Today is the top match in the second round of the ÖFB Cup between SV Ried and defending champion Sturm Graz. It starts at 6 p.m., we will report live (ticker below).
It will not be an easy task for the Styrian team, who suffered their last cup defeat against Ried. Sturm, the last two-time cup winners, lost 2-1 at home to Ried in the round of 16 on October 27, 2021. They made it to the final, which they lost 3-0 to Salzburg in Klagenfurt on May 1, 2022. In 2023, Ried only had to admit defeat to Rapid (1-2) in the semifinals, and in the following season they were eliminated in the second round against WAC.
Christian Ilzer makes no secret of the fact that they will do everything they can to ensure that the Upper Austrians do not become a stumbling block. “Ried is a Bundesliga team in terms of quality,” said the Sturm coach about the second division leaders. “They haven’t conceded a goal in ages. This is a team that defends well. It will not be an easy match.” Ried has not conceded a goal in nine competitive matches across the season and has won all of them since a 1:2 loss at Vienna on May 5th.
Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail
Praise for Senft
“Senft is doing a good job there. This is a task that will not be easy for us. We will prepare very, very specifically for this task,” explained Ilzer.
Image: GEPA pictures
The Ried coach Maximilian Senft said: “If we want to have even the slightest chance against Sturm Graz, it is essential to bring our identity in its purest form onto the pitch.” That means remaining resilient despite huge adversities, absorbing the energy of the fans in the difficult phases of the game and constantly pushing ourselves.
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