Austria Vienna back in title chase after derby win
Austria Vienna are back in the title race after beating city rivals Rapid Vienna in last nights (Weds) 293rd edition of the Vienna derby.Czech striker Tomas Jun scored the only goal of the match in the ninth minute after a brilliant pass by former LASK Linz midfielder Florian Klein.Rapids Christopher Drazan and Nikica Jelavic hit the crossbar in their second half attempts to equalise the score, but Austria Vienna were the better team that night.The side coached by Karl Daxbacher is now unbeaten ten times in a row.Austria Vienna must beat champions Red Bull Salzburg in Sundays clash if they want to retain their small chance of winning the league. Champions Red Bull are four points clear of Austria Vienna, but embarrassed themselves by losing against struggling Kapfenberg 0-2 on Tuesday.The “Bulls” can crown themselves Bundesliga champions if they beat Austria Vienna or reach a draw on Sunday.Vice champions Rapid Vienna only have theoretical chances to win the league this year after dropping from second to third place.Sturm Graz beat Magna Wiener Neustadt 1-0 yesterday. Roman Kienast, who recently agreed with club bosses to extend his expiring contract for two years, scored for the team of Franco Foda.Speculations that Foda, a former Kaiserslautern midfielder, leaves Sturm in summer to coach VfL Bochum or Hertha BSC Berlin, are ongoing.Mattersburg defeated SV Ried 3-1. Ried striker Athe Nuhiu is rumoured to join Rapid if Nikica Jelavic who is targeted by Benfica and other clubs leaves after this season.The match between bottom lights Austria Kärnten and LASK Linz ended 2-2. LASK president Peter Michael Reichel recently expressed interest in signing Alexander Zickler who seems to have no future at Red Bull.The Bundesliga table after 34 rounds:Red Bull Salzburg, 73 pointsAustria Vienna, 69Rapid Vienna, 67Sturm Graz, 58Magna Wiener Neustadt, 43Mattersburg, 41LASK Linz, 37SV Ried, 35Kapfenberg, 30Austria Kärnten, 14