SV Kuchl 3-1 (2-1) FC Pinzgau Saalfelden. Goals: Fötschl (8), Hübl (28, 52); Tandari (41.). Red card: Mühlbacher (75)
FC Pinzgau Saalfelden lost 3-1 away to SV Kuchl in the SFV Landescup quarter-final on Wednesday evening.
The game started on a cautious note, but then SV Kuchl seized the initiative and created the first chances. Gabor Szabo, who was making his first start in the Pinzgau goal in place of the suspended Kilian Schröcker, intervened to keep out the first shot, but there was nothing he could do moments later when Yannic Fötschl rounded him and slotted home to make it 1-0. The Ziege Crew showed heart and got stuck into the challenges but did not enjoy any success with their attacking efforts. On the half-hour mark, Christoph Hübl comfortably headed home a pinpoint cross to make it 2-0. But the visitors did not throw in the towel and reduced the deficit before the break via Tamas Tandari, who reacted the quickest to a moment of carelessness from the goalkeeper to make it 2-1.
The game remained intense and the tempo high at the start of the second 45 minutes. Then things took a curious turn in the 52nd minute. With Szabo down on the ground injured, the referee made no attempt to halt the game. The visitors allowed themselves to be distracted and did not track Hübl, who was unmarked and headed into an empty net. The men from Pinzgau had their best chance of the match moments later, but the shot-stopper made a spectacular save to keep out a long-range effort from Raphael Streitwieser, who was having another great game. A short while later, Tandari went close with a powerful header. Then, with a quarter of an hour remaining, Niklas Mühlbacher committed a second bookable offence and was sent for an early bath. A low-key finish to the game did see Lukas Moosmann make his comeback from the bench following a spell on the sidelines injured. FC Pinzgau Saalfelden were ultimately beaten 3-1 and bowed out of the SFV Landescup at the quarter-final stage.
LINE-UP
Szabo; Mühlbacher, Kahrimanovic, Nupaya, Adjei; Schwaighofer (Vadze, 83), Benedek, Streitwieser, Rathgeb (Moosmann, 83), Fürstaller; Tandari