2nd league: Klagenfurt fights for a chance at the Bundesliga

The Upper Austrians secured the title thanks to a 1-1 draw in a direct duel with pursuers FC Liefering. In the end, if the points were equal, the goal difference was one goal better. For Linz, the 26-year-old striker Fabian Schubert met once again, who won the league’s top scorer’s crown with 33 goals without competition. Forson Amankwah’s equalizer (81st) didn’t change anything.

The Upper Austrians had not applied for a Bundesliga license, the Lieferingen as a farm team of Bundesliga series champions Salzburg are fundamentally not eligible for promotion.

The Klagenfurters should have come to the top two for a direct promotion, missing this endeavor by four points. In the relegation, you start at home (6 p.m.).

“We played a great game in the first half, we started swimming in the second half, but the team gave everything until the end and I’m glad we managed the impossible,” said Klagenfurt coach Peter Pacult on ORF Interview. One could not have expected a Wacker mistake. Pacult cheered about it only after the final whistle, only then had he received the information about the result in the parallel game.

Dream start for Klagenfurt

Thanks to the energetic help of the Viennese and the necessary luck, the Klagenfurters got off to a dream start in Hütteldorf. Rapid goalkeeper Bernhard Unger jumped past a Straudi flank and Fabian Miesenböck (8th) pushed the ball over the line with the help of his hand. Referee Dieter Muckenhammer gave the goal. The young Rapidler didn’t seem shocked and pressed for the equalizer, which Lukas Sulzbacher (19th) deservedly succeeded.

As a result, however, the Klagenfurt team had more play and presented again, this time a conclusion from Christopher Cvetko (33.) from 17 meters fit exactly in the long corner. The size of the victory in the long-distance duel with Innsbruck did not matter, so coach Peter Pacult’s squad after the break was also keen to bring the lead over time. That succeeded with a stomachache. After the fifth win in a row, the eighth in the last nine rounds, the Bundesliga dream of Klagenfurt lives on.

Wacker’s winning streak ends in the end

That of the Tyroleans, however, failed on the last stage of the season. They looked inhibited before their eyes, could not follow up on the recent strong performances and did not fall behind undeservedly. Jan Boller converted a Juniors free kick from around 25 meters over the wall (19th). The ball was placed, but at least it didn’t seem untenable for Alexander Eckmayr. There was actually no reaction from the home side before the break, only Lukas Fridrikas came close to equalizing (28th).

After the restart, the Tyroleans pressed more on the 1: 1, but the few opportunities were lacking in efficiency. Atsushi Zaizen did not hit the leather correctly from the turn from four meters (52nd), “Joker” Alexander Gründler found his master in goalie Nikolas Polster (64th). In addition, in a duel between Okan Aydin and Enrique Wild, the Tyroleans claimed a penalty (72nd) in vain.

“It was a new situation for the young players to go into a game with such pressure. We missed the lightness that made us so strong over the past few weeks. We lost a lot of the ball and made unnecessary mistakes. Of course it hurts, ”said Wacker coach Daniel Bierofka.

“Final” for the championship title at Linz

The title fight was decided for the third time in a row in the last round – this time even in a “final”. And the Linzers retained the upper hand thanks to one more goal scored with the same number of goals compared to Liefering. For them it is the greatest success in the club’s history after the club was founded in 1997 as the ideal successor to the former SK Vöest. Fifth place was the best so far.

The Linz team also won the individual titles. Schubert was not only the shooter king, but was also the best player of the season. “It’s a new feeling when you don’t play for Salzburg you don’t win titles every year. We can assess how incredibly good the season was and we are all extremely happy, ”said Schubert. Ronald Brunmayr was coach of the season.

“A look at the statistics and the individual awards of the actors shows how deserved the title is. If, in addition to the team with the planned new stadium, the infrastructure is also suitable for the Bundesliga, you may soon see blue and white first division football again in Linz, ”said Bundesliga CEO Christian Ebenbauer, who presented the championship plate. The Linz team ensured that Salzburg did not win all titles this year – in addition to the Oberhaus team double, all possible championships were also won at the junior level.

Jaissle without title to Salzburg

Matthias Jaissle says goodbye to Liefering to Salzburg without a title. “It hurts a lot, the shock is still deep, there is just great disappointment,” said the 33-year-old German. The league was also tight at the other end of the table, where the last four teams Austria Lustenau, Rapid II, SV Horn and bottom light Vorwärts Steyr tied on points. They can all try their luck again next year, there is no relegation.

2. League

Sunday:

Rapid II – Klagenfurt 1:2 (1:2)

Goals: Sulzbacher (20th), Pink (8th), Cvetko (33th)

Innsbruck – Juniors OÖ 0: 1 (0: 1)

Tor: Boller (19.)

Liefering – BW Linz 1:1 (0:1)

Goals: Amankwah (81st) and Schubert (35th / penalty)

Yellow-red card: Dobras (87./Linz)

Lafnitz – Lustenau 4:4 (1:2)

Tore: Kröpfl (39, 61., 69./Elfmeter), Schloffer (92.) bzw. Tabakovic (3rd, 9th, 86th), Bertaccini (88th)

Red card: Siegl (32./Lafnitz)

GAK – Kapfenberg 1: 0 (0: 0)

Goal: Jessenitschnig (92.)

Dornbirn – FAC 0:4 (0:2)

Tore: Sun (23.), Krasniqi (32.), Sun (62.), Strmsek (71.)

Horn – Amstetten 3: 0 (2: 0)

Goals: Cosgun (19th, 36th), Sittsam (75th / penalty)

Red card: Markl (75./Amstetten)

Saturday:

Young Violets – Steyr 4:0 (1:0)

Goals: Mester (27th), Keles (47th), Pross (69th), Holiday (89th)

Table: