Vienna Women Lose 1:3 in St. Pölten
In the second direct encounter with SKN St. Pölten in the Championship Group, Vienna was unable to secure points. Despite a strong performance and an early lead by Fankhauser, the freshly crowned champions fought back and ultimately won 3:1.
Fankhauser Gives Vienna an Early Lead
Vienna started the match with great energy and pressed the newly crowned champions early. The first notable chance, however, came from the home team: After Vienna pushed forward, Melanie Brunnthaler had plenty of space on the right wing. She shot from the edge of the box, but goalkeeper Schlimé made a solid save. In the 8th minute, Vienna was rewarded for their brave start. Wucher initiated an attack with a throw-in to Rukavina, who dribbled into the box and delivered a perfect pass to Fankhauser, who coolly finished to give Vienna a 1-0 lead.
St. Pölten Equalizes Through Brunold
St. Pölten responded quickly and created a promising chance just minutes later. Once again, it was Brunnthaler on the right wing, but Schlimé remained strong and denied her in a one-on-one situation with another great save.
In the 13th minute, Makovec rattled the crossbar with a powerful shot. Ten minutes later, St. Pölten finally got their goal: Brunnthaler received a precise pass and unselfishly squared the ball to Brunold, who scored the equalizer to make it 1-1.
Draw at the Half
After conceding the equalizer, Vienna managed to regain control. The fast-paced attacks of SKN St. Pölten were now more easily stopped, and Vienna also created some good chances, though none resulted in a goal. The match was fairly balanced, and the 1-1 score at halftime seemed like a fair reflection of the game.
St. Pölten Takes the Lead After Free Kick
Just after the restart, St. Pölten was awarded a free kick from a rather harmless challenge. Sophie Hildebrand took full advantage of the opportunity, striking a wonderful shot to give St. Pölten a 2-1 lead.
With the advantage, the defending champions pulled back slightly, relying more on a solid defense. Vienna struggled to create clear chances, and the match slowed down, with St. Pölten becoming dangerous only through occasional counterattacks.
Fresh Legs from Substitutions
Coach Mark Dobrounig tried to inject fresh energy into his side with substitutions. Aldiana Amuchie and Loretta Nemeth replaced Rukavina and Wucher, respectively, while Gebert had already come on for Kappenberger.
Penalty Seals the Decision
Ten minutes before the end, a challenge from Seidl in the box led to a penalty for St. Pölten. Jennifer Klein stepped up and confidently converted, making it 3-1. After this, the game was effectively decided. Despite their committed performance, Vienna had to accept defeat at the hands of the serial champions.
SKN St. Pölten Rush vs. First Vienna FC 1894 3:1 (1:1)
ADMIRAL Women’s Bundesliga, Round 22
Sunday, May 4, 2025, 14:00
NV Arena
Goals: 0:1 Fankhauser (8'), 1:1 Brunold (23'), 2:1 Hildebrand (49'), 3:1 Klein (80')
Vienna: Schlime, Schneiderbauer, Fuchs (88' Falk), Kappenberger (66' Gebert), Höcherl, Seidl, Fankhauser, Hahn, Rukavina (76' Amuchie), Gutmann, Wucher (76' Nemeth)
