SC Kittsee came out of the gate very flat. What was wrong with our game:

• timing: first game of the season, passes were not arriving where and when expected. Or the forwards did not arrive where the passes did. Take your pick.
• injuries: three of our best players were not available though this derby is the first game of the season.
• fitness: timing and injuries is forgivable. Unfortunately most of our squad were unable to keep up with UFC Pama throughout the game. UFC Pama has a fairly young team and SC Kittsee may be the oldest in II Liga Nord. They outran us.

Endurance is the last of the athletic qualities to fade away, lasting into the forties. But it does require training. A few SC Kittsee players look like they enjoyed too merry a Christmas season. Coach Manfred Wachter must find a way to persuade these gentlemen to run more and train more.

That said, the sharp and fit UFC Pama squad did not acquit themselves perfectly either. Despite dominating SC Kittsee who showed no prowess in attack at all in the first half, they only took a 1:0 lead into half time. A focused and determined home squad should have been up at least 2:1 or 3:1 in the face of such a toothless attack. This left the gate open for a late comeback from SC Kittsee, which nearly happened in the last fifteen minutes.

Deliberately dirty tactics also discoloured the UFC Pama play. Leader of the cheat-to-win brigade was Peter Gallus but it was the overall approach of UFC Pama. Faced with stricter refereeing, UFC Pama might have been down two men or faced a penalty shot. UFC Pama did not need to stoop to these tactics to win this game. Outrunning and outplaying SC Kittsee would have been more than enough this afternoon. Playing clean and playing for the win would almost certainly have led to a better result and less risk than the grabby tactical UFC Pama gameplan.

UFC Pama got out to an early lead.

At the 8 minute mark, Erik Micovcak put his shot past Manuel Schiszler in the only game of the match. Expectations were high this spring in Kittsee, with most of a very talented squad returning and some good new players coming into the fold. You can see the shock on the crowd’s face (the camera faces the visitor stands) as the early ball flies into the net.

Goal scorer Erik Micovcak formerly played in the top Czech league and has the full sleeve arm tattoos to prove it. Micovcak gave the Kittsee defence and middle field trouble all over afternoon.

Andreas Fabsich is one of two giants on the UFC Pama squad with Raffael Förster. Both men tower over the rest of the players.

Alas no results

UFC Pama seem to have set themselves the task to stop SC Kittsee at any price. Holding, elbows to the head, leg kicks – there was no shortage of deliberate fouls, some subtle and some not.

Christoph Drobola played his heart out but had a tough afternoon. As a small slender player, UFC Pama’s wrestling, pokes and body checks today slowed him down. Here’s crushed between the twin giants Raffael Förster and Andreas Fabsich.

UFC Pama’s Christoph Werdenich had a good afternoon, making plays, breaking free in front of the net

Christoph Werdenich’s dangerous shot came close after the first goal. Werdenich rolls on the ground hoping for a penalty as Andreas Fabsich and Chistoper Drobola run towards the net.

A second UFC Pama goal would have almost ended the match, based on SC Kittsee’s ineffective attack today. Manuel Schiszler steps up and makes a big save, keeping the game close. Schiszler had to make several big saves.

Jaroslav Machovec was a beast on this day, leaping and smashing headers in front of the both the Kittsee and Pama nets. Sadly his timing with Jozef Sombat was badly off so all of the hard work came to naught.

This picture is in colour for reference: colour of uniforms, grass, light.

Martin Hajtmanek had quite a quiet afternoon, especially in the first half. Late in the game when he was tested, he was up to the occasion.

Peter Gallus tried to kick the legs out from under Mustafa Atik here. In honour of Gallus playing like a pirate all afternoon, let’s call him red beard. Atik took a nasty tumble on what was a promising dribble. A free kick was too light a reward for the tripping. Yellow card would have been more suitable. Gallus did finally get his yellow card at 31 minutes.

Fortunately Jaroslav Machovec was there to deflect Andreas Fabsich’s header, before keeper Manuel Schiszler grabbed the ball.

Christoph Drobola struggles to maintain his line on the ball against the very experienced and stronger Erik Micovcak

A scramble in front of the UFC Pama net looks promising, but UFC Pama successfully moves enough men in front of goal to defuse the attack.

