Europa league matchday 3: Austria Vienna - Werder Bremen, October 22nd 7:00 P.M. CET [R]

The next match leads Werder to Germanies southern neighbor Austria, against a team with the same name, Austria Vienna:

In the Europa Cup history we haven't won at Austrian teams (Bayern, who are Austrians for me, wait Nothern Italians, ... so not included). Austria Vienna is a very sucessfull Austrian team with more than 20 Championsships and some European cups (but some years ago) from the Austrian capital Vienna.

The match will be played in the very small Horr stadium, where the host hopes to surprise with a fanatic atmosphere (13000 seats).

Expected line-ups:
Austria Vienna
Safar – Standfest, Bak, Dragovic, Suttner – Klein, Junuzovic, Baumgartlinger, Acimovic, Sulimani – Diabang

Werder Bremen
Wiese - C. Fritz, Mertesacker, Naldo, Boenisch - Frings, Bargfrede, Hunt, Özil - Pizarro, Marin

"Thanks" to the SkyEurope bankruptcy I'm not counting the hours till tomorrow's morning flight to Vienna I had it reserved but ... only TV for me tomorrow.

9 points after 3 games will be ideal and i think we can make it.

If we win this, we should have enough points to qualify for the next round. And we should, those Austrians have gotten cocky after the spanking Stellingen got by Rapid earlier this season. For the sake of the Bundesliga and German football, especially after the disappointing matchday in the CL, a win would be important.

Won't be easy though, Austria Wien will likely be encouraged by the HSV result. Time for us to set the record straight.

I also think it will be a difficult task. Austrian teams play above their normal standard when it comes to these matches. A concentrated performance is needed to get points there.

Özil free-kick, Pizarro header, Tor! 0-1!


Özil - Pizarro -> the most deadly attacking axis in the league!

for those in the US with DirecTV, this game is on channel 464, and all of the UEFA games are on live from 461-70.

Austria's set pieces are pretty dangerous also, our team needs to avoid fouls near our box.

Austria are getting stronger now, we allow them too much space. Austria have to win today to have a chance to advance, but still, we should be more clever.

Argh....Özil should have scored that chance! Great pass by Hunt I think.

Argh²²²²²²! Hunt wastes another sitter for us!

Haha....what a brilliant lob by Marin right now. Great stuff.

Crap, Merte hits the post!

Three great chances wasted, hope we won't regret that!

Hunt close with a shot.

This Acimovic guy playing for Austria looks very good, some truly neat passes and set pieces.

Austria Wien - Werder Bremen 0-1 HT

Deserved lead for us, we're the better team. Should be leading more clearly actually, wasted a few excellent chances. Hopefully, that won't come back to haunt us.

Hope that we continue like this and are more clinical in the second half.

If that happens then we can win with a clear score. Anyways, good performance in the first half.

Great through ball by Pizarro, Marin wastes a good chance.

Good shot by Bargfrede. We continue to play well in the second half, but still too wasteful for my taste.

Hunt booked.

We need a goal, an one goal lead is dangerous. Especially if you consider the set pieces of this Acimovic guy, a constant threat.

I knew it! Austria score an offside goal. Lucky situation for us, hopefully the team is more careful now.

It wasn't even off-side, because it was Frings who passed the ball to the Austria player. Difficult for the ref to see though.

We've been lucky.

Rosenberg for Marin.

Austria have been encouraged by their goal and increase the pressure. Good save by Wiese.

Brilliant, brilliant goal by Pizza after an awful mistake by the Austria defender. Great goal! 0-2! What a player this old fox Pizza is!

Great timing, Austria were getting stronger.

Borowski for Bargfrede.

Their set pieces remain dangerous. Get your act together guys!

Good shot by Pizza. Özil - Pizza have a blind understanding. Pizza MOTM, not just because of the goals.

Good shot by Frings.

Keep it up guys, keep attacking.