A game billed as the top-of-the-table clash of the titans produced a fast, action-packed duel which ultimately saw Austria Salzburg barge past their nearest rivals, Hallwang, running out 5-2 winners. 1900 fans came to watch this spectacle in weather more suited to an afternoon in front of the telly with a box of chocs.


Of course, for Austria Salzburg fans, staying at home today was not an option. Whereas the game against Eugendorf was a first test of strength; a chance to see if we really did have the firepower to make a mark in the division, this was the game which would tell us if we had the guile and the mettle to beat the best in the division. And to be honest with you, having seen us concede goals in every game so far and in the knowledge that Hallwang had gone 270 minutes without conceding a single goal, to my shame my prediction – and I was not alone – was a 2-1 win for Hallwang.
 
There was a sense of the importance of the game right across the grandstand, and the fact that 1900 spectators braved the rain to see a game of little importance to world football was proof that, at least in our little cosmos, there could be no more important event in the rest of the world that could keep us away. So as the whistle blew for kick-off there was a feel of nervous excitement that was translated into energetic singing and chanting from the home crowd right from the off.
 
If names could win games then the name ‘Austria Salzburg’ has to be worth 3 points, which is what a number of the Austria players must have been thinking. In the first ten minutes the game was completely dominated by Hallwang. With no way through a compact Hallwang midfield the speed and immediacy of the visitors’ passing caught the home team out completely. After just three minutes with the Austria defence not yet up to full speed a fast and accurate Hallwang attack ended with an unfortunate parry being lobbed brilliantly by Daniel Gimpl to make it 1-0 to Hallwang. At this moment Austria Salzburg were looking out of their depth.
 
Maybe a lesser team would have fallen over at this point, but the crowd immediately got behind the home team as they slowly warmed to the task. In the initial few minutes it was purely a question of realising that showboating and graceful moves are something for cup games against the bottom divisions, but against the top teams in the division only concentration, speed, aggression and goals were going to get us back into the fray.
 
Hallwang were a constant danger on the break, but as Austria Salzburg realised every tackle and every ball was vital the balance of power began to turn. On 11 minutes with Salzburg now beginning to move the ball about like a serious contender there was another mercurial flash of brilliance from Lubo Neubauer. From nigh on 30 yards out as perfectly weighted shot left Manuel Althuber grasping at thin air and sent the crowd into ecstasy jumping about like randy rabbits. 1-1!
 
This was maybe the most important moment in the game because it was clear that with the crowd behind them and the rushes of adrenaline from the initial shock and then the equaliser Austria Salzburg were prepared to pick up the gauntlet. For the very first time we were seeing a real game of football played by two real teams; a game which could have gone either way between a skilful, speedy, hard-working counter-attacking Hallwang and an aggressive and attack-minded Austria Salzburg.
 
Salzburg poured forward roared on by the grandstand and just three minutes later Cavic worked his way past half of the defence to cross for a free standing Lubo Neubauer to head in and turn the game on its head. 2-1 for Austria Salzburg and within 10 minutes the mood had changed completely as the Austria players and fans all realised that this team could beat the best in the division; if they wanted to.
 
And they wanted to! The next few minutes were dominated by Austria Salzburg as wave after wave broke on the resolute Hallwang defence. As we were expecting the 3-1 at any time it wouldn’t have been an Austria game if we hadn’t conceded another silly goal. As Hallwang got into an attacking position there seemed to be a foul. The entire Austria team showed the naivety of a schoolgirl eleven as they froze, expecting the ref to blow. He didn’t, and with Gimpl free again in front of Alex Trappl, Hallwang were soon level again on 36 minutes. It’s not over till the fat lady sings, as they say, or at least until the ref blows. 2-2
 
Again, softer teams might have lost heart but again just three minutes later Bernd Winkler somehow put us back ahead to the sheer delight of all. I wish I had seen that goal, but as God decided to march in an under-16 basketball team in front of my face just as the goal went in I can only assume it was a fantastic goal. After 45 minutes Austria Salzburg went in 3-2 up and we felt like we’d already been screaming for 90.
 
Some games seem to demand copious amounts of alcohol and this seemed to be one of them. At half time everyone seemed to have a beer in their hands and a number of people already seemed distinctly wobbly. Having come in the car I was cursing the fact that I couldn’t go to the Chinese restaurant after the game and get completely blasted, but if I had got blasted this report would have gone online a day later and in a shorter version.
 
The second half begin with Cavic on our side of the pitch grinning up to the stands, his gorilla-size chest blocking out the rest of the light not already blocked by the purple smoke bombs let off down at pitch level. As the smoke cleared a quality second half ensued. Although Hallwang remained tight and dangerous on the break, Austria seemed to have taken the sting out of their tail and proven they were well able to trade punches – in a sporting sense, and the higher the quality of the game, the more obvious the class of the players – Mayer, Cavic, Urbanek, Schmidt and Neubauer to name but a few.
 
A fascinating second half ensued and as the game flowed backwards and forwards there was an increasing hope that the balance of play might just be enough to nail the game down; a suspicion which seemed to be confirmed on 59 minutes as a melee in the Hallwang penalty area ended with a perfectly placed Cavic right foot shot beyond the keeper to stretch the lead to 4-2. After the last two years of ‘ooohs’ and ‘aaahs’ as we’ve thrown away leads and let in daft goals we know not to get too cocky because as Brian Clough said, ‘It only takes a second to score a goal’. Still, for the moment there was a tangible feeling of release.
 
After 63 minutes of action Stefan Federer’s internal computer was saying ‘battery low – please switch off and recharge’, so off he came to be replaced by Heli Rottensteiner who was promptly awarded a yellow card six minutes later for a late challenge, although despite the importance and tension within the game there were only 5 cards during the whole ninety minutes. Another player constantly risking life and limb was Mario Milic, who made a number of vital challenges and showed how a player can grow with the tasks he’s set.
 
The nerves of the Austria fans were finally calmed on 85 minutes as Winkler upped his season tally to 6 goals and put the game out of reach for a perplexed Hallwang side. The 5-2 final score went a long way to establishing a positive mindset for the other tough games ahead against teams like Saalfelden and Zell am See, both amongst the players and the fans!
Don’t mess with the Austria!
 
All the best – Roger
 
SV Austria Salzburg - SV Hallwang 5-2 (3-2)
 
Austria Salzburg played with:
Trappl; Urbanek, Schmidt, Pecaranin, Milic; Cavic (85. Schleindl), Federer (63. Rottensteiner), Mayer, Neubauer (75. Leitner), Feldinger; Winkler
 
Goals:
0-1: Gimpl (3.)
1-1: Neubauer (13.) (Assist: Winkler)
2-1: Neubauer (15.) (Assist: Cavic)
2-2: Gimpl (36.)
3-2: Winkler (39.) (Assist: Neubauer)
4-2: Cavic (59.) (Assist: Winkler)
5-2: Winkler (85., free kick) (Assist: Mayer)
 
Shots total: Austria 22 / Hallwang 12
Shots on goal: Austria 11 / Hallwang 5
Shots blocked: Austria 2 / Hallwang 0
Corners: Austria 2 / Hallwang 5
Fouls: Austria 34 / Hallwang 19
Offsides: Austria 1 / Hallwang 10
 
Yellow cards:
Austria: 3 (Cavic, 34./foul; Rottensteiner, 69./foul; Mayer, 78./foul)
Hallwang: 2 (Andric, 31./foul; Maier, 56./foul)
 
Salzburg, Austria-Sportanlage Maxglan, 1900 spectators
Ref: Rudolf Gruber; Assistants: Rene Zechner, Peter Iglseder