Kittsee did not have many chances and when we did, the timing on our fine passing was well off. Manuel Oswald is cut off by Raffael Förster. Referee Arif Erdem looks on.

Peter Gallus’s sharp elbow almost ended Tomas Bastian’s afternoon. Bastian was laid on the field for five minutes.

Kittsee trainer Radovan Liska runs to resuscitate Tomas Bastian after Peter Gallus’s elbow to the head. Referee Arif Erdem looks on. Gallus certainly should have received a second yellow card and a red card after this unprovoked attack.

From the tragic to the sublime. One of the UFC Pama spectators dog likes to play soccer too.

Even after the players recuperate the ball, the dog does not give up. People are having fun running after a round rolly ball and the dog doesn’t see why he should have to spend the afternoon bored on the sidelines.

Kittsee newcomer Manuel Oswald heads the ball away from UFC Pama giant Andreas Fabsich.

Kittsee’s Said Soltani and UFC Pama’s Markus Fabsich compete for a loose ball. Fabsich is a fierce competitor and has the jump on Soltani.

Said Soltani gets there just before Markus Fabsich. The robust Fabsich prepares to knock Soltani off the ball.

Instead Said Soltani times a perfect and legal arm to the shoulder Markus Fabsich, sending the larger Fabsich sprawling to the ground.

Said Soltani is now chased by Samuel Homola. Fierce Markus Fabsich can’t believe that Soltani has sent him to the turf.

Samuel Homola can’t catch Soltani from the front, and instead has to pull hard at his arm from behind. Homola’s holding strategy works and Soltani finally loses control of the ball. No whistle or free kick from referee Arif Erdem alas.

Animated Kittsee Assistant Coach Oto Honz shouts in frustration at the non-stop holding from UFC Pama and even more by referee Arif Erdem’s failure to see this holding and dirty play.

Erdem shows Honz first a yellow card and then a red. The red came when Honz shouted “Danke” when Erdem showed him the yellow card. In a relatively dull second half, the hot action on the sideline brought some fireworks to the day. Exciting derby life!

Jaroslav Machovec played like a man possessed, here taking control in front of the UFC Pama net. Martin Hajtmanek manages to block Machovec’s hard header, preventing a late tie.

This time Peter Gallus makes a clean play on the ball, outjumping substitute Michal Belko in front of the UFC net very late in the game as Said Soltani looks for a chance with Markus Fabsich holding his arm and UFC Pama keeper Martin Hajtmanek watches the ball carefully.

SC Kittsee did manage to press late.

At 89 minutes Andreas Fabsich kicks the ball into the bushes which Michal Belko was trying to retrieve for a header. Bearded Juraj Fuska is running after the ball in the bushes in the background.

Fabsich earns a well-deserved yellow card from referee Arif Erdem for unsportsmanlike conduct. Surely Erdem just added thirty seconds to penalty time. What’s the point of this kind of dirty play?

Bence Bogar beats Jaroslav Machovec to the ball, thanks to the strong grip of Peter Gallus on Machovec’s elbow. Gallus makes just enough of a jump to prevent referee Arif Erdem from seeing what he’s up to.

Referees should watch Peter Gallus closely this season if he is bending the rules so hard in the first game. That said, I’m not all that troubled by Gallus’s behaviour. Apart from the elbow to Tomas Bastian’s face, there was no intention to injure, just to hinder. What makes me unhappy are players who play in this regional league to injure their neighbours. There’s no glory in hurting other players in any league, and even less when they are your neighbours and friends. Happily this was not one of those games.

Peter Gallus is back up to his tricks again. Here we can see Gallus reach for Jaroslav Machovec’s shoulder while the ball is in the air to make sure Machovec cannot compete for the header.

Andreas Fabsich and Markus Szegner chase Mustafa Atik. Atik played hard and had some chances on headers.

