Austria Vienna were eliminated on penalties by TSV Hartberg in interim coach Max Uhlig’s first match in charge, Wolfsberger AC suffered an embarrassing defeat to second-division Hertha Wels, and Grazer AK were thrashed 4-0 at home by SCR Altach.
While Rapid progressed comfortably to the quarter-finals with a 3-0 victory away to First Vienna, the other three Bundesliga sides missed opportunities to restore some much-needed confidence. For Austria and WAC in particular, their recent managerial changes have so far failed to deliver the desired response.
Austria lose on penalties to Hartberg
Austria Vienna made a promising start against Hartberg. Following the dismissal of Stephan Helm, Max Uhlig took charge of the first team for the first time. The former Young Violets coach had promised to inject fresh energy into the squad and win back the supporters with a more attacking, purposeful style of football.
The hosts duly made the brighter start. Johannes Eggestein put Austria ahead in the 26th minute, seemingly setting the Vienna side on course for a long-awaited breakthrough in the cup.
But their joy was short-lived. Shortly before half-time, Oliver Lukić equalised for the Styrian visitors following an assist from Marco Hoffmann (44′), sending the teams into the interval level at 1-1.
The second half developed into an evenly contested, increasingly physical encounter. Neither side managed to score again in normal time, and the deadlock remained unbroken throughout extra time, leaving a penalty shootout to decide who would progress.
Hartberg prevailed, inflicting another bitter disappointment on Austria. The Styrian club had already knocked the Violets out of the competition in April, winning 1-0 away from home in the semi-finals. Now they repeated the feat in the round of 16.
Uhlig’s debut therefore ended without the hoped-for boost. Admittedly, the new coach had only two training sessions to prepare his players, but the problems afflicting his squad clearly cannot be solved in a matter of days.
The elimination is particularly painful given Austria’s ambitions for the season. After seven defeats in their opening ten Bundesliga matches, the cup had appeared to offer their last realistic chance of silverware. Now all that remains is the task of significantly improving their league campaign. Sunday’s Vienna derby against Bundesliga leaders Rapid is next on the agenda. Given the enormous contrast in form between the city rivals, Uhlig is unlikely to face any less pressure in his second match in charge.
WAC embarrassed by second-division Hertha Wels
An even bigger upset unfolded in Upper Austria. FC Hertha Wels, currently battling to avoid relegation from the second division, knocked Wolfsberger AC out with a 1-0 home victory.
The contrast between the two sides could scarcely have been greater. Wels had recently suffered a 6-2 home defeat to Voitsberg, while WAC arrived as a Bundesliga club and the 2025 Austrian Cup winners, making them overwhelming favourites.
The hosts, however, enjoyed a dream start. Tolgahan Şahin opened the scoring in the fourth minute, converting a chance created by former Rapid player Yasin Mankan.
WAC subsequently tried to establish control and find a way back into the match. The Carinthian visitors increased the pressure considerably after half-time and won numerous set pieces. They finished the contest with a total of 13 corners.
But the equaliser never came. Hertha Wels defended their slender advantage until the final whistle, celebrating one of the biggest victories in the club’s recent history.
For WAC coach Manfred Schmid, the result represents another setback. The former Austria Vienna manager had replaced Thomas Silberberger only a few days earlier and lost his first Bundesliga match in charge 1-0 away to Hartberg.
Another defeat has now followed in the cup. The team that sensationally lifted the trophy in 2025 bears little resemblance, in sporting terms, to its former self. Bottom of the Bundesliga, the Carinthian club remain deep in crisis and have now lost their opportunity to regain confidence through a cup run.
Altach demolish GAK 4-0
The most emphatic result of the evening came in Graz. SCR Altach secured a surprisingly comfortable 4-0 victory away to Grazer AK, leaving the hosts with little chance of recovery, particularly after the break.
Yann Massombo put the visitors ahead in the 18th minute following an assist from Srdjan Hrstić. Altach took their 1-0 lead into half-time before striking again shortly after the restart. Massombo doubled his tally in the 51st minute, and just seven minutes later Rodney Elongo-Yombo made it 3-0 from a Benjamin Böckle assist. Hrstić completed the rout with a penalty in the 69th minute. Altach registered nine shots on target compared with just two from GAK.
For the Graz side, the heavy defeat represents another low point. Only a few days earlier, GAK had been humiliated 6-1 in the city derby against Sturm. A subsequent point away to WSG Tirol clearly failed to bring any lasting stability.
Altach, by contrast, appear to be finding their feet. After beating Austria Vienna 2-1, the Vorarlberg club have now recorded another important victory within a matter of days. Last season’s cup finalists can continue dreaming of another memorable campaign in the competition.
No end in sight to the crises
While Altach, Hartberg and Hertha Wels celebrate their places in the quarter-finals, Austria Vienna, WAC and GAK face difficult weeks ahead.
At Austria and WAC, the managerial changes have yet to produce an immediate turnaround. At GAK, meanwhile, another heavy defeat has only deepened an increasingly alarming sporting crisis.
The cup round of 16 offered all three teams an opportunity to claim a desperately needed morale-boosting victory. Instead, they have been eliminated and must now attempt to resolve their problems exclusively through their league campaigns.
Four more round-of-16 ties on Wednesday and Thursday
The Austrian Cup continues on Wednesday with three further matches. At 6pm, FC Wacker Innsbruck host WSG Tirol in a Tyrolean derby, while Red Bull Salzburg visit Schwarz-Weiß Bregenz at the same time. Despite their increasingly extensive injury problems, Salzburg remain clear favourites.
At 8.30pm, defending champions LASK take on SV Ried in an Upper Austrian derby, with the two Bundesliga sides competing for a place in the quarter-finals.
The round concludes on Thursday at 6pm when Austria Lustenau host Sturm Graz. The Graz runners-up will be looking to build on their recent Europa League victory over Marseille, while the second-division hosts will hope to cause an upset in front of their own supporters.
The quarter-final draw will take place on Sunday after the Vienna derby.
