Preview
Mr SimpleRight, so we've got SKN ST. Polten hosting Rapid Wien II on 16 October in the 2. Liga, and if you've been following this one, the story is pretty clear. SKN ST. Polten have won seven of the last eight meetings between these two, and the most recent one — back in March at this very ground — ended 4–0. That's not a coincidence, folks. At their own end, that 4–0 is the only meeting here within the last 12 months, and the older meetings at this venue (3–1 and 1–0) are also SKN wins. Rapid Wien II haven't won at this ground in any meeting on record.
Now, the form on the day is doing a lot of talking. Rapid Wien II have lost their last five games — scored four, conceded fifteen. That's a brutal stretch. They've dropped points at home to Wacker Innsbruck (1–2) just six days ago, lost 0–2 to First Vienna at home five weeks ago, and got hammered 2–5 away to Sturm Graz II. Their away record over 20 games isn't a disaster by any stretch (9W 1D 10L), but the last five have been a different story entirely. SKN ST. Polten, meanwhile, sit at 9W 4D 7L across 20 home games, conceding just 0.9 per game and picking up nine clean sheets. They won 2–1 at home against Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz three weeks ago and 1–0 against Austria Salzburg seven weeks ago. Yes, they did lose 1–3 away to First Vienna seven days ago, and the 0–3 cup defeat to Salzburg stings, but the home numbers are the ones that matter here.
The counter-argument? Well, SKN ST. Polten's last ten across all venues is 3W 1D 6L, and they've failed to score in five of those ten. Rapid Wien II, despite the five-game losing run, have scored in eight of their last ten and their away record over 20 games shows 1.65 goals per game. So they're not a team that simply shuts up shop and disappears. The head-to-head is heavily in SKN's favour, but it's mostly historical — the only meeting within the last 12 months was that 4–0 in March, and the rest reach back three years. So we're leaning on current form and the home/away splits more than the H2H.
Where does that leave us on goals? SKN ST. Polten at home have seen at least one team fail to score in 14 of their last 20 home games. The head-to-head overall shows five of eight meetings were BTTS no, and the most recent one here was a 4–0. Rapid Wien II have failed to score in two of their last five, and their away record shows five clean sheets conceded in 20 games. The numbers point to a game where at least one side goes blank.
Key Points:
- SKN ST. Polten have won 7 of 8 head-to-head meetings, including a 4–0 at this ground in March
- Rapid Wien II have lost their last 5 games, conceding 15 and scoring just 4
- SKN ST. Polten's home record: 9W 4D 7L in 20, 0.9 conceded per game, 9 clean sheets
- SKN ST. Polten have had at least one team fail to score in 14 of 20 home games
- Rapid Wien II's away record over 20 games: 9W 1D 10L, 1.7 conceded per game
My call: both teams not to score, at 2.45.