Austria loses to LASK

The third-placed team from Linz took an early lead through Keito Nakamura, Dominik Fitz scored shortly after the break to make it 1-1, but LASK sealed a 3-1 win in the closing stages with goals from substitutes Robert Ljubičić and Moses Usor.

Head coach Michael Wimmer made only one change after the draw in Klagenfurt, with Aleksandar Jukić given preference over Andreas Gruber. Jukić started in the center, Manfred Fischer on the half-right position.

For LASK, Marvin Potzmann started in the back four in place of the suspended Rene Renner. Furthermore, Philipp Ziereis, who was missing injured against Rapid, returned to the starting eleven.

LASK took an early lead

The game got off to the worst possible start, with Keito Nakamura putting the third-placed team in the lead as early as the fourth minute with an unmarked shot. LASK was better at the start, Christian Früchtl thwarted a great chance from Ibrahim Mustapha (18th). Austria had the first chance through Haris Tabaković, but the Swiss shot past the goal (22nd). Almost in return Früchtl parried a shot by Robert Žulj (23rd), a finish by Reinhold Ranftl gave LASK goalkeeper Tobias Lawal few problems (26th). Doron Leidner injured his knee after half an hour without outside influence, Manuel Polster came into the game for the Israeli.

Polster immediately had a good opportunity, after a nice hook against Flecker, the 20-year-old shot just past the goal (33rd). After that, little happened until the break, the game went into the break with 1-0 for the hosts.

Equalizer by Fitz, but LASK scored late

For the second half, Michael Wimmer brought on Andreas Gruber and Johannes Handl for Aleksandar Jukić and Lukas Mühl. Austria got off to a picture-perfect start, with Dominik Fitz scoring the equalizer in the 48th minute. Fitz extended a cross from Ranftl to Tabaković, whose shot was blocked. Fitz was wide awake and dusted to make it 1-1. After a long VAR check, the goal counted - Austria was back in the game.

A long shot by Manfred Fischer went just wide of the goal, and on the other side substitute Marin Ljubičić hit the bar. Früchtl parried Sascha Horvath's follow-up shot (60th, 64th). In the 65th minute, Felix Luckeneder blocked a shot by Tabaković with his hand, but the Austria striker was a few millimeters offside - no penalty. Früchtl cancelled out a chance from Moses Usor, and on the counterattack a finish from Andi Gruber was blocked for a corner (73rd). In the 77th minute the Veilchen were lucky, with Usor another LASK player hit the bar.

Shortly after that, however, nothing more could be done, Robert Ljubičić scored in the 80th minute after a pass from Thomas Goiginger to give LASK the lead again. Matthias Braunöder replaced James Holland for the final period, a header by Tabaković went past the goal (86th). Früchtl saved Austria from another goal against Usor (87th), but in the 90th minute the Nigerian then scored for LASK to make it 3-1 - the game was decided.

Austria thus drops to 5th place in the ADMIRAL Bundesliga table ahead of the final round.

LASK - FK Austria Wien 3-1 (1-0)

LASK: Lawal; Stojković, Ziereis, Luckeneder, Potzmann; Horvath (85th Talovierov), Michorl (70th Jovičić) ; Flecker (61st Usor), Žulj, Nakamura (70th Goiginger); Mustapha (61st Ljubičić)

Austria: Früchtl; Mühl (46th Handl), Martins, Meisl; Ranftl, Jukić (46th Gruber), Holland (82nd Braunöder), Leidner (29th Polster); Fischer, Fitz, Tabaković

Goals: Nakamura (4th), Ljubičić (80th), Usor (90th); Fitz (48th).

Yellow cards: Michorl (9th), Horvath (17th), Žulj (58th), Goiginger (90th+3); Martins (16th), Mühl (38th), Holland (45th+2), Fischer (90th+3).

Raiffeisen Arena, referee Andreas Heiß, 15,483 spectators