Victory for the home side

Hartberg vs. Austria Klagenfurt – 14.30 LIVE

Cheers for the Hartberg team

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

No points for Austria Klagenfurt in the 29th round of the Bundesliga. The Carinthians were beaten 3:2 by TSV Hartberg on Sunday after trailing 3:0.

TSV Hartberg have moved up to fourth place in the Bundesliga. The team from eastern Styria recorded a 3-2 (3-0) home win against Group A rivals Austria Klagenfurt on Sunday. Man of the match was Donis Avdijaj, who needed less than 33 minutes to score a flawless hat-trick. This was Hartberg's first ever win in the Bundesliga against Klagenfurt.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Avdijaj gave his team a not undeserved lead with a double strike (2nd/16th minute) as the home side looked more lively and agile than the visitors from Carinthia. In the 33rd minute, the ex-Sturm player underlined their superiority on the pitch with a 3:0. After goals from Andy Irving (50th) and Jonas Arweiler (71st), an open exchange of blows awaited the almost 3,300 spectators in the Profertil Arena.

The game practically started with the technically fine 1:0 by Avdijaj, who was completely free in the penalty area and volleyed a Kainz cross from the right into the net. The attacking player, this time on the left wing, had the next chance with a header in the 13th minute, after Maximilian Entrup had failed to reach a dangerous through-ball. Shortly afterwards, Avdijaj scored again on the volley, again after preparatory work from Tobias Kainz. This time, however, the cross came from the left half of the pitch and Avdijaj was not waiting to the left but to the right of the goal.

Karweina offside
Sinan Karweina scored the would-be equalizer from a turn at the start of the 20th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside. In the 27th minute, Dominik Prokop and Entrup failed to finish at the five-man box and thus missed the opportunity to make it 3:0. Then Salomon Bonnah gave Avdijaj a ball that should not be given away. The German was on the run, outpaced Menzel and completed his hat-trick.

Klagenfurt took more risks after the restart, with the often overplayed Bonnah staying in the dressing room (Christopher Wernitznig came on for him). First Irving (47') tested Raphael Sallinger in the Hartberg goal with a shot from 15 meters. The Scot did better three minutes later, finishing left-footed after Manuel Pfeifer had lost the ball carelessly.

However, nothing more came of this phase of pressure from Austria. What followed was a hectic back-and-forth between the two teams. Avdijaj (63') proved that Hartberg had not had enough and smashed the ball against the crossbar. However, Klagenfurt kept at it. After a combination down the right, Arweiler scored in the 71st minute. Karweina missed the chance to equalize with a header ten minutes later, while Entrup missed the target time and time again at the other end.

Duel for fourth place remains exciting
In the end, Hartberg squeezed the three points over time. The battle for fourth place is likely to remain exciting until the end, with TSV two points ahead of Klagenfurt and Rapid. Hartberg have to play Sturm Graz next week, while Klagenfurt host LASK.