Austria Wien survive late Malmö scare

FK Austria Wien coach Karl Daxbacher was able to exact revenge on Malmö FF as goals from Nacer Barazite and Alexander Grünwald gave his team their first points in Group G.

As a player, Daxbacher was a member of the Austria Wien side beaten by Malmö in the 1978/79 European Champion Clubs' Cup semi-finals, but the outcome was different this time around as Barazite – top scorer in UEFA Europa League qualifying this season with eight goals – put the visitors on top with a powerful low drive. Grünwald then doubled their advantage, and although Mathias Ranégie's 82nd-minute header unsettled the visitors, they held on despite Grünwald's late dismissal.

The home side were attempting to make amends for their heavy 4-1 opening-day defeat at AZ Alkmaar. Daniel Larsson, the scorer of their consolation that night, cut in from the left to drive emphatically at goal, before Jiloan Hamad headed wide and Ranégie shot over.

It was Austria Wien who struck first, however, and from their first meaningful attack, Zlatko Junuzović's cross from the left deflecting into the path of Barazite, who turned sharply and struck into the bottom corner from the edge of the area on 17 minutes.

Georg Margreitter's sharp block ten metres out prevented Wílton Figueiredo firing a leveller before Grünwald's controlled finish put Daxbacher's men further ahead nine minutes before the break. Junuzović released Florian Klein on the right and Grünwald was there to guide his cutback into the far corner.

Ranégie rose highest to head in Ricardinho's cross to reduce the deficit for Malmö towards the end, and both Markus Halsti and Hamad went close, but Austria Wien clung on to the points despite Grünwald's second yellow in the final minute.