but VAR helped LASK out this time.
For the opening match LASK sold packages just for 2 matches (Lustenau and Salzburg for next weekend) but only 13.000 people came mainly because the package price was expensive € 99,- against Salzburg they will sell single tickets for the rest of seats then it should be sold out (19.080). This arena is said to be the best in Austria with a great accustic.

BW Linz is on a good way to win 2. Liga. They will get their new but much smaller stadium this summer.

[Club-Mate]

one of the most predictable league this BL.
1. Salzburg
2. Sturm
3. LASK
4. Rapid
probably this standing won't change until the end of season despite halving the points next round. And if Rapid won't create one more blunder and regain their usual good quali form these could be the teams for EC next season too.

5. Austria Wien
6. Austria Klagenfurt
could be the result even at the end of season

[krdel]

Austria Klagenfurt must win in Lustenau to be completely safe, which will be very hard, so they are basicly depending on Sturm to do their job.

I agree that this is one of the most predictable (and boring) leagues. The relegation battle could be interesting, but it does not really matter much, because all those clubs are irrelevant for the league and Austrian football. It is about time they introduce the play-off (11th against 2nd) like they have in most other leagues, to spice things a bit.

[Club-Mate]

matchday 25
Champions round
SK Rapid - Austria Wien 3:3 (2:2)
RB Salzburg - LASK 0:0
Austria Klagenfurt - Sturm Graz 0:2 (0:0)

Relegation round
SV Ried - WSG Tirol 1:1 (1:1)
TSV Hartberg - SCR Altach 2:2 (0:2)
Austria Lustenau - WAC 1:3 (1:0)

32 Red Bull Salzburg ++
30 Sturm Graz
24 LASK
20 SK Rapid ++
19 Austria Wien
15 Austria Klagenfurt

19 Austria Lustenau ++
18 WSG Tirol
16 WAC ++
13 TSV Hartberg
12 SCR Altach ++
10 SV Ried

++ on equal points club would be ranked higher

Highlights of this round:
It was one of the most exciting Viennese derby for long time. Rapid and Austria ended 3-3 (2-2) after a spectacular exchange of blows in the 339th major Viennese football derby. The green-whites took the lead in front of a sell-out crowd of 26,000 fans through striker Guido Burgstaller then fell behind twice and still managed to win a point. Both teams ended the game with only ten players. Rapid still will have to wait for a single derby win at home ground Allianz stadium after already the eleventh attempt! since playing in the new stadium since 2016. The significantly stronger "Violets" have started better into this match but Rapid scored first. Austria then scored twice and Rapid equalized close before half time. The second half was a thriller with at least 3 VAR checks for penalties and the refs decisions did not look always correct. One red card on each side completed this 2nd half. Tabakovic (78') apparently put Austria on course for victory with his 12th goal of the season before Marco Grüll (83') scored the 3:3 with a free kick.

Series champion RB Salzburg continue to struggle for dominance in Bundesliga. A week after the disappointing 3-3 draw over Austria Wien at home the "Bulls" had to settle for a 0-0 draw against LASK in an intense match on Sunday. LASK has been denied a goal on passive offside which was not clear at all. The leader's advantage over Sturm Graz which could win in Klagenfurt has shrunk to two points meaning that the direct duel between the two top teams in Graz next Sunday will be a game for the lead in the standings. A great opportunity to throw Salzburg from top of table since long time.

Austria Klagenfurt which lost the leading goalgetter of Bundesliga Markus Pink (he will earn more than 10 times as much in China) to Shanghai Port FC last week. Austria only will remain this 6th place and can be happy not to play in relegation round and face relegation battle to 2.Liga. This 6th place is safe and causes no big troubles for them.

Wolfsberg won an important match against promoted team of Austria Lustenau and now can hope for PO matches for Europe Cup.

Top scorers:
16 Markus Pink (A. Klagenfurt), Guido Burgstaller (Rapid)
13 Benjamin Sesko (RBS), Keito Nakamura (LASK), Tai Baribo (WAC)
12 Haris Tabakovic (Austria Wien)
11 Marin Ljubicic (LASK)

[Club-Mate]

matchday 26
Champions round
Sturm Graz - RB Salzburg 0:2 (0:0)
Austria Wien - Austria Klagenfurt 1:2 (0:0)
LASK - Rapid Wien 3:1 (2:0)

Relegation round
WAC - TSV Hartberg 2:2 (0:1)
WSG Tirol - Austria Lustenau 0:2 (0:0)
SCR Altach - SV Ried 1:1 (0:0)


