LINZ, Austria (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of pregame projections, St. Pölten U18 delivered a commanding 4-1 victory over the LASK Juniors U18 on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at Hofmann-Personal Stadion. The result defied both a statistical simulator that predicted a 2-2 draw and an ELO rating system that heavily favored the home side.

The match, part of Week 12 of Austria’s Jugendliga U18 competition, was controlled early and decisively by the visitors. St. Pölten established its dominance quickly, with midfielder Daniel Hölbling opening the scoring in just the 4th minute. The early pressure continued, and attacker Mohammad Reza Habibi doubled the lead in the 38th minute, sending St. Pölten into halftime with a comfortable 2-0 advantage.

Any notion of a second-half comeback from LASK was swiftly extinguished. Star attacker Philipp Haberl, the top performer for St. Pölten, scored twice in a 13-minute span after the break. He found the net in the 48th and 61st minutes, completing his brace and extending the lead to 4-0. Midfielder Marco Schabauer added a fifth goal for the visitors in the 73rd minute, solidifying a comprehensive offensive display.

LASK Juniors, which now holds a record of 1 win, 2 losses and 3 draws in the Jugendliga this season, managed to avoid a shutout with a late rally. Substitute Michael Kaltenbrunner scored in the 76th minute, and fellow substitute Severin Hager added another in the 80th minute to provide the final margin of 4-1.

The match was a physical contest, with five yellow cards issued. St. Pölten accounted for four of them, including one to goalscorer Marco Schabauer in the 20th minute. LASK’s Armin Midžić received the lone booking for the home side in the 54th minute.

The victory improves St. Pölten U18’s Jugendliga record to 8 wins, 7 losses and 5 draws this season. The team will look to build on this momentum when it travels to face Red Bull Akademie U18 on Saturday, April 18, in its next league fixture.

For LASK Juniors U18, the loss marks a setback in a season with limited league action. The team’s schedule resumes later in the spring.