Sturm facing away marathon: "We don't want to complain"

Rotation in the Starting XI

On Tuesday, the Graz team celebrated a successful start to the season with a 4-0 home win against Heart of Midlothian in the Champions League qualification. Now, the regional league side from Seekirchen should not become a stumbling block in the Cup.

Ingolitsch expects "maximum seriousness" from his squad. "We will take the opponent very seriously, but we want to ensure clear conditions as quickly as possible," said the coach. The clear victory against the Scots gave his players "confidence and a good feeling".

This should help given a tight schedule, as Sturm now faces four consecutive away matches within the next two weeks or so.

"We don't want to complain about it, quite the opposite. We want to enjoy these games," explained Ingolitsch, who is rotating the starting XI given their clear favoritism at Wallersee, "to ensure maximum freshness on the pitch." Jacob Hödl, among others, will be rested. Regardless of the opponent, the coach announced that they want to play "full throttle" in every match.

test — Neo-Ried-Trainer Mario Despotovic.
Foto: ©GEPA

SV Ried will play away at Arena Birkenwiese against third-division side FC Dornbirn (6:30 PM), with new coach Mario Despotovic making his SVR debut. "Especially in the Cup, we know that different rules apply. Our goal is to perform with the right attitude and full intensity," said the Croatian, who will be without Philipp Pomer, Fabian Rossdorfer, Dominik Kirnbauer, and Michael Sollbauer due to injury.

Ried – who narrowly failed in the Cup semi-finals last season against eventual winners LASK – have won all five previous encounters with Dornbirn without conceding a goal.

Altach Faces Longest Journey

WSG Tirol will face SC Wieselburg (6:30 PM), and anything less than a victory for coach Philipp Semlic's team against the Lower Austrian state league side would be a massive sensation.

Altach will kick off their season against Regional League East club SV Leobendorf (7:00 PM) and will undertake the longest Cup journey. "We have respect for the task. Nevertheless, we are obliged and want and need to progress," explained SCR coach Ognjen Zaric.

Meanwhile, WAC travels to Ländle to face third-division side FC Lauterach (7:00 PM), where coach Thomas Silberberger begins his first full season with the Lavanttal team at the Bruno-Pezzey-Stadion.