Next win for the Veilchen: 2-0 against WSG

Austria deservedly won 2:0 at WSG Wattens at the end of the basic round. Dominik Fitz scored from the penalty spot to give the Violets the lead, joker Andreas Gruber fixed the final score. After 12 victories in the last 14 games, Austria go into the championship group after the international break level on points with league leaders Sturm Graz.

Manfred Fischer was suspended for the final round of the basic round, while Reinhold Ranftl and Marvin Potzmann were ruled out due to illness. Stephan Helm started alongside today's captain Aleksandar Dragović in defence with Philipp Wiesinger and Tin Plavotić. Matteo Pérez Vinlöf started on the right wing and Lucas Galvão on the other. Philipp Maybach started in defensive midfield, while the attack remained unchanged.

Wattens head coach Philipp Semlic only made one change after the narrow defeat against LASK. Tobias Anselm started up front in place of Mahamadou Diarra.

No goals before the break

The newly-formed Austria defence still had slight coordination problems at the start and WSG Tirol had the first chance of the game. After a cross from Matthäus Taferner

Tobias Anselm headed just wide of the goal (10'). The Violets had chances to score from corner kicks by Dominik Fitz, Philipp Maybach and Abubakr Barry, but Adam Stejskal's goal was missed and a shot by Philipp Wiesinger was blocked (16', 20', 24').

Austria had more of the play, repeatedly winning the ball high up the pitch. However, they were unable to create any major scoring opportunities for the time being. The game went into the break at Innsbruck's Tivoli with the score at 0-0.

Fitz and Gruber scored after the break

The Violets, today in white, came out of the locker room with a lot of momentum. Stejskal saved a double chance from Nik Prelec and Abubakr Barry to give the visitors the lead (53'). Shortly afterwards, David Gugganig blocked a cross from Pérez Vinlöf with his hand and referee Jakob Semler awarded Austria a penalty after an on-field review. Dominik Fitz stepped up, and you know what that means: goal for the Violets - 0-1 in the 57th minute.

Stephan Helm then made two changes: Johannes Handl and Andreas Gruber came on for Philipp Maybach and Maurice Malone. WSG had a header chance through David Jaunegg after a corner, but the ball missed the goal (62'). In the 70th minute, both Austrian substitutes had the chance to score: Gruber missed by a hair's breadth after a Galvão pass, and Handl headed narrowly wide after the subsequent corner.

Marko Raguž and Hakim Guenouche replaced Barry and Plavotić. Andreas Gruber missed the 2:0 after Prelec's pass, but scored a minute later: Matteo Pérez Vinlöf dribbled into the centre from the right, Raguž played Gruber in, who flicked the ball into the far corner perfectly - great goal, the game was decided (81').

Shortly before the end, Konstantin Aleksa also got a few minutes of action, while Nik Prelec had to call it a day. Guenouche had a good chance in stoppage time after an assist from Aleksa, and a shot from Dominik Fitz that missed the target was the final goal (90+3', 90+4').

Austria deservedly defeated WSG Tirol 2-0, a perfect end to the first half of the season.

WSG Tirol - Austria Wien 0-2 (0-0)

WSG Tirol: Stejskal; Gugganig, Lawrence, Jaunegg; Üstündag (72' Rieder), Taferner, Müller, Naschberger (72' Diarra), Czyborra (82' Ranacher); Butler, Anselm (82'. Škrbo)

Austria: Şahin-Radlinger; Wiesinger, Dragović, Plavotić (76' Guenouche); Pérez Vinlöf, Maybach (59' Handl), Galvão; Fitz, Barry (76' Raguž); Prelec (88' Aleksa), Malone (59' Gruber)

Goals: Fitz (57', penalty), Gruber (81')

Yellow cards: Naschberger (35'), Taferner (90+1'); Fitz (63'), Galvão (84'), Şahin-Radlinger (86')

Tivoli Stadion Tirol, referee Jakob Semler, 2,650 spectators