SCR Altach vs Grasshoppers

SCR Altach started with purpose and pinned Grasshoppers back in their own half from the first whistle. The breakthrough came in the 10th minute: Ousmane Diawara's square ball across the face of goal found Benjamin Böckle, who slid in at the far post to score his first goal for the club.

Five minutes later, Altach doubled their lead. Patrick Greil swung in a cross from the right flank and Ousmane Diawara rose highest to power a header past GC debutant goalkeeper Marvin Hübel. The same combination nearly made it 3-0 moments later, but Diawara's header from another Greil delivery rattled the crossbar.

Grasshoppers responded quickly. In the 22nd minute, Nikolas Muci — back at the club this summer — collected the ball on the left edge of the penalty area and drilled a finish across the goalkeeper for his first goal since returning to GC. The visitors nearly levelled before half-time: a flowing move down the left involving Stroscio and Muci released Conateh, but he delayed his shot and the chance was smothered. Hübel then denied Diawara one-on-one in the 45th minute to keep it 2-1 at the break.

The second half was a quieter affair until the 67th minute, when Greil's shot from distance took a decisive deflection and looped past Hübel for 3-1. Grasshoppers pushed for a response — Lee tested the keeper from a tight angle and Hassane drilled a long-range effort wide from the resulting corner — but the game was cut short in the 84th minute as a violent thunderstorm swept over the stadium.

Altach's second goal in the 15th minute — a well-worked set-piece header from Diawara — effectively decided the contest. It forced Grasshoppers to chase the game from inside the first quarter of an hour, and although Muci's reply gave them a foothold, they never fully recovered from the two-goal deficit.

Ousmane Diawara (SCR Altach) — One goal and one assist inside the opening 15 minutes. The Malian striker was a constant threat, also hitting the crossbar and forcing a fine save from Hübel. His physical presence unsettled the GC backline throughout.

Benjamin Böckle (SCR Altach) — Opened the scoring with a poacher's finish at the far post and combined well with Diawara on the left flank. His energy in the final third set the tone for Altach's dominant start.

Nikolas Muci (Grasshoppers) — The only bright spot for the visitors. Took his goal with composure and linked well with Conateh and Stroscio in GC's best spell of the first half.

Marvin Hübel (Grasshoppers) — Conceded three but made several smart saves on his debut for the club, including a vital one-on-one stop against Diawara just before half-time.

The match statistics page shows four goals, but the game's narrative was shaped by a 15-minute spell that produced three of them. Altach's two-goal burst between the 10th and 15th minutes gave them a buffer that Grasshoppers could not fully overcome despite Muci's instant reply. The second half generated only one goal before the weather intervened — a deflected strike from distance — suggesting both sides had settled into a lower tempo before the abandonment.

For SCR Altach, this was their penultimate pre-season fixture before competitive action begins. The result extends their preparation momentum under head coach Ognjen Zaric, who rotated his squad in the closing stages with Brandtner, Raguz, Yalcin and Niehoff introduced in the 77th minute. Altach face SV Leobendorf away in the ÖFB Cup first round on 24 July (19:00) before the Bundesliga season kicks off the following week.

For Grasshoppers, this was the final pre-season test under Peter Zeidler before the Super League campaign begins. The result caps a mixed preparation window — GC lost 2-3 to Wil earlier in July — and the early defensive lapses will be a concern ahead of the league opener. Grasshoppers travel to Lausanne on 25 July (18:00) for Matchday 1 of the 2026/27 Super League season.

A pre-season friendly decided by a 15-minute burst and finished by a thunderstorm. Altach were sharper and more physical in the opening exchanges, and the scoreline reflected that edge. Grasshoppers showed character to respond through Muci, but the defensive frailty that conceded two soft early goals will need tightening before the real business begins next week.

SCR Altach: 24 July — SV Leobendorf (A) — ÖFB Cup R1 Grasshoppers: 25 July — Lausanne (A) — Super League MD1