Fortuna Wiener Neustadt fought bravely but lost to Diamant Linz 0-3

Fortuna Wiener Neustadt fought bravely but lost to Diamant Linz 0-3

In the face of strong competitive pressure, Fortuna Wiener Neustadt had to admit defeat against the overpowering Diamant Linz. The game ended with a 3-0 win for the home team. Despite a long list of injured players and a sparsely staffed bench, coach Philipp Pürzl's team competed with determination and tried to keep the match open.

The signs of a difficult game were already clear before the game began. Pürzl had to do without important players such as Eldis Bajrami, Besnik Murseli and Dominik Hemmelmayer - the latter was ill. Mert Sari was injured and Daniel Sudar was also unable to play due to fitness problems. With only two available substitutions, Fortuna faced an enormous challenge, while Linz played with a full band.

Lack of strength in the final phase

Despite the adverse circumstances, Fortuna managed to assert itself defensively and create some promising chances. However, the team couldn't get past three aluminum hits. Shortly before half-time they had to accept a deficit that resulted from a controversial game situation. Coach Pürzl was dissatisfied with the referee's decision, who did not punish an alleged back pass from Linz. This ultimately led to a corner, which Adis Muhamedagic converted to give the team a 1-0 lead.

The personnel problems became even more precarious after halftime when Marco Meitz was also injured. “So we only had one substitute,” complained Pürzl. Nevertheless, Sheqir Avdiu put everything on one card and had a good opportunity to equalize. In the last ten minutes, however, the strength of Wiener Neustädter made itself felt. The pressure from Linz became increasingly overwhelming, which led to Qail Idrizi and Muhamedagic making the final score 3-0.

Despite the clear result, Fortuna left the steel city with a certain dignity. “The boys went through the fire,” remarked Pürzl, who recognized Linz’s strength as a Champions League contender. "It will be a big challenge even with the best players. But we have a spirit in the team that we didn't have last year. Our defensive play has improved significantly compared to last season - we've now conceded 16 goals after two games to four. That's progress!"

The first home game against Libero Graz is scheduled for next Sunday. This could be an important opportunity to take advantage of the current momentum and learn from experiences. Fortuna shows that despite the defeat they can remain a strong team that doesn't give up.