Important three points

Blau-Weiß Linz against Austria Wien from 5pm LIVE

Jubilation at Wiener Austria

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Vienna's Austria can continue to hope for a place in the Champions Group of the Bundesliga. One week after the 3-0 derby defeat at Rapid, the "Veilchen" kept their chances of a top six place alive on Sunday with a 2:1 (2:1) win at promoted team Blau-Weiß Linz. Michael Wimmer's team are three points behind Austria Klagenfurt and TSV Hartberg in seventh place in the table with one game remaining in the basic round, while Rapid are two points higher in sixth.

Before sharing the points, Austria, who celebrated a working victory in Upper Austria, will host WSG Tirol next Sunday. The Violets got off to a lightning start in Linz in front of 5,595 spectators through Dominik Fitz in the fourth minute. Connor Noß (36') equalized for the hosts, but Andreas Gruber (45.+1) put the Viennese side back in front with his ninth league goal shortly before the half-time whistle. Despite a good performance, coach Gerald Scheiblehner's Linz side remain in ninth place with 19 points.

In the penultimate game of the basic round, Wimmer had to make changes in defense without Marvin Martins (adductor) and Reinhold Ranftl (suspended). In addition, Manuel Polster was transferred to the Young Violets until the end of the basic round for disciplinary reasons. "There are rules, the framework was overstretched. It's not easy because we're not even using the bench today. We had a conversation at eye level and Manuel acknowledged it," said sporting director Manuel Ortlechner on Sky.

Early jubilation from Fitz
Johannes Handl returned from suspension and 19-year-old Luca Pazourek made his Bundesliga starting eleven debut in a 3-4-3 system on the right wing. Gruber and Guenouche also started for the first time this year. After less than four minutes, the "Veilchen" struck an early liberating blow: Guenouche set up Fitz in a quick attack and the 24-year-old scored from the edge of the penalty area with a well-placed shot into the far corner.

In the 17th minute, Fitz had a double chance to make it 2-0. Shortly afterwards, Christian Früchtl, who returned to the Austria goal after a side-band tear, had to intervene with a direct free-kick from Joao Luiz from an acute angle (20'). Immediately afterwards, the game was over for Pazourek as the young Austrian had to be substituted, visibly dazed and wearing a turban, after a violent head collision with Ronivaldo. BW goalscorer Ronivaldo continued to play despite an initially bloodied face.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Linz kept the encounter open and were rewarded with the equalizer after a quick counter-attack. Defender Fabio Strauss sprinted deep into the Austria half and laid it off ideally to Noß, whose shot was deflected unstoppably by Handl after a hook. BW goalkeeper Nicolas Schmid made a spectacular save from a powerful Vucic shot (45'), but a minute later he was powerless to stop a Gruber shot after a fine assist from Bayern loanee Frans Krätzig.

After the break, the Blue & Whites pressed for an equalizer, Ronivaldo first failed to beat Früchtl and then Handl saved Paul Mensah's shot on the line (53'). On the counter-attack, Muharem Huskovic missed completely unmarked (54'), as did Schmid a quarter of an hour later (69'). In the 75th minute, BW defender Lukas Tursch put a header over the goal and shortly afterwards a Ronivaldo goal was disallowed due to a clear offside (78'). Scheiblehner's team now had much more of the play, but they were unable to equalize.

FC Blau-Weiß Linz - FK Austria Wien 1:2 (1:2)
Hofmann Personal Stadium, 5,595 spectators (sold out)
SR Ciochirca

Goals: 0:1 (4.) Fitz, 1:1 (36.) Noß, 1:2 (45.+1) Gruber

Blau-Weiß: N. Schmid - Tursch, Maranda, Fa. Strauss - Luiz (84. Gölles), Krainz, Koch, Pirkl - Mensah (87. Ibrahimi), Noß (64. S. Seidl) - Ronivaldo

Austria: Früchtl - Handl, Plavotic, Galvao - Pazourek (24. Vucic), Fischer, Fitz, Krätzig - Gruber (74. Schmidt), Huskovic (86. Holland), Guenouche

Yellow cards: Mensah, Maranda or Galvao, Handl, Guenouche