After strong opening victories in the ÖFB Cup, both Austria and Rapid believe they are headed in the right direction. The matchups for the second round have been set, and Sturm faces a particularly challenging opponent.
SK Rapid easily cleared its opening hurdle in the ÖFB Cup. At the conclusion of the first round on Sunday, the finalists from the last two editions handedly defeated regional league team SC Neusiedl am See 1919 with a score of 2-0 (1-0). New acquisition Dion Beljo scored in the 39th minute, followed by Dennis Kaygin in the 73rd minute for the Hütteldorfer.
Prior to that, city rivals Austria Wien smoothly progressed to the second round with a resounding 6-0 (4-0) victory against third-division club FC Pinzgau Saalfelden. The “Violets” redeemed themselves after a poor start to the season in the European Cup, regaining their confidence with a dominating performance. Just three days after their surprising 1-2 defeat in the first leg of the Conference League qualifiers against Ilves Tampere, Dominik Fitz put the record cup winners in front after a stunning dribble in the 16th minute. Shortly after, Andreas Gruber extended the lead with a curling shot into the far corner in the 20th minute, for the team led by new coach Stephan Helm.
Right-back Luca Pazourek scored his first competitive goal in the Austria jersey in the 36th minute. Before halftime, Tin Plavotic added to the score with a tap-in from a corner in the 40th minute. After the break, new signing Nik Prelec also marked his debut goal in violet with a strike in the 59th minute, and Muharem Huskovic capped off the scoring in the 77th minute.
Upcoming Tasks
In the next round, Austria will face regional league team ASKÖ Oedt, while Rapid, finalists from the last two years, will compete against SR Donaufeld in a city derby, reminiscent of last year’s match. Austria’s league giant Salzburg will visit Wiener Viktoria with coach Toni Polster.
On the other hand, Sturm Graz received a particularly daunting draw. The defending champion and double victors will go up against the ambitious second division team SV Ried. Sturm’s most recent cup defeat occurred against Ried; in October 2021, the Innviertel team triumphed 2-1 in the round of 16 in Graz on their way to the final. Since then, the black and whites have registered 13 consecutive victories, most recently grinding out a 4-2 win after extra time against Krems on Saturday.
The second round of the cup is scheduled to take place from August 27 to 29. (ed.)
Draw, 2nd ÖFB Cup Round:
First Vienna FC – SV Stripfing/Weiden
SV Horn – SKU Amstetten
Admira Wacker – SC Austria Lustenau
Kapfenberger SV – ASK Voitsberg
SKN St. Pölten – Black and White Bregenz
SVG Reichenau-Innsbruck – GAK
ASKÖ Oedt – FK Austria Vienna
Deutschlandsberger SC – WSG Tirol
SV Lafnitz – TSV Hartberg
SV Ried – SK Sturm Graz
SR Donaufeld – SK Rapid
Sportunion Mauer – LASK
SC Wiener Viktoria – Red Bull Salzburg
SPG SV Wallern/St. Marienkirchen – WAC
Hertha Wels – Blue-White Linz
ASV Siegendorf – SK Austria Klagenfurt
After confident opening victories in the ÖFB Cup, both Austria and Rapid now feel they are on the right track. The opponents for the second round have been decided – and it will be particularly difficult for Sturm.
SK Rapid has overcome its opening hurdle in the ÖFB Cup with ease. At the end of the first round on Sunday, the finalist of the last two editions deservedly beat regional league team SC Neusiedl am See 1919 2-0 (1-0). New signing Dion Beljo (39th) and Dennis Kaygin (73rd) scored for the Hütteldorfer.
Before that, city rivals Austria Wien also advanced to the second round with a decisive 6-0 (4-0) win over third division club FC Pinzgau Saalfelden. The “Violets” redeemed themselves after a botched start to the season in the European Cup and regained their confidence with a landslide victory. Three days after the surprising 1-2 defeat in the first leg of the Conference League qualifiers against Ilves Tampere, Dominik Fitz put the record cup winners in the lead after a beautiful dribble (16th minute). A little later, Andreas Gruber increased the lead with a curling shot into the far corner (20th minute) for the team of new coach Stephan Helm.
