Austria round-up: Tirol take a tumble

After winning the title last weekend, FC Tirol Innsbruck lost 2-0 against Schwarz-Weiss Bregenz today.

Title hangover
Having taken the title after opening up a 16-point lead over their nearest rivals, Tirol were well below par at the Casino stadium. Alex Lawaree gave Bregenz the lead after 14 minutes as he volleyed into the Tirol net from Peter Hlinka's cross, and when Tirol's Michael Baur was dismissed just after the half-hour mark, the result was all but decided.

Eller on target
Thomas Eller latched on to Lawaree's pass to double Bregenz's lead after 36 minutes, although he wasted another chance eight minutes after the restart. Lawaree, a constant thorn in the Tirol side, also went close midway through the second half, and it was not until a minute before full-time that the champions managed their first attempt on goal. Eduard Gleider saw his effort cleared off the line, and struck the bar three minutes into stoppage time.

Maric hat-trick
Marijo Maric's first-half hat-trick set FC Kärnten on their way to a 3-1 win over VfB Admira Wacker Mödling. He opened his account in the 13th minute when nodding home Kai Schoppittsch's free-kick, and the pair combined to create an almost identical goal just after the half-hour mark. Maric earned himself the match ball after latching on to Almedin Hota's pass, although Kliton Bozgo pulled one back for the visitors on the stroke of half-time.

Strafner strikes
A late strike from Alain Masudi and Herbert Grassler's own goal sealed a 3-0 victory for SK Sturm Graz against SV Ried. Manfred Rothbauer was made to pay for wasting an early chance for Ried when Gerald Strafner scored against his old team with a header from Ivica Vastic's 28th-minute cross.

Hoffman saves Sturm
Sturm goalkeeper Daniel Hoffman was called upon to make three crucial saves as Ried battled back, but their hopes of taking something from the game were all but extinguished 16 minutes from time when Masudi poked home from close range. In the 81st minute Grassler nodded into his own net as he attempted to clear another teasing cross from Vastic.