A (Short) Viennese whirl - Day 2

 Could have chosen a 10:15am kick off  from a number of Wiener Stadtliga games being played, however chose a Woman's game to get the opportunity to visit the stadium of First Vienna - a ground that is on the 'bucket list' of many hoppers

Day 2 

Sunday 22nd October 2023

Game 4

11am

First Vienna, Women's First Team 6 Wacker Innsbruck Women's Team 0

Admiral Frauen Bundesliga

Naurarena Hohe Warte

Admission: 8 Euro

Programme: Nil, but did get a free press sheet from a club official

Attendance: 145 h/c

Surprised how  low the crowd was, similar standard game in England would have see a four figure crowd there seemed little apatite for the women's game in Vienna, maybe with so much other football on offer in the city on a Sunday - Innsbruck were bottom but still probably had 40 of the 145 present in the crowd.

Football wise, could see why Innsbruck were bottom, with First Vienna dominating from the start and scored at regular intervals. The Vienna team looked very professional with plenty of good skills being displayed.

But the real star of the morning was the stadium itself, lucky enough to have come across some photographs and a painting of the stadium from the 1930's, and it may now be much smaller, but the terracing is till in place, but now grass covered. Only one side of the ground was open today, so hope to maybe a get a night game in on a further visit.

Easy U-Bahn trip south to the second game of the day:

Game 5

2pm

FC Kurd Wien 4 Yellow Star Simmering 1

1st Klasse 'A'

FavAC-Platz

F & N

Attendance: 140 h/c - (Official crowd given as 50!)

What a backdrop- a ground worth spending some time at to take a few pictures and like the first game yesterday an arena used by a number of teams, so always a few games on.

Arrived in plenty of time to find a crowd of about 50 watching the two reserves team play, like game one yesterday no club linesman but think in this case it was a club ref! Arrived just as we had a few handbags being thrown - the two first teams were warming up on the smaller pitch next door. Quick change round at 1.55pm and game should have started on time, however the Ref then decided he wanted a few practice goals moved, so in the end started 9 minutes late- this meant i would have to be quickly out of the game at the end and hope not much injury time would be played. With the U-Bahn station only 3 minutes from this ground, I felt confident enough to stay for the whole game.

Plenty of the Kurdish diaspora in attendance a few Simmering fans, who were keeping the Kanteen busy with beer sales. The game was very even with chances at Both ends and in the 36th minute the visitors went in front. Kurd Wien got back on terms in the 47th minute. Game was still quite even but Simmering lost focus for the last 10 minutes of the game and the Kurdish team ended up adding 3 goals in the last 10 minutes.

The Ground, is impressive, a large 750 seat stand on the far side with a large block of apartments directly behind the stand. On the near side is open bench seating with the changing rooms, office, and Kanteen behind the seats, A car park at one end then a grass bank behind the other with a second pitch raised above the main pitch.

Game over- a quick jog to the U-Bahn station and with the reliability of the Viennese public transport system never in doubt, arrived at game 3 with 5 minutes to spare. As I had a print at home ticket and knew the game was not a sell out, I knew I would not miss any of the action.

Game 6

SK Rapid Wien 2 Austria Klagenfurt 3

Bundesliga

Allianz Arena

Admission: 41 Euros - Print at home

Programme: Nil

Attendance: 17600

Arrived with time to spare. s0 purchased a fan card to get a beer and bratwurst, no cash sales at kiosks and entered the ground, chose Section 12 as gets you close to the Ultras in the West Stand but you also get a great view of the game. Impressive singing and pyro display by the West Stand, and ground looked much fuller than it was, empty seats in the 'posh' stand and it looked like the visitors had only about 150 fans in attendance.

Rapid dominated the first half but only has one goal to show for having almost all the play, second half and the visitors showed a bit more attacking play however Rapid were still on top but could not add a second goal. they ended up paying for this when the visitors got back on terms in the 60th minute then got the goal of the game in the 65th and a third not long after. Rapid just looked shell shocked but did get one back in the last minute- after after a VAR decision that took ages. 

Impressed on how after a poor display the Rapid fans did not turn on the team. Game over and plenty of transport options for the trip back to the city centre.