Right-back Luca Pazourek scored the first competitive goal in the Austria jersey in the 36th minute. Before half-time, Tin Plavotic did the same with a tap-in from a corner (40th). After the break, new signing Nik Prelec (59th) also scored his debut goal in violet. Muharem Huskovic made the final score (77th).
Upcoming tasks
While Austria will face regional league team ASKÖ Oedt in the next round, Rapid, finalists of the last two editions, will face SR Donaufeld in the city derby, as they did last year. Austria’s league giant Salzburg will be visiting Wiener Viktoria with coach Toni Polster.
Sturm Graz, meanwhile, drew a truly horror draw. The defending champion and double winner will face the ambitious second division team SV Ried. Sturm suffered its last cup defeat to date against Ried. In October 2021, the Innviertel team won 2-1 in the round of 16 in Graz on their way to the final. Since then, 13 wins in a row have followed for the black and whites, most recently a laborious 4-2 after extra time in Krems on Saturday.
| Upcoming Matches | Teams |
|---|---|
| ASKÖ Oedt | FK Austria Wien |
| SR Donaufeld | SK Rapid Wien |
| Wiener Viktoria | Red Bull Salzburg |
| SV Ried | SK Sturm Graz |
ÖFB Cup Draw Overview
The second round of the ÖFB Cup promises exciting encounters. Here’s the complete draw:
- First Vienna FC – SV Stripfing/Weiden
- SV Horn – SKU Amstetten
- Admira Wacker – SC Austria Lustenau
- Kapfenberger SV – ASK Voitsberg
- SKN St. Pölten – Black and White Bregenz
- SVG Reichenau-Innsbruck – GAK
- ASKÖ Oedt – FK Austria Wien
- Deutschlandsberger SC – WSG Tirol
- SV Lafnitz – TSV Hartberg
- SV Ried – SK Sturm Graz
- SR Donaufeld – SK Rapid Wien
- Sportunion Mauer – LASK
- SC Wiener Viktoria – Red Bull Salzburg
- SPG SV Wallern/St. Marienkirchen – WAC
- Hertha Wels – Blue-White Linz
- ASV Siegendorf – SK Austria Klagenfurt
What to Expect in the Second Round
Fans are eagerly anticipating the second round of the ÖFB Cup, which will take place from 27 to 29 August. Here’s what to watch for:
Key Matchups
- Sturm Graz vs. SV Ried: A rematch for Sturm as they aim to avenge their last Cup defeat.
- SK Rapid vs. SR Donaufeld: The city derby promises excitement and a showcase of local talent.
- FK Austria Wien vs. ASKÖ Oedt: A chance for Austria Wien to maintain momentum after their big win.
- Red Bull Salzburg vs. Wiener Viktoria: Salzburg will aim to assert their dominance in this high-stakes matchup.
Player Performances to Watch
Several players are emerging as key figures for their teams:
- Dion Beljo (SK Rapid): The new addition is proving his worth with crucial goals.
- Dominik Fitz (FK Austria Wien): His confidence is rising after scoring in the last match.
- New Signings: Players like Nik Prelec are making impactful debuts, adding fresh energy to their teams.
Benefits of Following the ÖFB Cup
Staying updated with the ÖFB Cup can provide fans with several benefits:
- Enhanced Engagement: Following your favorite teams boosts your connection with the sport.
- Insight into Player Development: Observing player performances gives insights into upcoming talents.
- Community Involvement: Engaging with local teams fosters a sense of community around football.
Watching the Matches
To catch the action, fans should consider the following options:
- Live Broadcasts: Check local listings for channels showing the ÖFB Cup matches.
- Online Streaming: Many games are available for streaming on sports networks.
- Social Media Updates: Follow teams and sports news outlets for real-time updates and highlights.
