Sturm Graz beat Vötschberg 4-1 in the Round of 32 of the Austrian Cup on Friday evening. The visitors secured their place in the next round with a comfortable performance that left little doubt about the quality gap between the sides. The final score reflected a match where Graz controlled the tempo from the opening exchanges.
N. Weiper gave the hosts a surprise lead in the 15th minute, but the momentum shifted quickly after that. «And here's the thing» — Graz responded with a series of goals that stretched the tie beyond reach. S. Seidl pulled level in the 66th minute, followed almost immediately by G. Mamageishvili's strike in the 70th. E. Neubauer tried to give Vötschberg something to talk about in the 83rd, but O. Kiteishvili sealed the result four minutes later.
The statistics tell a story of dominance. Graz registered seven shots on target compared to just two from the hosts, while both sides shared possession equally at 50 percent. Vötschberg managed more attacks overall — 70 to 55 — but the quality of their chances never matched the visitors' efficiency. «To be fair», the hosts had more corners and goal kicks, which suggests they spent time in the opposition half without getting much out of it.
Vötschberg's recent form offered little reassurance heading into this tie. They had lost 2-3 to Liefering and 1-5 to Linz in their previous two outings, with only a 3-1 win over Rapid Wien II standing out. Graz, meanwhile, came into Friday with mixed results — a 1-3 defeat to Rapid Wien and a 1-1 draw with Lustenau, but they also beat Hartberg 2-0 and took a point against Fenerbahçe away.
The match ended with five yellow cards and several substitutions on both sides. Vötschberg brought on P. Jager in the 86th minute, while Graz used their remaining options to see out the game. «By then», the result was never in doubt — a comfortable away win that sends Sturm Graz into the next round with confidence.