Admira is extending its lead in the table again in the 2nd football league. Thanks to a goal from former Rieder Josef Weberbauer in the final quarter of an hour (77th), the Lower Austrians celebrated a victory in today’s top game against SV Ried – and are now five points ahead.
A summit meeting between the league leaders and their first pursuers, which left one thing missing for a long time: scoring opportunities. The Vikings became dangerous for the first time in the first half with a free kick from Mark Grosse (7th), while Admira’s Weberbauer shot (45th) landed well over the goal. Shortly before the half-time whistle, Ried could still have taken the lead: after home defender Stefan Haudum was careless, Grosse went past Admira goalkeeper Kaltenböck, but then put the ball too far forward.
“The cheese hasn’t been eaten yet”
Even in the second round, nothing changed in the top game with little chance: the finishes by Admira kickers Matija Horvat (57th) and Albin Gashi (65th) fell under the category of harmless. The home team took the lead practically out of nowhere: Weberbauer took the courage to hit a half-volley from the box and hit it right into the corner.
And reed? Coach Maximilian Senft’s team missed a lot offensively. In the finish, substitute Wilfried Eza (93′) missed a great chance to equalize. “It was a nil-nil game. But offensively it was far too poor. There are still 18 rounds to play, the cheese hasn’t been eaten yet,” summarized Ried captain Andreas Leitner.
Ried coach Senft also saw a balanced game – with the better end for Admira: “We didn’t trust ourselves enough in the first half. Admira was a bit more aggressive in the second half. You have to congratulate them on their efficiency. We now have the task of reducing the distance again.”
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**Interview with Andreas Leitner, Captain of SV Ried**
**Editor:** Thank you, Andreas, for joining us today. Firstly, congratulations on a hard-fought match against Admira, even though the final result was not in your favor.
**Andreas Leitner:** Thank you. It was a tough game, indeed. We had our chances, but we just couldn’t capitalize on them.
**Editor:** The match was quite balanced, especially in the first half. What do you think went wrong for Ried in terms of offensive play?
**Andreas Leitner:** I would say we lacked the confidence to finish our opportunities. In the first half, we had a clear chance, but we hesitated at crucial moments. In games like these, you need to be decisive.
**Editor:** Josef Weberbauer’s goal in the 77th minute made the difference. How did you view that moment from your perspective on the pitch?
**Andreas Leitner:** That goal came somewhat unexpectedly. We were controlling the game fairly well, and Weberbauer found a moment of brilliance. It was a great shot, but it also highlighted our need to be more alert defensively.
**Editor:** After this match, Admira has now extended their lead to five points at the top of the table. What does this mean for Ried as you look forward to the rest of the season?
**Andreas Leitner:** It’s certainly a challenge, but there are still 18 rounds to play. The cheese hasn’t been eaten yet. We must focus on the next matches and improve our offensive play. If we can convert our chances, we can still climb the table.
**Editor:** Coach Senft mentioned a need to believe in yourselves more. How do you plan to address that mentality moving forward?
**Andreas Leitner:** We’ll have to work on building our confidence in training. We need to remind ourselves that we are a strong team. By focusing on our game and supporting each other, I believe we can turn things around.
**Editor:** Thank you, Andreas, for your insights. Best of luck for the rest of the season!
**Andreas Leitner:** Thank you very much!
