Mattersburg earn Hallencup fame

By Raimund Fabi

SV Mattersburg won Austria's traditional indoor Hallencup tournament in Vienna for the first time this month to give themselves a welcome boost as the winter break continued.

Perfect record
Mattersburg won all their eight games in the tournament and lifted the trophy after coming from behind to defeat holders SK Rapid Wien 4-3 in the final. The victory maintained the team's good form, meaning that new coach Franz Lederer has now presided over 13 straight wins in all competitions. Each of the seven participants donated some of their prize money to the victims of the Asian tsunami, with more than €50,000 raised.

Mössner signing
Lederer is also looking ahead to the resumption of the Bundesliga campaign on 19 February with the signing of Austrian Under-21 international striker Lukas Mössner from Germany's SC Freiburg, where he had scored ten goals for the amateur side this season. He is contracted until summer 2006.

Rapid blows
However, the title race seems to be between the top three with Rapid, FK Austria Wien and SV Pasching separated by just two points. Leaders Rapid not only lost their grip on the Hallencup, but also defender Jozef Valachovic, who has broken his leg and is out for two to three months. This adds to the loss of Thomas Burgstaller for the rest of the season with cruciate ligament damage and the departure of Marcin Adamski. Goalkeeper Jürgen Macho has also left for 1. FC Kaiserslautern.

Polster's ambition
Second-placed Austria, meanwhile, won just one Hallencup game having fielded a side comprising mostly academy players. However, under new general manager Toni Polster, they are determined to succeed on the domestic and European fronts. Polster said: "I want the title this season. That is why I came back to my old club. Maybe we can spring a little surprise in the UEFA Cup too."

Mila move
With Athletic Club Bilbao lined up as UEFA Cup round of 32 opponents next month, Austria have signed Polish international playmaker Sebastian Mila from Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski to take their foreign contingent to 17. Third-placed Pasching, meanwhile, have extended coach Georg Zellhofer's contract until summer 2007 but Alex Hörtnagl has left for FC Wacker Tirol.

Further departures
Elsewhere, international left-back Andreas Ibertsberger has swapped SV Austria Salzburg for Freiburg and defender Marijan Kovacevic has moved from VfB Admira Wacker Mödling to play in Cyprus.