Four wins, one goal
Austria’s 127 (!) year old defense holds tight!
The 127-year-old defense makes for happy faces at Vienna's Austria! 2:1, 1:0, 3:0, 1:0 - the Violets were almost insurmountable in their most recent four competitive wins in a row.
With GAK, Klagenfurt, WSG Tirol and SV Horn, the opponents may not have had the most illustrious names, but coach Stephan Helm is still pleased with their defensive stability. It should bring the currently third-placed "Veilchen" the hoped-for place in the top six.
"It's a team performance, starting with the strikers!"
With defender Aleksandar Dragovic (33), his teammates Philipp Wiesinger (30) and Lucas Galvao (33) as well as goalkeeper Samuel Sahin-Radlinger (31), Austria can call on an experienced back line. The quartet is harmonizing better and better. Johannes Handl, who is currently working on his return to the pitch, is the most reliable defender of last season and has been missing through injury.
"For me as a goalkeeper, it's pleasing when you play games to nil. But it's a team performance, it starts with the strikers," said Sahin-Radlinger, seeing the entire structure as a decisive factor. The Upper Austrian has played his part in this. After a difficult season in the Netherlands with Almere with just eight competitive appearances, the former Germany international returned to Vienna in the summer with little match practice. Sahin-Radlinger still showed signs of uncertainty in the first few rounds, but is currently proving to be a reliable back-up.
"I'm not satisfied yet, but things are going in the right direction!"
"The one year (at Almere) wasn't helpful. It was important to play games," said Sahin-Radlinger. He still saw room for improvement. "You always have the highest expectations. I'm not satisfied yet, but I'm heading in the right direction."
Another factor is Wiesinger. The Salzburg native came on a free transfer in the summer after a long injury break and was actually supposed to dock as a leading player for the Young Violets in the Regionalliga Ost. But things turned out differently. The former LASK professional, who once made it into the national team, returned to Bundesliga action for the first time in the derby against Rapid and showed little difficulty in adapting.
"It's not age that matters, but performance!"
"He was able to help us right from the start. I think the constellation with his supporting players is a good fit," said Helm about the central defender's comeback. When asked about the concentrated routine of his defensive line, the Austria coach played down: "It's not age that's decisive, but performance. They all perform and give the team stability."
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