Armando Kozi shot Merano into the regional league. © Markus Dorn

Winners and losers celebrate: Two regional league promotions

In addition to FC Gröden – which celebrated a historic promotion to the Oberliga – the joy on Sunday was also huge for three other clubs.

June 01, 2025

From: det

It's usually impossible for a winner and a loser to celebrate in a playoff match. But on Sunday, that was certainly the case at the Brixen youth center. In the playoff match between the second-placed teams in the 1st Amateur League, Olimpia Meran beat Freienfeld 1-0 after extra time, completing their long-awaited return to the regional league.

With a slight delay, the defeated opponent from Freienfeld was also able to celebrate. Because the second-placed team in the regional league, Gröden, prevailed in a spectacular playoff against Nago Torbole, An additional place in the regional league became available – and Freienfeld takes it.

Markus Mutschlechner will play with Freienfeld in the regional league in the future.

That's why the Wipptal Valley team can easily get over their defeat against Merano. The two clubs fought a fiercely competitive match in Brixen, which Olimpia's exceptional talent Armando Kozi won in extra time (103'). Merano has thus achieved its ultimate goal; after all, the Passerstadt team has been pining for the regional league for years. Freienfeld is also returning to the top, all-South Tyrolean league.

Ritten is promoted to the 1st amateur league

Second Amateur League club Ritten also had reason to celebrate, beating Sexten 2-1 in the playoff between the two third-placed teams thanks to a goal from Paul Apeh. This secured the footballers from the high plateau the last ticket to the First Amateur League. However, the Ritten team had to wait a long time after the final whistle, as their move up the league was only possible because the two First Amateur League runners-up, Merano and Freienfeld, were promoted.