Vienna Come From Behind to Win in Wels
In Round 7 of the ADMIRAL 2. Liga, Vienna travelled to Wels. After a goalless first half, the Döbling side fell behind shortly after the restart. Vienna responded strongly, turned the game around and secured a 3-1 away victory.
In their final match before the international break, Vienna travelled to face FC Hertha Wels. Compared with the 2-0 win over Rapid II, head coach Patrick Enengl made one change in attack, with Zimmermann starting up front instead of Soukouna.
The Döbling side made a good start to the match, taking the initiative early on and repeatedly looking to move forward. However, against a compact Wels defence, Vienna initially struggled to create clear-cut chances.
Penalty Appeal at the Edge of the Box
In the 19th minute, Marte was brought down right on the edge of the penalty area in a very tight decision. Referee Baumann awarded a free kick. The set piece came to nothing. Wels immediately launched a counter-attack, which Bauer read well and stopped.
Injury Forces Change
After an attack, Zimmermann received the ball in a promising position and laid it off once more, but the Wels defence managed to clear. The striker was injured during the move and had to be substituted in the 29th minute. Soukouna came on for the injured forward.
Vienna continued to dominate possession and looked for ways to create opportunities. Wels, however, remained well organised defensively and repeatedly managed to disrupt the Döbling side's attacks.
Vienna Moves Closer to the Opener
In the 39th minute, the ball eventually fell to captain Luxbacher, who unleashed a shot from distance. Wels goalkeeper Schröcker produced an excellent save to deny what was, up to that point, Vienna's best chance of the match.
Just three minutes later came another promising move. Marte worked his way down the flank and delivered a dangerous ball into the middle. Fillafer went for the first-time finish but narrowly missed the near post.
Shortly afterwards, the home side also created a good opportunity, but their effort from a tight angle inside the box went just wide of the far post. In the first minute of stoppage time, Fillafer controlled a high ball once more, but his subsequent shot went over the bar. The teams therefore went into the break level at 0-0.
Cold Shower After the Break
Both teams returned from the dressing rooms unchanged. Shortly after the restart, however, Wels caught Vienna cold. In the 47th minute, Kreger struck from outside the penalty area and sent a spectacular long-range effort over goalkeeper Unger and into the top corner. There was nothing the Vienna goalkeeper could do to stop it.
The Döbling side were not fazed by falling behind and continued to put pressure on the Wels defence. Following a corner in the 51st minute, the hosts cleared the ball off the line twice in quick succession – a stroke of bad luck for Vienna.
Vienna Turns the Game Around in a Matter of Minutes
In the 54th minute, the deserved equaliser arrived for the Blue and Yellows. Marte delivered a driven ball across the face of goal, where Soukouna was on hand to slot home for 1-1.
Just three minutes later, Vienna completed the turnaround. Rosenberger delivered a corner into the box, Gantschnig rose highest and headed the ball home to put Vienna 2-1 ahead. Immediately afterwards, the Döbling side produced another effort from distance, which Wels goalkeeper Schröcker could only gather at the second attempt.
The home side responded with a double substitution in the 60th minute. Vienna remained dangerous, however. First, Fillafer saw his effort saved by the Wels goalkeeper. Moments later, he made no mistake, firing a precise low shot into the far corner to make it 3-1.
Vienna Holds On to the Lead
In the 63rd minute, Vienna made a double substitution of its own, with Breit and Jung replacing Rosenberger and Anselm. Wels subsequently pushed forward with greater urgency, but the Döbling defence remained largely secure.
The hosts came close in the 72nd minute when a free kick was floated into the penalty area. The resulting effort struck the inside of the post and bounced back out. Wels were now enjoying their strongest spell of the match and pushing for a goal to reduce the deficit.
In the 77th minute, Vienna brought on two fresh players, with Edelhofer and Mrzljak replacing Fillafer and captain Luxbacher. Wels continued to push until the final whistle, but the Döbling side defended resolutely.
In the end, Vienna responded strongly after falling behind, turned the match around and took three important points home from Wels ahead of the international break.
FC Hertha Wels vs. First Vienna FC 1894 1-3 (0-0)
ADMIRAL 2. Liga, Round 7
Friday, 18 September, 6:30 pm
EWW Stadion Wels, 706 spectators
Goals: 1-0 Kregar (47'), 1-1 Soukouna (54'), 1-2 Gantschnig (57'), 1-3 Fillafer (62')
Vienna: Unger, Gantschnig, Gruber, Bauer, Rosenberger (63' Breit), Marte, Prohart, Luxbacher (77' Mrzljak), Fillafer (77' Edelhofer), Anselm (63' Jung), Zimmermann (29' Soukouna)
