WAF Vorwärts Brigittenau – Favoritner AC (11-06-2023)

I arrived in Vienna on a Saturday evening, wanting to see a game, but an hour delay and horrible weather make me decide to stay at the hotel. The next morning, however, it is game on. I meet a local groundhopper at the main station and set off for the 20th district on the other side of the Danube.

The small ground (WAF Gruabn) is inside a residential neighborhood, with some mid-high rises, but surrounded by an ugly solid fence. We enter and pay €9 each and join an already pretty serious crowd about fifteen minutes before the 11.15 AM kick-off.

Today’s game is in the Wiener Stadtliga (Fourth Division), the highest local league in the capital city. WAF Vorwärts Brigittenau is a small team with a very local base, which is near the bottom of the league, and plays Favoritner AC, a club with a stories past, which even played in the top flight in the 1980s.

I estimate that there are some 150-200 people, with perhaps half from the visitors. Both teams and supporter groups are very diverse. Favoritner AC seems to have a strong Serbian contringent on the pitch and in the stand.

In the 2nd minute, the first attack of Favortiner is finished hard from inside the box: 0-1. The visitors overwhelms the hosts and after yet another attack, in the 6th minute, a well-placed shot from outside of the box goes in: 0-2.

The guests remain the dominant team. The quality of play is remarkably high, particularly the passing and technique of the Favoritner players. In the 35the minute, a brilliantly executed attack leads to yet another well-placed long shot: 0-3! This is also the half time score.

At half time I decide to visit the small grill to get some essential protein. Fully in line with the audience, they have several types of sausages and cevapcici, little minced meat “fingers” originally from former Yugoslavia. I chose the Bratwurst, however, which is on point.

In the second half the visitors are less dominant in second half. The only create a few half chances. In 68th minute, the guests have their best chance yet, when the ball is headed well wide.

In the 81st minute, WAF commits a clumsy foul inside of the box. Although the fouled player wants to take the penalty kick, he gives the ball to another player, who scores through the goalie, which seems to be his 200th goal. 0-4 is also the final score.

This was an incredible hop, thanks to the company, the weather, but also the local charm of the Wiener Stadtliga. I will definitely try to see more games in this league when I have the chance.