Points shared in Lustenau

The Veilchen draw 1-1 with Austria Lustenau in the first leg of the play-off final. In a sleepy first half, they fell behind through Fridrikas. After the second half, Wimmer's team took control and equalised through Fischer. The return match will take place next Sunday in the Generali-Arena.

For the first leg of the play-off final for the last remaining European Cup place, the Veilchen travelled to Ländle yesterday, where SC Austria Lustenau were waiting at the Reichshofstadion. The team from Vorarlberg won the play-off semi-final against WAC in Wolfsberg on Monday 2-1 (after extra time) and prolonged their run of success, which had started with the promotion last summer.

For the Veilchen it was all about creating the best possible starting position for Sunday's second leg. Captain Lukas Mühl returned to the starting eleven in place of the injured Jo Handl, Aco Jukic had to make way for Andreas Gruber. Dominik Fitz dropped out due to illness but could be fit by Sunday. Head coach Michi Wimmer's motto before the game was "Play Lustenau tired".

Falling behind out of nowhere

The game started hectically, was characterised by high balls and imprecise passes. Both teams seemed to want to stabilise their defence. The first concrete chance to score would put the home side in the lead. After a throw-in, Lustenau's Diaby beat Meisl in a running duel and served Fridrikas in the penalty area, who put the ball humorlessly into the cross corner (16th).

The rather harmless Veilchen missed the equaliser four minutes later. Polster was able to get through on the outline, saw Tabakovic in the penalty area, who did not get the ball (20th). The Vorarlberg team defended in a disciplined manner, kept the centre tight - and almost extended their lead in minute 29. Diaby, who was in good form, ran over Lukas Mühl, but Früchtl was on the spot. For the time being, there was little worth mentioning from Violett. A Braunöder cross was defused by Lustenau goalkeeper Schierl (32nd), a possible handball by Matthias Maak was not worth a penalty (42nd).

Violets took control of the game

Austria came out of the dressing room with a venomous spirit - and equalised shortly after the restart. Holland to Fischer, who shot from the edge of the penalty area, the ball was deflected - 1-1 (46th). The sceptre was to remain in violet hands in the following. The Violets won many second balls and looked much more present than in the first half. Michael Wimmer wanted to increase the offensive pressure and brought on Jukic for Braunöder and Dovedan for Gruber (60th). It showed effect: The pressing was intensified, they combined at will through the green-white ranks, but: The really big opportunities were missing.

In the 86th minute, the Veilchen experienced a moment of shock, but Motika could not convert a Polster ball loss into the winning goal, and on the other side, a Dovedan shot posed no danger for Schierl. The score remained 1-1.

The play-off second leg will take place next Sunday at 5 pm in the Generali-Arena.

SC Austria Lustenau - FK Austria Wien 1-1 (1-0)

Goals: Fridrikas (16th); Fischer (46th)

Austria Lustenau: Schierl; Gmeiner (66th Anderson), Maak, Hugonet, Berger; Grabher, Tiefenbach (89th Schmid); Grujcic, Surdanovic (78th Motika), Diaby (67th Rhein); Fridrikas (89th Türkman)

Austria Wien: Früchtl; Meisl, Martins, Mühl; Ranftl, Holland, Braunöder (60th Jukic), Fischer, Polster (88th Baltaxa); Gruber (60th Dovedan), Tabakovic

Reichshofstadion, Lustenau, referee Walter Altmann