Kittsee players, trainers and fans all have a lot of questions for referee Arif Erdem. Clearly UFC Pama were sitting on their single goal, prepared to hold, trip and elbow to slow down the game. Erdem missed many of the fouls. While Erdem did hand out four yellow cards to UFC Pama, he avoided giving a second yellow to any single UFC player. In particular, Erdem failed to award a second yellow and red card to Peter Gallus. Normally Erdem has a keen eye and doesn’t let a game get out of hand. It’s also the first competive game for Erdem in three months.

SC Kittsee had all the chances in the world to win this game in the second half, as UFC Pama did not take advantage of Kittsee’s disarray on defence in the first half to score another goal or two. Then UFC Pama sat back in the second half instead of pushing forward hard.

Neither team deserves great credit for Sunday’s performance.

Still UFC Pama was gunning for that third spot and didn’t want to lose a derby game, particularly to what had been a lackluster 2021-2022 Kittsee club. The game was unexpectedly close. Here’s how it went down.

Tobias Wisak sends a dangerous header past Peter Gallus and Simon Werdenich at UFC Pama keeper Julius Pentek

Christopher Drobela sends another header at UFC Pama keeper Julius Pentek

Kittsee home bench fans enjoy watching UFC Pama’s Thomas Werdenich try to keep the ball away from Kittsee captain Thomas Bastian

This numbered sequence show how difficult it is to stop Jozef Sombat without tripping him. Peter Gallus is in pursuit.

This numbered sequence show how difficult it is to stop Jozef Sombat without tripping him. Peter Gallus is in pursuit.

Now comes the deliberate trip

Gallus at least makes a pretence of going for the ball but his right leg is clearly tripping Sombat.

There’s no way Sombat can avoid taking a tumble here.

Tobias Wisak continues to show some flare on the wing, even if he hasn’t fully put his game together at fifteen years.

Michal Andrasik had some good moments with the ball, including this one.

Markus Szegner is able to keep Juraj Fuska from scoring on a dangerous cross in front of UFC Pama keeper Julius Pentek

This photo is the start of an astonishing sequence which caused a complete breakdown in UFC Pama and almost won SC Kittsee the game. Jozef Sombat dribbles the ball in front of UFC keeper Julius Pentek with Andreas Roth in pursuit.

As Sombat comes closer, it looks like Pentek may still have control of the the angle.

Jozef Sombat managed to pull Pentek out of position. The ball is already past the keeper. Now Pentek must block and effectively trip Sombat to keep him from walking the ball in.

Sombat starts to fall as Pentek lunges in front of him.

It looks here like Sombat could land on his own two feet and still score. Pentek may have been able to get his hand on the ball putting it past Sombat’s reach, even will tripping him.

Sombat has decided that if he must go down, he will make noise doing so and so encourage the referee to make a call in his favour.

Sombat falls to the ground with his arm up as the ball drifts slowly in front of the Pama net with keeper Julius Pentek on the ground.

Is Sombat injured? By appearances, he is.

Sombat is down as Pentak slowly goes after the ball, but already expecting some kind of penalty kick.

UFC Pama keeper Julius Pentek realises what kind of trouble he is in now, blocking a forward, bringing him to the ground and perhaps injuring Sombat in the penalty area.

Julius Pentek points at Sombat while referee Markus Kouba points at the penalty spot.

Julius Pentek decides that Sombat is feigning injury and to go after referee Markus Kouba to overturn the penalty. This is a bad idea. Pentek may still have been able to stay on the field.

Markus Kouba has made his decision and lays a red card on Julius Pentek in the 67th minute for denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

Sombat lies on the ground in pain as referee Markus Kouba faces down Julius Pentek, Markus Lackner and Peter Gallus. Curiously in Premiere League football the rules were changed in 2016 to allow only a yellow card if a penalty kick is awarded on a DOGSA foul. Julius Pentek’s mistake here was to shout at the referee. If he’s kept quiet it might only have been a yellow card and a penalty kick.

Julius Pentek is infuriated with Jozef Sombat for playing possum, according to Pentek.

Is Sombat smiling as he walks off or is he genuinely injured? UFC Pama, and particularly keeper Julius Pentek are convinced it’s been an elaborate ruse.

Referee Markus Kouba is having none of it. He’s genuinely bemused and slightly annoyed that UFC Pama won’t accept his ruling. SC Kittsee captain Thomas Bastian is keeping his distance.

