1-1 draw in St. Pölten

Austria Wien has been unbeaten for eleven games after the 1-1 draw against SKN St. Pölten and remains at the top of the qualification group. Manprit Sarkaria scores the early lead for the “Violets” in Lower Austria with a freekick, but in the end, it is only enough for one point.

ustria Wien got off to a flying start. Manprit Sarkaria scored with a free kick from around 25 meters after a foul on Bright Edomwonyi - 1-0 (3’). Edomwonyi missed the second chance five minutes later with a shot out of a turn after a throw-in by Zwierschitz (8’). On the other side, Luxbacher almost took a cross from Schulz on a dangerous position (16’). Patrick Pentz was on the spot for a shot by Burke (24’).

After just over half an hour, coach Christian Ilzer brought Florian Klein into the game for the injured Andreas Poulsen (thigh / muscular). Shortly before the break, SKN St. Pölten found some chances to equalize. Schütz shot the ball over Austria Wien’s goal after a pass by Hofbauer (43’). The violet defence chief Michael Madl cleared a steep pass by Burke with a sliding tackle (44’). Goalkeeper Pentz parried a finish by Luxbacher (45’+2’).

After the break, Klein initiated an attack with an energetic push, passed to Fitz, whose cross came precisely to Benedikt Pichler, the winger put the header over SKN’s goal (48’). A quarter of an hour before the end, St. Pölten equalized through Robert Ljubicic, Luxbacher contributed with a sharp pass through Austria Wien’s defence - 1-1.

Austria Wien had a good chance of winning in the final phase, after an assist by Fitz there was no one in the centre after a cross by Sarkaria. Shortly before the end, Ljubicic was given yellow/red after a foul on Borkovic (90’+1’). In the final minutes, there was no chance of winning for either side.

SKN St. Pölten - Austria Wien 1-1 (0-1)

Austria Wien: Pentz; Zwierschitz (84’ Grünwald), Madl (46’ Palmer-Brown), Borkovic, Poulsen (37’ Klein); Jeggo, Ebner; Sarkaria, Fitz, Pichler (63’ Wimmer); Edomwonyi (63’ Monschein).

SKN St. Pölten: Riegler; Muhamedbegovic, Luan, Klarer; Schulz, Ljubicic, Hofbauer (46’ Messerer), Ingolitsch (35’ Rasner); Luxbacher (80’ Davies), Burke (59’ Pak), Schütz (59’ Meister).

Goals: Sarkaria (3’) and Ljubicic (74’)

Yellow cards: Madl, Monschein or Ljubicic, Burke, Rasner

Yellow/red: Ljubicic (9’+1’)

NV Arena, referee Christian-Petru Ciochirca, no spectators allowed