“It was a very important and great test against a strong opponent. Some players were able to gain important match practice,” said SV Ried coach Christian Heinle yesterday afternoon after the 3-2 friendly win against Al-Ain FC in the old Ried stadium the United Arab Emirates.
The team from the oasis city, which borders Oman, is currently completing a training camp in Geinberg. The reigning champions of the United Arab Emirates want to fine-tune their title defense there.
The two most famous faces come from Ukraine. Coach is Sergiy Rebrov, the 48-year-old was Andriy Shevchenko’s congenial partner in the national team. At club level, Rebrov has played for Tottenham, Fenerbahce Istanbul, Dynamo Kyiv and West Ham United, where the Al-Ain FC star player was under contract until July. Andriy Yarmolenko (32) moved to the desert in July. Yesterday morning, Rieder had the captain of the Ukrainian national team, for whom he has scored 45 goals in 109 games, well under control for long stretches of the game in the summer heat.
Rieder, who saw new signing Kingsley Michael make a solid debut in the first half, took the lead through defender Tin Plavotic after a 13th-minute corner kick from Stefan Nutz. The 2-0 scored from a penalty kick. In the 37th minute, Al-Ain reduced the deficit to 1: 2 through striker Doh Laba (market value: 5.5 million euros). Shortly before half-time, Josef Weberbauer used a goalkeeper error to score the 3:1 with a header. After the break, Heinle made a substitution, only the strong goalkeeper Jonas Wendlinger and Weberbauer were used in the second half. The 2: 3 in stoppage time was not enough for Al-Ain. “I’m really satisfied with the performance in this intensive test match,” said coach Heinle after the game in an OÖN interview.
Cheekbone fracture at Wendlinger
There was bad news for Rieder a few hours after the game. Goalkeeper Wendlinger was diagnosed with a broken cheekbone in the hospital. Wendlinger collided with an opponent shortly before the end of the game. He should probably be operated on today, Thursday.
On Sunday, SV Ried welcomes WSG Tirol at home (5 p.m.). Markus Lackner is suspended after his yellow-red card against Klagenfurt.
Striker Christoph Monschein and Denizcan Cosgun are injured. Seifedin Chabbi is ill (gastrointestinal infection), but he should start training again today. Julian Turi (shoulder injury) completed parts of team training for the first time this week, but without contesting any duels.
Source: Nachrichten
