On paper, things are simple for LASK (34 points), for whom one point from the games in Altach and at home against Salzburg is enough for their ticket. With one win, Klagenfurt and Hartberg (33 each) are firmly in the championship group. The Carinthians will be in Salzburg next Sunday and will host Rapid at the end, Hartberg will play at WSG Tirol and then have a home game against Sturm. After the 3-0 win in the Vienna derby, Rapid (31) could take the next big step with another home win against bottom team Austria Lustenau and could possibly be on the safe side before the guest appearance in Klagenfurt.
The WAC (29) first has to score points against Sturm in the guest game in Graz, if possible, in order to then still have a chance with a home win against Altach. The most difficult starting position for Austria (27). Victories at Blau-Weiß Linz and against WSG Tirol are mandatory in order to even be able to think about the championship group. For this to happen, at least two opponents from the Klagenfurt, Hartberg, Rapid and WAC quartet would have to weaken.
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Rapid costs a derby victory – Austria is worried
Pacult remains cautious
In Klagenfurt, the third participation in the championship play-off in a row is taking shape after the 2-0 win against BW Linz on Sunday. After only the third home win of the season, the lead over the WAC is still four points. Coach Peter Pacult only wanted to speak of a “small step”. Goal scorer Sinan Karweina pointed out that “we still have two difficult games ahead of us”.
Karweina suffered a muscle injury in her right thigh and was substituted in the 30th minute. According to the club, the German, who leads the scoring list with ten goals, will have to take a break for several weeks. His replacement was able to please. Aaron Sky Schwarz, 19-year-old on loan from Rapid, was the match winner with a brace. “It was of course quite unexpected with Sinan’s failure. I just tried to make the best of it and it worked out well,” said Schwarz modestly afterwards.
Klagenfurt defeats Blau-Weiß Linz
Austria Klagenfurt has taken an important step towards the championship group of the Bundesliga: Coach Peter Pacult’s team defeated Blau-Weiß Linz 2-0 at home on Sunday.
The way to victory was paved by Carinthia’s Julian Gölles, who gave Klagenfurt a gift in the form of a major bad pass on Black – on his coach Gerald Scheiblehner’s 47th birthday. “Julian probably thought that it was Peter Pacult’s birthday and not me,” said the person celebrating his birthday.
Hartberg makes a “clear statement”
With the 2-1 win in Altach, Hartberg is already pretty close to taking part in the championship group for the second time after the 2019/20 season. Although the Vorarlbergers took the lead on Saturday, after Gustavo Santos was shown a red card shortly before the break, Hartberg’s attacks began. Donis Avdijaj and Dominik Frieser, each with a goal and an assist, were the main actors in the turnaround. The East Styrians once again showed class in their play, even if the decisive goal in the 84th minute was preceded by a loss of the ball by Altach goal scorer Mike Bähre.
GEPA/Avni Retkoceri For Hartberg coach Markus Schopp, the top three are already more of an issue than qualifying for the championship group
After the ninth win – a Hartberg record at this point in the season – Avdijaj wanted to continue thinking “from game to game” and avoided too many words about the championship group. His coach had a completely different opinion. Markus Schopp noted that all we have to do is look up. The recently turned 50-year-old also spoke of a “clear statement” after two previous spring rounds without a win. “We now have LASK in front of us, who have one point more. The goal can only be to finish the basic round in third place.”
WAC still believes in its chance
The WAC kept its chances with the 1-0 surprise win at LASK. “It doesn’t look good yet, but it’s a lot better,” said defender Jonathan Scherzer. Despite being outnumbered for over 60 minutes, the Wolfsbergers successfully kept the Linzers in check and gained confidence for the games against Sturm and Altach. Coach Manfred Schmid spoke of a “big exclamation point for the top six. I am convinced that we can do this.”
Schmid did not want to deny that Fortuna also helped with the second win in a row. “A lot went for us in the first half with the penalty and the red card,” he said, referring to Thierno Ballo’s early lead from the “point” and the exclusion of LASK striker Robert Zulj. “With the exclusion of Robert, the game has completely changed for us,” confirmed LASK coach Thomas Sageder, whose team is still without a win in 2024. “Of course I’m not happy with the spring so far,” said Sageder.
The Linz coach also expressed some frustration at excessive expectations. “The club’s ambitions are of course always very high. That is also good and right. But for me as a coach it is important to make a realistic assessment,” emphasized Sageder. “And the reality at the moment is that we should only be concerned with our footballing performances next weekend and not with any other cheese that accompanies us.”
2024-02-26 21:31:20
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