Promotion is sealed

LIVE from 10.30 am: Will Vienna make GAK champions?

Kelvin Boateng scores to make it 1-0 against Ried.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Vienna became champions of the 2nd division on Sunday. The Viennese side won their home game against Ried 2:1 to seal the title for the traditional Graz club. Ried, the runners-up, managed little or nothing against Vienna. GAK's return to the domestic Bundesliga after 17 years is now a certainty.

With four rounds to go, GAK are champions of the 2nd Bundesliga and are thus promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in 17 years. The Styrians watched the final game of the 26th round between Vienna and runners-up SV Ried from afar on Sunday. The Upper Austrians would have had to win in Vienna to keep their theoretical chances alive. However, Vienna prevailed 2:1 (2:1), meaning that Ried can no longer catch up with GAK, even mathematically.

Ried without accents
Kelvin Boateng gave the hosts a deserved lead on the Hohe Warte in the 13th minute after a fine solo run and a shot into the far corner. However, the equalizer hung in the air five minutes later when a shot from David Bumberger was deflected onto his own crossbar by the defence. Mark Grosse then put the ball into the Vienna goal in the 25th minute to make it 1:1. But just two minutes later, Vienna made it 2:1 again through Noah Bischof and that was also the score at the break.

After the second half, the match was a bit more of a stalemate, with Vienna managing the lead. A goal by Ante Bajic to make it 2:2 was disallowed for offside. While Vienna celebrated their fourth home win in a row, SV Ried saw their run of four wins come to an end.