How Quickly Did Austria Advance to the Championship Group?

In the final round of the basic round, a showdown of the master group is scheduled. The contenders for the top spots are Austria Klagenfurt, TSV Hartberg, Rapid and Austria. The matchups are critical as only three places are up for grabs. Klagenfurt, Hartberg and Rapid can secure their spots in the top 6 with just a single point, whereas Austria must win and also rely on the results of other games. The recent 2-1 victory against BW Linz has kept Austria in the hunt for a place in the championship group. Their next game against WSG Tyrol is crucial. As Austria’s coach Michael Wimmer puts it, “We are in the role of hunter, we know that. As always, we will play to win against Tyrol.”

Support from Rapid?

Austria’s hopes of qualifying also somewhat depend on the outcome of the game between Austria Klagenfurt and Rapid. The scenario reminds some of the infamous “Disgrace of Gijón”. Despite a narrow 0-1 loss to Salzburg, Klagenfurt’s coach Peter Pacult remains optimistic, stating, “We are in fourth place and in pole position”. Even if Austria wins, his team can afford a defeat against Rapid, provided Hartberg loses to Sturm.

Start math games

Hartberg, coached by Markus Schopp are also in a good position to make it to the top 6. If Austria wins against WSG, Hartberg can afford a defeat as long as Rapid doesn’t beat Klagenfurt. Rapid, however, recently had a disappointing 1-1 draw against Austria Lustenau, but they still have a chance to make it to the top 6 if they manage to secure at least a point in their final game against Klagenfurt.

WAC in qualification group

On the other hand, WAC has already lost their chance to participate in the championship group following their 0-4 defeat against Sturm. They now have to focus their efforts on qualifying for the European Cup via the play-offs. Coach Manfred Schmid acknowledges the challenge ahead, “We still have a lot to do now”, and is setting his sights on their final game against Altach.