3-0 home win against WSG Tirol

Austria Wien struggled at the start against WSG Tirol, but turned up the heat after the break. Nik Prelec's debut goal and strikes from Tin Plavotić and Maurice Malone ultimately ensured a clear home win for the Violets. Austria climbed to third place in the table for the time being with their third win in a row.

Head coach Stephan Helm was without Lucas Galvão after the win in Klagenfurt due to his yellow card suspension, with Tin Plavotić starting in his place at left-back. Match-winner Andreas Gruber was also new to the starting line-up, starting together with Dominik Fitz behind the front two Nik Prelec and Maurice Malone. Philipp Maybach was on the bench, while Abubakr Barry was back in the match squad after a month out through injury.

Wattens coach Philipp Semlic made one change compared to the 2-1 defeat against LASK. Lukas Sulzbacher was suspended and Osarenren Okungbowa came into the starting eleven.

Goalless first half

WSG Tirol had to make an injury-related substitution after just a few minutes, with David Gugganig having to be taken off the field after a collision. Austria did not start the game well, Tirol had more possession and chances were few and far between.

Matthäus Taferner fired the first shot on goal in the 30th minute, Samuel Şahin-Radlinger had some trouble with the ball on the slippery ground in a light drizzle in the Generali-Arena. A dangerous cross from Watten was cleared for a corner (31').

A header from Maurice Malone after a cross from Dominik Fitz, which went over the goal, was the wake-up call for the Violets (38'). Nik Prelec deflected a shot from Andreas Gruber into the goal, but was unfortunately offside (39'). Shots from Gruber and Malone were saved by Adam Stejskal in the Tyrolean goal (40', 43'). A header from a corner by Osarenren Okungbowa went over the goal (45'). Manfred Fischer failed to beat Stejskal after good pressing (45+5') and the game went into half-time goalless.

Second half dominated by the Violets

Austria came out of the break in better shape, but half-chances from Prelec and Fischer failed to find the net (48', 53'). After a corner kick from Dominik Fitz, however, the 11,000 spectators in the stadium were able to cheer. Nik Prelec scored his first goal for Violett against his former club. 1-0 in the 55th minute.

After an hour, Matteo Pérez Vinlöf came on in place of Hakim Guenouche. The 2-0 was scored after 63 minutes: Dominik Fitz played a free-kick flat in front of goal, Prelec's finish was deflected away by Stejskal, Fischer spectacularly headed in and Tin Plavotić finished.

After Abubakr Barry came on for Nik Prelec, the Violets increased the lead to 3-0. Maurice Malone broke through on the right, moved to the middle and struck with his left foot into the far corner - the game was decided (73'). Andreas Gruber tried a shot, but it was blocked for a corner (75').

Stephan Helm made a triple substitution in the 85th minute: Marko Raguž, Philipp Maybach and Marvin Potzmann replaced Dominik Fitz, Manfred Fischer and Tin Plavotić.

The score remained the same, with Austria Vienna beating WSG Tirol 3-0.

Austria Wien - WSG Tirol 3-0 (0-0)

Austria: Şahin-Radlinger; Wiesinger, Dragović, Plavotić (85' Potzmann); Ranftl, Gruber, Fischer (85. Maybach), Fitz (85' Raguž), Guenouche (60' Pérez Vinlöf); Prelec (71' Barry), Malone

Tirol: Stejskal; Lawrence, Okungbowa, Gugganig (11' Ranacher); Üstündag, Taferner, Müller, Geris; Butler (70' Skrbo), Diarra (81' Blume), Rieder (81' Jaunegg)

Goals: Prelec (55'), Plavotić (63'), Malone (73')

Yellow cards: Malone (45+1'); Okungbowa (48'), Üstündag (59')

Generali-Arena, referee Stefan Ebner, 11,356 spectators