Vienna Faces Tough Opening Challenge in Südstadt
The ADMIRAL 2. Liga kicks off the spring season, and Vienna begins its competitive year with a challenging task: In the 17th round, the Döblingers will face league leaders Admira Wacker away on Friday at 8:30 PM. ORF Sport + will broadcast the top match of the round live.
After a long winter break, the Blue-Yellows are eagerly awaiting their first competitive match. A tough opponent awaits them with Admira: The Lower Austrians lead the table with 38 points, seven ahead of Vienna. An away win would allow the Viennese club to close the gap and make a strong statement.
Intensive Preparation
Vienna's preparation began on January 6, with head coach Mehmet Sütcü’s team working intensively for seven weeks. The team played six friendly matches, with a balanced record of three wins and three losses. The 3-2 victory against FC Bayern II was particularly noteworthy, generating positive headlines. Another highlight of the preparation was the training camp in Turkey, where the team worked on tactics and fitness under optimal conditions.
However, the final test before the league start did not go as planned. Vienna suffered a heavy 1-5 defeat against FC Liefering. An early mistake in the build-up play put the team on the back foot, and they struggled to recover.
Vienna coach Mehmet Sütcü is not reading too much into the friendly results: "Overall, we are very satisfied with our preparation and are looking forward to our first match of the spring season. Despite the setback against Liefering, I am convinced that we are well-prepared. Admira presents us with a special challenge right at the start, and we will need a united team effort. It will be an intense and exciting battle, and we have to give it our all."
Squad Strengthened, Bitter Loss of Rusek
During the winter transfer window, Vienna made targeted reinforcements to their squad. While Mohammed Sanogo moved to LASK, and Joel Kitenge and Edvin Ramic were loaned out, three new players joined the team: Markus Rusek (GAK), Bernhard Zimmermann (SK Rapid), and Yalin Dilek (Galatasaray). However, the excitement over these signings was overshadowed by a serious injury to Rusek: The new arrival suffered a cruciate ligament tear in his first friendly match and will miss the rest of the season.
Sporting director Andreas Ivanschitz regrets the loss but remains confident in the squad: "Markus's injury is extremely unfortunate, both for him personally and for us as a team. We will support him in every way possible. Despite this setback, we believe our squad is well-equipped to play a strong role in the championship."
Admira as Favorites, But Not Unbeatable
Admira proved to be the most consistent team in the league during the fall season. After a short adjustment phase at the start of the campaign, the Lower Austrians took the top spot and held onto it until the winter break. In the direct promotion battle, Thomas Silberberger's team secured a crucial 1-0 victory against closest rivals SV Ried. In their last match before the break, Admira took revenge for their season-opening defeat with a win against Kapfenberg.
However, Vienna has previously shown that they can hold their own against Admira. Since their promotion back to the league in 2022, the Döblingers have had a positive record against the Lower Austrians: In five direct encounters, Vienna has won three times and drawn once, with only one loss.
Striker Duel and Reunion with Deni Alar
During the winter break, Admira played seven friendlies, recording three wins, three losses, and one draw. There were also several changes to the squad, with five new signings strengthening the team while three players departed.
With 12 wins and only two defeats, Admira has displayed impressive consistency this season. One of their biggest goal threats is former Vienna striker Deni Alar, who leads his team with nine goals. On the Vienna side, Kelvin Boateng will aim to trouble Admira's defense with his ten goals so far.
Coach Mehmet Sütcü sees the match as an exciting challenge: "Admira has their qualities, but we are ready to compete with the best. If we play as a unit and make use of our strengths, we can be successful in Südstadt."
Sporting director Ivanschitz also remains optimistic: "We know that Admira is the favorite going into this match. But we have the quality and team spirit to challenge them. We are looking forward to the start of the season and want to make a strong statement with our performance."
Everything is set for an exciting start to the spring season!
FC Admira Wacker vs. First Vienna FC 1894
ADMIRAL 2. Liga, 17th Round
Friday, February 21, 2025, 8:30 PM
BSFZ Arena
