Late Equalizer Denies Vienna Victory
In the 20th round of the ADMIRAL 2nd League, Vienna faced SKN St. Pölten. After a goalless first half, the Blue-Yellows built a 3-1 lead, but St. Pölten struck late to salvage a 3-3 draw.
Unchanged Lineup, One Change on the Bench
Vienna head coach Mehmet Sütcü stuck with the same starting eleven that played in the derby against FAC. However, there was one change on the bench: Zahirovic replaced Peham.
Energetic Start from the Blue-Yellows
Vienna came out with intent, looking to impose their attacking play early on. The first notable chance came in the 12th minute when Titkov tried his luck from distance, but his shot narrowly missed the far post.
Moments later, SKN St. Pölten had their first dangerous opportunity. A cross into the box found Mbuyi, who volleyed it on target, but Vienna keeper Unger reacted well and made a solid save on the line.
In the 21st minute, Edelhofer had the next chance for Vienna, but his long-range effort sailed well over the bar. Just minutes later, the Blue-Yellows came close again—Bauer played a precise ball down the wing to Nnamdi, whose low cross was only just cleared at the last second by a St. Pölten defender.
Vienna Keeps Creating Chances
Vienna remained the more dangerous side going forward. In the 28th minute, Zimmermann caused trouble inside the box, but his shot rolled just wide of the Lower Austrians' goal. Shortly after, Edelhofer initiated another promising attack, but his pass into the middle was inches away from finding Zimmermann.
Right before halftime, Titkov attempted another long-range shot, but St. Pölten keeper Hülsmann was alert and made a comfortable save. Vienna’s best opportunity of the first half came just before the whistle—Bumbic laid the ball off for Stratznig, who fired from a great position, but once again, Hülsmann was equal to it and kept the game level.
The teams went into the break at 0-0.
Strong Start to the Second Half
Vienna came out firing after the restart and immediately made their mark. In the 47th minute, Edelhofer cut inside from the wing and surprised the opposition goalkeeper with a strike at the near post—1-0 Vienna!
Just minutes later, Luxbacher had another decent chance, but his long-range effort just cleared the crossbar.
St. Pölten pushed for an equalizer, but Vienna’s defense held firm. In the 59th minute, the home team responded with a triple substitution. Vienna also made their first change, bringing on top scorer Boateng for Zimmermann.
Vienna Extends the Lead
St. Pölten started to look more dangerous. A corner found Gemicibasi, whose shot toward the near post was well saved by Unger.
Then, in the 68th minute, Boateng made an immediate impact. Stratznig pressed aggressively to win back possession and played the ball into Boateng’s path. The striker charged into the box and finished clinically to make it 2-0!
Home Team’s Response
The hosts responded quickly. Just minutes later, Ochs was unable to block a cross, which found Amoah inside the six-yard box. From close range, he pulled one back for St. Pölten—2-1.
Vienna, however, remained unfazed and restored their two-goal cushion in the 78th minute. After a Vienna attack, St. Pölten struggled to clear the danger, and the ball fell to captain Luxbacher, who unleashed a shot that found the back of the net—3-1!
Crazy Final Minutes
Immediately after the goal, Vienna made a double substitution: Dilek and Diomandé came on for Edelhofer and Ochs.
Despite the setback, St. Pölten kept pressing forward. In the 89th minute, the tension rose again. After a free kick, Thesker found himself unmarked in the box and slotted home to make it 3-2.
The closing moments turned into a thriller. In stoppage time, St. Pölten launched one last attack down the flank. A low cross found Mbuyi, who tapped in from close range to complete the dramatic comeback—3-3!
Despite a strong performance, Vienna had to settle for just a single point.
SKN St. Pölten vs. First Vienna FC 1894 3:3 (0:0)
ADMIRAL 2nd League, Matchday 20
Friday, March 14, 2025, 8:30 PM
NV Arena, 1,467 spectators
Goals: 0:1 Edelhofer (47'), 0:2 Boateng (68'), 1:2 Amoah (70'), 1:3 Luxbacher B. (76'), 2:3 Thesker (89'), 3:3 M'Buyi (90'+1)
Vienna Lineup: Unger, Luxbacher B., Ochs (78' Diomandé), Bumbic, Omerovic, Zimmermann (62' Boateng), Bauer, Stratznig, Titkov, Nnamdi, Edelhofer (78' Dilek)
