In the shadow of another, sad death in the Sturm family, the quarter-finals of the ÖFB Cup almost faded into the background. But the lottery ticket gave the Blackys a very special duel between two traditional clubs that has not existed for almost 24 years. The oldest football club in the country, First Vienna FC, was beaten 2-1 in the last encounter in 1997 in the cup final. It was only the second cup title for the black and white. The clash will be explosive this time too, after all, it’s about making it to the semi-finals. A lot is at stake for Sturm after the somewhat botched spring start.
Ka g’mahte wiesn
On paper, the duel does not seem to be too much of a challenge, the First Vienna is after all a fourth division, but with a deserved and sensational 2-1 win against Altach, the Viennese were able to win the team on the way to it Eliminate quarter-finals, which Sturm recently missed a painful defeat. So one is warned with the Grazers, who do not have to expect a prepared Oktoberfest, not only because of the precarious lawn situation. “The Vienna has fourth league on it, but there is much, much more inside,” also knows Christian Ilzer, who gives Alexander Zellhofer’s son, Georg Zellhofer’s team, whether the impressive style of play in the run-up to roses.
A picture from nice days. © Martin Hirtenfellner Photography
Mandatory victory
Nevertheless, of course, there has to be talk of a mandatory win, if only one team would stand in the way of the final after such a win. For this project, Ilzer can also draw on unlimited resources. So there are no excuses. ORF Sport + broadcasts the game live on free TV, football connoisseurs and gourmets use the SturmNetz ticker.
Game dates:
SK Sturm Graz vs. First Vienna FC
Quarter-finals ÖFB CUP 2020/21
8:30 p.m., Friday, February 5th, 2021, Merkur Arena (no spectators allowed)
Referee: Christopher Jäger
Possible starting line-up:
Siebenhandl; Ingolitsch, Nemeth, Wüthrich, Dante; Gorenc-Stankovic, Kuen, Hierländer, Kiteishvili; Friesenbichler, Jantscher
Replacement: Schützenauer, Geyrhofer, Gazibegovic, Jäger, Ljubic, Huspek, Balaj
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