1-3 home defeat against Hartberg

Austria made the game, the visitors from Hartberg the goals. Elias Havel put the Styrians ahead after just 12 minutes, and after the break Patrick Mijić and Lukas Fridrikas scored from quick counter-attacks to make it 3-0. A header from Manfred Fischer in stoppage time came too late and Austria were beaten 1-3 by Hartberg.

In the first game after the Dominik Fitz era, head coach Stephan Helm relied on Manprit Sarkaria in the position behind strikers Maurice Malone and Johannes Eggestein. Aleksandar Dragović declared himself fit and started in central defense alongside Tin Plavotić and Philipp Wiesinger. Kelvin Boateng was back in the squad, while Kang Hee Lee, who celebrated his 24th birthday today, will be out for several weeks with a partial tear in the medial ligament of his left knee.

TSV Hartberg lost to Red Bull Salzburg last week despite a good performance. Manfred Schmid's lineup was slightly more offensive, with Patrik Mijić starting in place of Julian Gölles.

Hartberg took the lead with a deflected shot

The visitors' more offensive line-up was not noticeable at the start, with Austria having almost exclusive possession of the ball. Taeseok Lee found Maurice Malone in the penalty area, whose shot at the near post was defused by Tom Hülsmann in the Hartberg goal (3'). However, in a reflection of the current situation, the Styrians took the lead with their first attack through a deflected shot from Elias Havel (12').

The Violets looked briefly shocked, with Jed Drew and Dominic Vincze finding further chances for the visitors from Eastern Styria (14'). Austria recovered, with a shot from Lee being blocked (18'). In the 29th minute, Tin Plavotić was injured. Dejan Radonjić came on for the center back, with Philipp Wiesinger switching to the left side. Malone had a shot from 20 meters after a pass from Manfred Fischer, but Hülsmann tipped the ball over the bar (30th minute).

The home team had 70% possession but was too harmless in front of goal – 0-1 at half-time.

Hartberg stepped up, Fischer's goal not enough

Austria dominated again in the second half. Eggestein failed to beat Hülsmann after a pass from Sarkaria, Malone shot wide – again after a pass from Sarkaria – (53', 58'). Helm then made changes, bringing on Sanel Šaljić and Noah Botić for Dragovic and Sarkaria, with Austria subsequently playing with a back four.

Hartberg scored their second goal out of nowhere, with Patrick Mijić making it 0-2 in the 63rd minute. Hülsmann, under pressure from Botić, passed the ball to Šaljić, whose shot went wide by centimeters (67'). Hartberg's new signing Lukas Fridrikas, who had come on as a substitute, made it 3-0 after a counterattack, sealing the game (73').

Luca Pazourek replaced Abubakr Barry, and a shot from Lee was blocked (77'). Pazourek shot over the goal (90+2'), and in the last minute of stoppage time, Manfred Fischer scored a header from a corner kick by Šaljić to make it 1-3.

Austria Wien - TSV Hartberg 1-3 (0-1)

Austria: Şahin-Radlinger; Wiesinger, Dragović (59' Šaljić), Plavotić (29' Radonjić); Ranftl, Fischer, Barry (81' Pazourek), Taeseok Lee; Sarkaria (59' Botić); Eggestein, Malone

Hartberg: Hülsmann; Kovacevic, Vincze, Spendlhofer, Wilfinger, Hennig (81' Coulibaly); Markus, Kainz (66' Heil); Drew (78' Hoffmann), Mijić (66' Fridrikas), Havel (66' Diarra)

Goals: Fischer (90+3'); Havel (12'), Mijić (63'), Fridrikas (73')

Yellow cards: Barry (37'), Ranftl (65'); Spendlhofer (75')

Generali Arena, referee Sebastian Gishamer, 11,858 spectators