Keeper Julius Pentek spreads his arms to appeal to God if referee Kouba won’t listen.

Yes, it’s really happening. Referee Markus Kouba must explain the ruling yet again to Julius Pentek who in the heat of the moment has lost his ability reason.

Referee Markus Kouba tells Pentek to get off the field now. Sebastian Skerlan strives to keep a straight face as he relishes the turn the game has taken. SC Kittsee has been dominating play in the second half and they have their opportunity to tie up the game and run away with a much needed win.

Ten minutes after the initial foul, UFC Pama keeper Julius Pentek finally quits the field.

Referee Markus Kouba asks UFC Pama coaching staff which player they would like to take off the field to allow them to field a keeper (with a red card, Julius Pentek does not get a substitute). He gets another earful from the UFC Pama clubman.

The Kittsee home bench is delighted with this turn of event. Some already consider the penalty goal a done deal. Others, mostly former players, still look worried.

UFC Pama substitute keeper Patrik Kukla takes the field, looking stressed and unready. This is promising.

The penalty is taken hard by Jozef Machovec. Patrik Kukla jumps the wrong way. The ball bounces off the left post, hard. A little more touch and Machovec/SC Kittsee would have had an easy penalty goal.

UFC Pama have dodged a bullet here. In their outrage, the team has lost its collective mind and its ability to play coherent football. UFC Pama coach Michael Guttmann realises his team still holds the lead and strives to settle them.

Stony faces on the SC Kittsee bench. What looked like at least a tie if not a win, in what has been a dark almost winless season, is slipping away. SC Kittsee coach Manfred Wachter sends one time wunderkind winger Gerhard Krejcy in to freshen the attack.

Jozef Sombat picks up a nice crosser as Andreas Roth is caught flat-footed

Jozef Sombat has plenty of time to send a hard shot towards UFC Pama substitute keeper Patrik Kukla

Kukla won’t be fast enough to stop Sombat’s hard shot

Again SC Kittsee dings the post hard. This time it’s Sombat’s honours and not Machovec. Andreas Roth avoids the doghouse today.

As the sun sets, SC Kittsee’s chances are slowly floating away with this deflected header.

Josef Machovec and Christoph Drobola are determined to end the drout, competing hard for headers in front of the UFC Pama goal. Christoph Werdenich is able to get enough of the ball to keep it out of the goal.

UFC Pama can’t keep the ball out of their own end. SC Kittsee’s Patrick Pail tries to take a high ball away from Simon Werdenich in front of the UFC Pama goal.

Coming down fast on the right wing, Jozef Sombat lures Patrik Kukla well out of net but is unable to put the ball in the open UFC Pama net.

Close to the edge of the box, SC Kittsee receives another free kick from referee Markus Kouba. UFC Pama is furioius and nervous.

UFC Pama are backed up right against their net but SC Kittsee don’t seem to have a clear free kick strategy.

In the end Patrick Pail took the penalty kick and immediately tried to pass it out to Josef Machovec but UFC Pama’s Markus Szegner quickly got his foot on the ball and broke up SC Kitsee’s goal front chance.

Markus Lackner bumps Josef Machovec hard on the left wing as Machovec attempts to send in a crosser.

Dalibor Gonda runs in hot pursuit of Kittsee stalwart Gerhard Krejcy who still doesn’t seem to be up to full speed after a season off.

Michal Andrasik carries the ball between UFC Pama’s Dalibor Gonda and Markus Fabsich

Josef Machovec was determined not to cede this game. To the end he fought hard for a tying goal.

Patrik Kukla covers up the ball from Josef Machovec’s close header. Kukla didn’t have to do much with all the SC Kittsee shots going off goalposts but this was an important save. Nothing left for a scavenging Michal Andrasik.

Already deep into extra time, referee Markus Kouba awarded Kittsee with another close free kick. UFC Pama players Markus Lackner and Markus Szegner can’t believe their eyes.

Markus Szegner was lucky not to see a red card for touching his hand to his temple to indicate that referee Markus Kouba is crazy. An angry Markus Fabsich runs into join the complaints, as Kouba scoffs cheerfully at UFC Pama outrage