Wine Route South: Ready for the next step

The situation isn't quite as dramatic as it seems, of course: The Unterland team still has three games to secure the remaining two points to mathematically secure their first-ever promotion to the regional top flight. On Sunday, Fabio Zadra and Co. face Voran Leifers – a tough match, no doubt about it. But given their current form, the odds of a Weinstraße victory are high. Also because a win would secure promotion.

The unexpected often comes Before the season, the Unterland region was always aware of its strengths – but promotion? The club, which was formed in 2000 from the clubs Kurtatsch, Magrè, and Kurtinig, wasn't seriously considering this idea. Of course, at the time, it wasn't foreseeable that the second-placed team in the table would also earn a ticket to the Oberliga adventure. Nevertheless, the "take it or leave it" mentality prevailed in the otherwise tranquil environment of the Wine Route. This is also evident in a conversation with midfielder and homegrown player Johannes Huber: "To be honest, we didn't expect the championship to go this way before the start of the season. That's why we never put any pressure on ourselves."

Die Zeit is reif The Lower Austrians seem to be finally ready for the next step. Since being promoted to the Landesliga in the 2009/10 season, Fabio Ianeselli's team has been among the top five almost every year – but they never really made a decisive move into the hottest part of the table. This year, things are different. The core of the team is at their best for football. Players from outside the club, like Willy Amofah and Fabio Zadra, are giving the team the boost they've been hoping for. And coach Fabio Ianeselli, who has been with the club for five years now, knows his team's strengths and weaknesses. "He's certainly played a large part in the season so far," says Huber confidently, but he sees his team's greatest strength in its team spirit: "We have a lot of players, so some always have to sit on the bench. Nevertheless, they, just like the eleven on the pitch, are always highly motivated. The atmosphere within the team is fantastic. Furthermore, we managed to deliver consistent performances throughout the entire season this year, so we didn't have to deal with any crises. The result reflects this." On Sunday, Weinstraße Süd could secure its first promotion to the Oberliga. "Keep your concentration high – nothing's decided yet," is Johannes Huber's motto. However, no one really doubts that next year, alongside Tramin, a second Unterland club will play in the regional league.

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Wine Route South: Ready for the next step

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