FAN.AT MATCH OF THE ROUND

Bruck goal spectacle for historic promotion

Although undefeated, Bruck only crowned themselves champions on the penultimate matchday.

(Bild: Fussball-Impressionen vom Salzburger Unterhaus)

Fans celebrated the championship with pyrotechnics.

(Bild: Fussball-Impressionen vom Salzburger Unterhaus)

This is what winners look like - especially from Bruck an der Glocknerstraße.

(Bild: Fussball-Impressionen vom Salzburger Unterhaus)

SK Bruck crowned its magnificent season with a 6:1 victory over Radstadt to win the championship in the 1st division south. After 36 years, the undefeated club is finally back in the 2nd Landesliga Süd.

500 spectators, equipped with a spectacular choreo including Bengalos, created a professional atmosphere in the Schloßbadarena. The occasion was also a very special one: with one matchday to go, Bruck had it in their own hands to crown a season without defeat with the title - and in front of a home crowd.

A contested opening phase
However, the encounter against mid-table Radstadt was by no means a walk in the park. Both teams played a fast and open game in the first half, offering the crowd a racy duel at eye level. However, the hosts' attacking pressure paid off shortly before the break: Fabrice Maahs gave the home fans their first goal in the 42nd minute.

Goal festival after half-time
"My speech at the break obviously bore fruit. You could see that on the pitch," said Bruck coach Uwe Deussen, explaining the brilliant start to the second half. "The goal shortly after the restart was our key moment, after that we took our opponents by surprise and our express train took off." It took Christian Walch just eight minutes for this redeeming moment. Shortly afterwards, Thomas Wildhölzl scored a brace within five minutes, Marc Niederegger was allowed to score and three minutes after coming on as a substitute, Stephan Meinzer gave us a comfortable six-goal lead. "The pressure and nervousness of our young players was released. After that, they were able to play freely and they did so brilliantly."

Radstadt played passionately until the end.

Bruck-Coach Uwe Deussen

Emotional goalie change
Despite the clear lead, the game remained interesting. The visitors played well right from the start and continued to do so until the end. The consolation goal in the 88th minute to make the final score 6:1 was the minimum reward for Radstadt's persistent efforts. A few moments before the final whistle, Bruck made a goalkeeper change. According to Deussen, the reason for this was not to stall for time: "Manuel Seiwald is our one-goalkeeper. He's not yet fit enough to really play, but has earned this substitution as an athlete and a person. We wanted to honor his great achievements for this success."

A close-knit unit
After 36 years, SK Bruck have now been promoted back to the 2nd Landesliga, and after this resounding victory they are even champions of the 1st class south. Coach Uwe Deussen puts the reason for the success down to his team's unity: "In the spring of last season, we were still playing against relegation. Since then, great confidence has developed in our team. I was able to live out my ideas in the summer and they were accepted by the entire club. That cannot be taken for granted."

Nor can it be taken for granted that all the players in the promotion heroes are genuine Bruckers. However, there is one exception - coach's son Marvin Deussen. After a serious injury in Piesendorf, which almost cost him his life, his father brought him to Bruck. "Thank God he's still here. As a father, I had to pull the ripcord back then and bring him to me. He can now play soccer here again and develop excellently. At the age of 19, he is already an important part of the team and that makes me extremely proud as a coach and, above all, as a father," reports Uwe Deussen emotionally. "He is now a real Brucker."

The integration of Marvin has brought us even closer together.

Bruck-Coach Uwe Deussen

Full confidence from the club
The championship celebrations began shortly after the end of the match. The club had organized everything they needed to celebrate their success in style. "The club believed in us and therefore organized a big celebration, even though we weren't certain champions. It was a great vote of confidence in us," says Deussen. The path they have taken together has been rewarded so far. Next week, the boys from the Glocknerstrasse will play in Rauris at the end of the season. Their ambition is still high, after all they can finish the season undefeated there. Perfect conditions for a good start in the 2nd Landesliga Süd. Thomas Schaier

1st division south: Flachau - Rauris X:X (X:X), Annaberg-Lungötz - Hollersbach 3:0 (2:0), Bruck - Radstadt 6:1 (1:0), Hüttschlag - St. Martin / L. 3:0 (3:0), Zell am See - Mariapfarr 3:1 (3:0). Canceled due to weather conditions: Lenzing - FC Pinzgau 1b, Saalbach - Großarl.