Austria wins 2-1 at home against Sturm Graz!

Muharem Husković gave Austria Wien the lead shortly after the change of ends, Sturm player Andreas Kuen saw the red card a little later. Aleksandar Jukić scored to make it 2-0 and ex-violet Manprit Sarkaria made it 2-1. Austria celebrated its second home win and moved into the top 6 for the time being.

Manfred Schmid had to do without Matthias Braunöder, who was suspended with his fifth yellow card, but Marco Djuričin was back in the match. He started in place of Noah Ohio in attack. Aleksandar Jukić replaced Braunöder.

SK Sturm lost at PSV Eindhoven in the Europa League on Thursday. Coach Christian Ilzer made three changes: Jusuf Gazibegović replaced Lukas Jäger, Alexander Prass and Dogbole Niangbo started instead of Manprit Sarkaria and Ivan Ljubic.

Austria with better chances but still without a goal

Amadou Dante fired the first shot in the 7th minute, but the ball deflected past the goal. Muharem Husković did well against Dante and Prass, but his finish landed in the outer net (8th). After a cross from Ziad El Sheiwi, Marco Djuričin had a very good header, but our top striker put the ball over the goal (16th).

The game turned out to be quite even, a shot by Jakob Jantscher was blocked for a corner (29th). On the other side, Aleksandar Jukić dribbled his way through the penalty area after an assist from El Sheiwi, but his flicked shot just missed the second bar (32nd). Markus Suttner had to leave the pitch injured after 36 minutes, Johannes Handl took his place in central defense. A shot by Manfred Fischer missed (43rd), Djuričin failed twice to beat Jörg Siebenhandl (45th, 45th+1). The first half ended with better chances for Austria, but still goalless.

After the change, the Violets scored

Shortly after the restart, the Violets managed to score the opening goal, Muharem Husković scored after an assist from Marco Djuričin for a deserved 1-0 (49th). Patrick Pentz saved Austria from a quick equalizer against Jantscher (54th), and a little later the bar prevented the 1-1 with a finish from Kelvin Yeboah (56th). The storming run of Graz came to a temporary end in the 59th minute, Andreas Kuen saw the red card after a serious foul on Manfred Fischer.

Manfred Schmid took out the stricken Vesel Demaku after 70 minutes, Christian Schoissengeyr came into the game. Can Keles replaced Marco Djuričin. Eric Martel ideally served Aleksandar Jukić after a mistake by the forward defense, the 21-year-old remained ice-cold in front of goal and made it 2-0 (77th).

Substitute Manprit Sarkaria scored the equalizer in the 81st minute to make it 2-1, and the game became exciting once again. Noah Ohio and Alexander Grünwald came on for Husković and Jukić. Ohio had the chance to decide the game shortly after his substitution, but failed to score, as did Keles and shortly afterwards Fischer against Jörg Siebenhandl (82nd, 85th). Can Keles only hit the outer net in the 89th minute. The missed chances had no further effect and Austria beat Sturm Graz 2-1.

FK Austria Wien - SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz 2-1 (0:0)

Austria: Pentz; Teigl, Martel, Mühl, Suttner (38th Handl), El Sheiwi; Demaku (71st Schoissengeyr), Fischer, Jukić (82nd Grünwald); Djuričin (71st Keles), Husković (82nd Ohio)

Sturm: Siebenhandl; Gazibegović (74th Jäger), Affengruber (74th Borkovic), Wüthrich, Dante (57th Sarkaria); Gorenc-Stankovič (74th Lang); Kuen, Prass; Niangbo; Yeboah, Jantscher (63rd Ljubic)

Goals: Husković (49th), Jukić (77th); Sarkaria (81st).

Yellow cards: Demaku (19th), Jukić (41st), Schoissengeyr (87th)

Red card: Kuen (59th)

Generali-Arena, referee Manuel Schüttengruber, no spectators allowed due to Covid-19 regulation