Lower house relegation: Between joy and sorrow

With the relegation, the lower house of football once again came to a worthy conclusion: More than 17,000 spectators flocked to the sports fields for the 28 home and away matches – several times they also saw how the lower-class David prevailed against the Goliath.

Union Adlwang (1st class East) achieved something historic against district league South club Askö Vorchdorf: For the first time in the club’s history, the Traunviertel team will be represented in the district league next season. Curiously, only because the second team of Vorwärts Steyr/ATSV Juniors was not eligible to take part in the promotion relegation as a 1b team, the third-placed Adlwang was allowed to compete. After a 0:0 draw in the first leg, the return leg (3:2) was a thriller: Coach Gerhard Mandl’s team was behind twice and came back twice. Andreas Bart became Adlwang’s relegation hero with two goals.

Today’s return match between district league team Senftenbach and state league team Sattledt was also decided after regular playing time. Despite a 1:2 defeat, the guests remain in the state league with an overall score of 4:3 – thanks to the decisive goal by Gabriel Strobl in the 119th minute.

A club as double winner

ASK St. Valentin has secured its place in the league in the extended season – and in two respects: the OÖ league team won the relegation match against regional league runner-up Donau Linz (4:0, 0:2) and the 1b team (1st center) won against SV Steyregg (2nd center) with a 2:1 home win and a 1:1 away draw. “St. Valentin can apparently do relegation,” cheered sports director Harald Guselbauer.

He did not forget that they also had to thank the third division teams from Upper Austria: “It was also luck that we were able to compete as second to last. This year we got the nod in a positive way. But we have some homework to do and will rejuvenate the team considerably.” The departures of Thomas Fröschl (35, St. Pantaleon-Erla), Martin Dietachmair (32, Sierning), and Daniel Guselbauer (37, end of career) are already fixed, the future of Thomas Himmelfreundpointner (36) and Christian Laskaj (24) is still uncertain. The club has also already made new signings: Benedikt Tober (Perg), Thomas Rauch (AFW Waidhofen), Alen Zuban and Peter Hinterreiter (Schwertberg), Adrian Kadriu (Naarn), Nedzad Muratagic (Taufkirchen an der Pram) and Nebojsa Ivancevic (Göfis) are new.

Brandner to Mondsee

Relegation loser Donau Linz has also made a move on the transfer market: Julian Peherstorfer (Wallern), Yusuf Efendioglu (Dietach), Loic Tenlep (Traun) and Shqiprim Vojvoda (ASK St. Valentin) have already signed four of their desired players. Qerim Idrizaj from Kleinmünchen will be leaving: While the 38-year-old did not manage to get promoted with the blue and yellows, his new club certainly did. District league team Hörsching won against regional league team Katsdorf (2:0, 2:1) – the midfielder is set to be active there as a player-coach next season.

League rival Mondsee has signed a prominent man: the transfer of Michael Brandner, former captain of Bundesliga club Blau-Weiß Linz, is finalized. There is a change of coach at the LASK amateurs: Luka Pavlovic has been released from the regional league club.

The relegation duels at a glance

Regional League – Upper Austria League

Danube Linz – ASK St. Valentin 0:4, 2:0

District League – State League

Hoersching – Katsdorf 2:0, 2:1
Senftenbach – Sattledt 1:3, 2:1

1st Class – District League

Palting/Seeham – Wartberg/A. 0:3, 1:2
Adlwang – Vorchdorf 0:0, 3:2 aet
Gosau – Altenberg 1:0, 1:4
St. Roman – Taiskirchen 1:0, still open

2nd class – 1st class

Steyregg – ASK St. Valentin 1b 1:2, 1:1
Gutau- Bad Kreuzen 0:4, 2:3
Handenberg – Taufkirchen/Mich. 2:3, 4:1
Eidenberg/Geng – Walding/Rott. 0:0, 4:5
Eggerding – Schärding 1b 0:1, 1:2
Ternberg – Kremsmünster 0:2, 1:1
Gampern – Roitham 1:1, 3:0