“The Fight for Promotion to the Bundesliga: GAK and Blau Weiß Linz in the Lead”

The fight for promotion to the Bundesliga in the last round of the second division is only a duel between GAK and Blau Weiß Linz after VSE St. Pölten lost 2-1 (0-2) in Vienna at Floridsdorfer AC. Leader of the table GAK defended the one-point lead over Blau Weiß Linz with a 3-0 (0-0) home win over Amstetten, in which “Professor” Michael Liendl once again set the decisive tone. The Upper Austrians won against Rapid II 1-0 (0-0) in Hütteldorf’s Allianz Stadium. Ironically, through the goal of 19-year-old Frenchman Fally Mayulu, who will play for Grün-Weiss next season. The goal condemned Rapid’s second team to relegation to the Regionalliga Ost. Austria’s Young Violets were also unable to save the game with a 0-0 win against Admira. In the last round, GAK is a guest at FC Dornbirn, who managed to stay up in the league with a 2-0 win in Horn. Blau Weiß Linz welcomes the second team of runners-up Sturm Graz, who remain in the second division after beating Liefering 4-2. This also applies to the Salzburg branch. A curiosity about this match in Gleisdorf: Karim Konate, who scored the winning goal to make it 2-1 against Sturm Graz five days earlier in the top Bundesliga duel in Red Bull Salzburg’s masterpiece, is playing again for Liefering. And scored the losers’ first goal.

The scenery is particularly impressive in Graz. 7373 spectators, more than twice as many as in the previous round, when the “Reds” became leaders of the table by beating Rapid II 2-0. At that time, Liendl was the decisive figure because he had his legs in both goals. It was the same against Amstetten. First, with his weaker right foot, he delivered the cross for the “can opener” after 53 minutes, which was volleyed by German striker Lenn Jastremski, brought in in the winter, on loan from Bayern’s amateurs, who last played in the third division at Erzgebirge Aue. Twelve minutes later, he was lucky to convert a penalty after a foul on David Peham. When he was replaced after 90 minutes, there was a standing ovation for the 37-year-old number ten. Likewise when he called out to the fans afterwards during the interview (picture): “We’re marching through to the Bundesliga and then you’ll rock them!” Because with the match in Dornbirn, Liendl’s successful career is finally there.

The cheering from Blau Weiß Linz in front of the 400 fans who had come from Linz was understandably depressed in Hütteldorf. Blue and White has shown better performances, even Mayulu. Only three striking scenes in 80 minutes, but one was crucial: “He’s a project for the future,” said Rapids coach Zoran Barisic, who watched everything closely from the stands. But how many of the green and white talents, with all their technical qualities, will become a topic for the Bundesliga? If you take the match against Blau Weiß as a benchmark, only captain Nikolas Sattlberger really comes to mind. Austria can continue to offer their future hopes after relegation through the cooperation with Ostliga champions Stripfing match practice in the second division. A possibility that Rapid does not have. The last mini-possibility to prevent relegation would be that in the Regionalliga West SW Bregenz (with ex-Rapidler Andreas Heraf as coach) not in the top two and therefore not promoted. Bregenz is second with three laps to go. The third relegated from the second division will be determined in a direct duel between Admira and forward Steyr in the southern part of the city. Despite 1-0 against Vienna, Steyr has to win to overtake Admira. That would then be passed on from the Bundesliga to the Regionalliga.

Photo: NO.