Austria secure 2-1 home win against GAK

Dominik Fitz put the Violets ahead in the first half with a penalty after a foul on Nik Prelec, but an unfortunate own goal from Lucas Galvão after the break gave the promoted team from Graz the equalizer. However, GAK also scored a goal in their own goal to make the final score 2-1 for the Violets.

Coach Stephan Helm sent 16-year-old Philipp Maybach onto the pitch in place of the injured Abubakr Barry. It was the starting eleven debut for the Academies Eleven player. Otherwise, there were no changes to the starting eleven compared to the game in Salzburg. Andreas Gruber returned to fitness after his shoulder injury and was back in the squad.

GAK coach Gernot Messner made five changes to the line-up compared to the previous week. In defense, Michael Lang was replaced by Lukas Graf and Miloš Jovičić by Marco Gantschnig. Marco Perchtold and Tio Cipot were absent in midfield, with Thorsten Schriebl and Jacob Italiano playing instead. Dominik Frieser started up front in place of Daniel Maderner.

Fitz scored from the spot

The game got off to a cautious start and it took until the 12th minute before Maurice Malone fired the first shot on goal. The pass came from Nik Prelec, but the ball missed the far corner. An old acquaintance found the visitors' first opportunity, with Austria loanee Romeo Vučić putting a pinpoint pass from Italiano just wide (17'). A volley from Reinhold Ranftl after an assist from Manfred Fischer was blocked (19'). Nik Prelec was held back by Marco Gantschnig on the penalty line and referee Florian Jäger awarded a penalty. Dominik Fitz converted safely to maket it 1-0 for the Violets (24').

Austria then had the game well under control. Prelec had a chance to shoot, but was prevented from finishing at the last moment, Fischer put a header - with his back to goal - over the bar (39, 40). At half-time at the purple Oktoberfest, over 13,000 spectators in the Generali-Arena were delighted with a 1-0 lead.

Own goal on both sides

GAK managed to equalize shortly after the break. Benjamin Rosenberger won the ball in midfield and Lucas Galvão unfortunately deflected the ball into his own goal (51'). Austria stayed in contention, Fischer volleyed over the goal and Jakob Meierhofer saved a shot from Malone (58', 59'). A shot from Schriebl went over the goal, at the other end Galvão had a chance with a header (61', 67'). Marvin Potzmann replaced the outstanding Philipp Maybach after around an hour, with Matteo Pérez Vinlöf coming on for Hakim Guenouche.

Austria took the lead again in the 70th minute when Lukas Graf and goalkeeper Meierhofer got in each other's way after a cross from Dominik Fitz and the ball ended up in the goal. An own goal by the GAK captain - 2-1 for Violett. Marko Raguž replaced Maurice Malone and Austria were back in control of the game.

In the 85th minute, things got dicey again after a corner kick from the promoted team, but Samuel Şahin-Radlinger was alert and fished a header from substitute Daniel Maderner off the line. Andreas Gruber came on for Nik Prelec in stoppage time and immediately had a good chance, but missed the target by a hair's breadth (90+2').

Petar Filipovic picked up a yellow card in the 99th minute, but the score remained the same. Austria went into the international break with a 2-1 home win.

Austria Vienna - Grazer AK 2-1 (1-0)

Austria: Şahin-Radlinger; Wiesinger, Dragović, Galvão; Ranftl, Fischer, Maybach (62' Potzmann), Fitz, Guenouche (62' Pérez Vinlöf); Prelec (90+1' Gruber), Malone (71' Raguž)

GAK: Meierhofer; Graf, Filipovic, Gantschnig; Italiano, Schriebl (75' Cipot), Lichtenberger (46' Zaizen), Dressel, Rosenberger; Vučić (69' Maderner), Frieser (46' Satin)

Goals: Fitz (24', penalty), Graf (70', own goal); Galvão (51', own goal)

Yellow cards: Galvão (28'), Malone (36'), Pérez Vinlöf (73'); Gantschnig (19'), Dressel (26'), Schriebl (49'), Italiano (65'), Satin (68'), Filipovic (90+6')

Yellow-red card: Filipovic (90+9')

Generali-Arena, referee Florian Jäger, 13,188 spectators