For Austria Vienna, there was another setback on Sunday. After being knocked out of the Eurocup, Stephan Helm’s team also had to admit defeat to Blau-Weiß Linz at the start of the Bundesliga.
Vienna Austria lost to Blau-Weiß Linz. GEPA pictures
Die Vienna Austria has suffered another blow after their early European Cup exit at the start of the Bundesliga season. The Violets had to settle for the final round of the first round at Blue-White Linz 0:1 (0:0). The golden goal was scored by substitute Seidl (78th). Three days earlier, Austria had been eliminated in the Conference League qualifiers against Ilves Tampere on penalties.
Blue-White coach Scheiblehner, who turned down Austria two months ago after a specific request, put three new players in the starting lineup – alongside defenders Anderson and Martin Moormann, there was also returning player Goiginger. The long-time LASK player, who most recently spent an unlucky six months at Osnabrück, did not live up to high expectations on the right wing.
At Austria, captain Fischer was only on the bench, but in coach Helm’s first Bundesliga game, four other summer signings started alongside goalkeeper Sahin-Radlinger: Barry, Vinlöf and strikers Malone and Prelec. Dragovic, who was brought back as a “major transfer”, was still sitting in the stands, but has set his sights on next Sunday’s home game against WAC for his comeback in purple.
Prelec always dangerous
His colleagues had problems in the early stages, especially with high balls. Blue-White man Pasic hit the crossbar with a header from close range after just 90 seconds following a corner. As the game went on, however, Austria gained the upper hand. The most dangerous man was Prelec, who first failed to beat Schmid with a shot from the edge of the penalty area (9th minute) and then headed the ball into the hands of the BW goalkeeper from a good position (35th minute).
Shortly before half-time, Sahin-Radlinger prevented an own goal by Galvao (45.+2). Less than four minutes after the break, Conor Noß failed to put a cross pass from Ibertsberger into the goal for Blau-Weiß. Linz were better in the game after switching to a defensive three-man chain – and celebrated in the final phase. Seidl, who had just been substituted on, made the right start on a long kick from Schmid and sunk the ball into the far corner. The goal also withstood a lengthy video review for possible offside.
The VAR also did not intervene decisively in the possible equalizer: Brazilian Cristiano, who was substituted on his league debut, lobbed the ball over Schmid, but Anderson apparently cleared the ball before it crossed the line with a spectacular overhead kick (88th minute). Blau-Weiß thus celebrated its first victory against Austria at the fifth attempt after being promoted last year. The Viennese, on the other hand, continued a poor run: they started the Bundesliga season with a defeat for the sixth time in a row.
