Hartberg celebrates last-minute victory in Altach after goal in the 94th minute

First half without goals

After the interval Altach increased the pressure and sought an early lead. However, the Hartberg defence, built around the centre-backs Wilfinger and Schopp, stood firm and allowed very few clear-cut attempts on goal. In the 57th minute the visiting side reacted with their first personnel change, bringing on Dalpiaz for Lukic to provide fresh impetus in attack.

Midway through the second half the match increasingly lost rhythm but remained tense. In the 73rd minute Hartberg made another substitution, bringing on Feldhofer for Diarra to stabilise the defence. On the other side Altach tried to take control through growing possession, but were unable to decisively break down the visitors' compact back five.

Substitutions and tactical shifts

In the 82nd minute the visiting side made their third and final substitution, bringing on Drew for Gattermayer. The closing phase grew increasingly heated, with both coaches repeatedly changing tactics without a goal materialising. The spectators at the CASHPOINT Arena watched a match that had actually pointed to a toren.

Then came stoppage time. In the 94th minute the Hartberg players struck ice-cold and scored the wildly celebrated opening goal that finally decided the game. The strike in the very last minute caused great excitement on the pitch and in the stands.

The decisive moment in stoppage time

The team of Markus Schopp, who looks after Hartberg as coach while also playing in central defence, celebrated exuberantly the first win in this still young phase of the season. The victory over Altach is likely to give the promoted side from eastern Styria confidence for the tasks ahead.

After the final whistle it was clear: Hartberg had secured their first win of the season and to some extent rewarded themselves for the effort the team had invested over ninety minutes. The Altach players, by contrast, had to console themselves with the realisation that a match is only truly lost after the final whistle.

Significance for the rest of the season

While the Hartberg players left the pitch under the eyes of their fans, analysis had already begun on the home side. For Altach it is a result that hurts, because the team were close to a point over long stretches. The coach and those responsible will search in the coming days for the reasons behind the late collapse.

With the last-minute win in Altach, Hartberg has set an initial marker. In the weeks ahead it will become clear whether the away victory in Vorarlberg is an upward outlier or the start of a stable phase. For Markus Schopp and the team, the only thing that counts for now is that the three points are in the account.