By Lukas Bergmann
Gale-force winds and red cards mar Parndorf's goalless draw with Mauer
It was a tough match for SC Parndorf. Stormy weather, the newly laid, dull artificial turf in Mauer, and a defensively solid home side—these were the ingredients for a 0-0 draw that left neither team truly satisfied.
The gale-force winds didn't just topple the VIP section's barriers—they turned high balls into a game of chance. Despite the freezing temperatures, around 100 fans from Mauer and Parndorf braved the conditions to make it to the pitch. But the match itself was far from a spectacle. Parndorf had two golden opportunities in the first ten minutes to take an early lead, but goalkeeper Ecker stood firm both times. After that, nothing happened—for a full 50 minutes. The game was disjointed, offering fans little more than a midfield battle with scarcely any real action near goal.
It wasn't until the final half-hour that the match picked up some momentum. Mauer grew more dangerous and could easily have scored twice. In the end, the Vienna side's overzealousness cost them: Simon Furtlehner saw a straight red in the 92nd minute for a reckless two-footed lunge. Still, the lackluster draw stood. Coach Hafner rued his team's missed chances early on: "You have to hit the target if you want to score. Shooting over the bar doesn't help us. Even so, I'm relieved with the draw—it could have gone the other way."
