Dwarf Rebellion Advances: Overthrow Attempt in ÖFB Cup, Span Reaches from Krems to Stockerau
The Small Fry's Big Win:
Football fans in Austria are no strangers to the thrill of an underdog victory, even in their third league, which boasts an average attendance of 9,000—more than Austria's first league. This is largely due to the minuscule fan bases of the cup finalists, originally from Hartberg (population 6,800) and Wolfsberg (population 25,200).
The cup's surprising destination post-Labor Day often finds itself in one of these small stadiums, looking more like a league practice than a final.
The Grind of Coaching:
As the organizer, the ÖFB would probably prefer a perpetual Rapid qualification for the final, ensuring a packed Wörthersee Stadium. But this time, Rapid took an unexpected L against Stripfing, a turn of events that earned a celebration from Christoph Pelczar, Rapid's priest and Stripfing's chairman, to the dismay of Rapid fans.
Offensive banners were displayed, causing Hochwurden in Hütteldorf to lose its blessings, and Pelczar also stepped down from Stripfing. Even in the following round, Stripfing—a second division club—failed to garner divine assistance.
Since the war, second division clubs have claimed the cup three times:
1988, when coach Ernst Weber outsmarted then-Tyrolean coach Ernst Happel with Kremser SC,
1991, when Cordoba hero Willy Kreuz led Stockerau to victory against Cordoba hero Hans Krankl, with the decisive 1:0 in the 2:1 win over Rapid being scored by Michael Wenzel, who later became an academic and sports historian,
And 2001, when Jörg Haider's FC Kärnten triumphed over Tirol in the final extension.
On an Easter Sunday 80 years ago, pasching almost played football under air raid sirens. A government order now prohibits their stadium from using floodlights. In 2013, they defeated Salzburg, Rapid, and even Peter Stöger's Austrians in the final.
The 3rd division club Pasching narrowly escaped relegation, but they can now stay in the Bundesliga, where they have never had more home spectators than a German third division club.
Unfortunately, the search results do not provide specific information about notable underdog victories in the Austrian Cup by second division clubs. However, underdog victories are a common feature in cup competitions across various countries.
If you're looking for detailed information on the Austrian Cup, checking historical match results and team performances would be advisable. On a broader scale,rambling about underdog stories in football, reviewing past cup finals and group stages in various leagues can provide numerous examples of these classic David vs. Goliath moments.
Examples include Wigan's FA Cup final victory against Manchester City in 2013, when, as underdogs, they beat a Premier League powerhouse, and Aston Villa's impressive performance in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League Group Stage.
- Despite the ÖFB's preference for a perpetual Rapid qualification, underdog victories in the Austrian Cup are not uncommon, as was demonstrated by Stripfing's celebrated win against Rapid in 20xx.
- The bundesliga, football's third division in Austria, has produced several notable underdog victories over the years, with clubs like Kremser SC and FC Kärnten claiming the cup.
- In fact, Pasching, a current bundesliga club, was able to stay in the division after defeating multiple top-tier teams in the Austrian Cup final.
- The story of the Small Fry's Big Win in the Austrian Cup is reminiscent of other underdog stories in various leagues, such as Wigan's FA Cup victory against Manchester City in 2013, and Aston Villa's impressive performance in the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League Group Stage.
