SV Kuchl 2-1 (1-1) FC Pinzgau Saalfelden. Goals: Hübl (31), Kiss (49); Streitwieser (23). Red card: Schröcker (90+2, professional foul)
FC Pinzgau Saalfelden took the lead but were ultimately beaten 2-1 (1-1) away at SV Kuchl on Saturday afternoon.
It proved to be a varied football match from the outset, with SV Kuchl marginally having the better of it in the opening stages. The Ziege Crew initially defended compactly and attempted to pose a threat via quick attacks. But the home side also attacked courageously, with chances the only thing missing. The visitors from Pinzgau then took the lead thanks to a well-placed effort from range from Raphael Streitwieser shortly after the 20-minute mark and immediately tried to build on their lead. It was in that spell of the game in which they seized the initiative that the hosts restored parity through Christoph Hübl, who took advantage of a positional error (31). Kilian Schröcker made an outstanding save to keep out a well-taken free-kick as the half drew to a close, before Tamas Tandari went close to re-establishing the advantage with a shot that sailed a matter of centimetres wide of the mark.
The start to the second period was anything but optimal from a Pinzgau perspective. Kuchl first missed a sitter, but then scored moments later when Florian Kiss directed a well-placed volley into the back of the net to make it 2-1. Tandari & Co. tried to respond to the setback and fight their way back into the match. But it was some time before substitute Joao Pedro threatened with a shot from inside the penalty area that missed the target by the narrowest of margins. The best opportunities of the second half fell to the hosts, however, although they were unable to take further advantage. Ultimately, FC Pinzgau Saalfelden, who lost goalkeeper Schröcker to a red card for a professional foul in stoppage time, had to settle for a 2-1 defeat. The two teams will meet again in Kuchl this Wednesday in the quarter-final of the SFV Landescup.
STATEMENT
“Kuchl were the better team across the 90 minutes today and deserved to win. We did try to hold our own but did not succeed in doing so for long spells of the match. We have to accept that today,” said Christian Ziege.
LINE-UP
Schröcker; Mühlbacher (Seiler, 70), Kahrimanovic, Adjei, Schwaighofer; Vadze, Benedek, Streitwieser, Fürstaller (Nupaya, 46); Gvozdjar (Joao Pedro, 59), Tandari