35 Red Bull Salzburg ++
30 Sturm Graz
27 LASK
20 SK Rapid ++
19 Austria Wien
18 Austria Klagenfurt

22 Austria Lustenau ++
18 WSG Tirol
17 WAC ++
14 TSV Hartberg
13 SCR Altach ++
11 SV Ried

++ on equal points club would be ranked higher

Highlights of this round:
- Red Bull Salzburg is still number one in Admiral Bundesliga. The "Mozartstädter" won the big hit at follower Sturm Graz deservedly 2-0. For both teams you could see that there was a lot of importance in this game. Both the hosts and the "Bulls" were careful not to allow any dangerous actions. Indeed Sturm did not have it's best game and could not create any top chance. The last 4 matches Sturm could challenge RBS successfully by not loosing a single match to them but it ended yesterday. Salzburg formed through many intl. games played wisely, waiting for big opportunities and then struck twice mercilessly. The second goal from Seško was technically brilliant. Karim Konate served Seško with a cross who first prepared the ball from straight in the air and then scored with the second contact which is worth seeing. Hard to understand why he is starting so often just from the bench, he is good for 25+ goals a season in Bundesliga when playing regularly.
Salzburg is now for 24 league games undefeated and set a league record with the 12th away win in a row.
- LASK took an important step towards third place with a 3:1 win over Rapid. The home team in front of 18.000 spectators dominated clearly against their "foe and enemy" Rapid in first half and after Rapid scored they had some good opportunieties to equalize but LASK sealed this win at the end.
- Austria Klagenfurt won surprisingly at Austria Wien through a penalty in last minute.
The run for place 4 is now widely open.

The Cup Final between Rapid and Sturm Graz will take place in Klagenfurt next Sunday and is already sold out with 30.000 spectators.

[krdel]

The second goal from Seško was technically brilliant. Karim Konate served Seško with a cross who first prepared the ball from straight in the air and then scored with the second contact which is worth seeing. Hard to understand why he is starting so often just from the bench, he is good for 25+ goals a season in Bundesliga when playing regularly.

It is Šeško actually. He is starting from the bench because he is leaving the club after the season.

[Club-Mate]

The second goal from Seško was technically brilliant. Karim Konate served Seško with a cross who first prepared the ball from straight in the air and then scored with the second contact which is worth seeing. Hard to understand why he is starting so often just from the bench, he is good for 25+ goals a season in Bundesliga when playing regularly.

It is Šeško actually. He is starting from the bench because he is leaving the club after the season.

Sorry I could not find big š on my keyboard on PC (on smartphone it"s easier) the other choice was to write this small š.
Šeško"s leaving is now the major reason for him not playing regularly the other one is the strong competition to field most time only 2 forwards out of 6 - Okafor and esp. Fernando is often injured plus Koita, Adamu and now Konate. Thus rotation is practiced regularly. But Šeško get"s better and better and he is only 19.

[Club-Mate]

SK Rapid Wien – SK Sturm Graz 0:2 (0:0)
Klagenfurt 30.000
Sarkaria 63. and 84. minute

It was the Cup final of the century in Klagenfurt. There has never been such a rush for tickets before. This may have multiple reasons. It was a premiere. For the first time in an ÖFB Cup final the two Austrian clubs with the largest supporters met with Sturm Graz and Rapid Wien. But this was just one reason for this great interest. 30,000 ticket inquiries came from Graz only and even more from Vienna and more than 200 buses and thousands of cars from all over Austria filled the city. On top of that Klagenfurt is an attractive city laying within beautiful surroundings, the attractive Wörthersee lake with some even turquoise beaches close to the city and snow capped mountain ranges in nearby area and the beautiful early summer weather also played its part.
Incredible atmosphere, great pictures all in all an unforgettable evening. The hard-fought final in which SK Sturm deservedly crowned the cup winner will remain in the memory of all Graz supporters for a long time. Like the title celebration in downtown Graz on the following day May 1st, just on the 114th anniversary of this traditional club. Rapid last won the Cup in 1995 and Austrian Bundesliga in 2008. Rapid was craving for a title after such a long time of absence. Sturm (6 Cup titles in total) already has won it in 2018 when they could beat Red Bull Salzburg 1:0 in Klagenfurt too.
One can only wish that this final pairing will be repeated soon in the same location.

Right from the start the two teams gave each other nothing it was a very intensive match. As the game progressed Rapid took command with a slight advantage. But in 2nd half Sturm was clearly the better team and could have won higher.
In Graz they are now even dreaming of the title whereas Rapid only can fight for the 4th place.

"Erfüll den grössten Wunsch in mir, noch einen Titel holen mit dir" wishful words for this final from Rapid supporters.

[krdel]

You forgot to write a reminder: This post is sponsored by Klagenfurt Tourismusbüro.

On a serious note, please check PM.