The ÖFB selection fought 2-2 after a 2-0 deficit at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium on Tuesday, with the German vacating his post after 48 games with 27 wins, six draws and 15 defeats. The “jokers” Michael Gregoritsch (75th) and Alessandro Schöpf (82nd) equalized the 0:2 through Jack Hendry (28th) and John McGinn (56th).
In front of 6,600 spectators – just missing the Vienna record of 6,200 in November 1987 against Romania – Foda brought the two strikers Marko Arnautovic and Sasa Kalajdzic together in the starting lineup for the first time during his tenure. In total there were five changes compared to 1-2 on Thursday in the World Cup play-off in Wales.
100th country match for Dragovic
In addition to Kalajdzic, goalie Daniel Bachmann, Valentino Lazaro, Stefan Ilsanker and Andreas Ulmer were also in the starting eleven. The rested David Alaba and Xaver Schlager, the ailing but corona-negative Heinz Lindner, Stefan Lainer, who was suffering from muscle problems, and Nicolas Seiwald, who was assigned to the U21, were missing. Aleksandar Dragovic was there again, leading the ÖFB selection as captain in his 100th country match.
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The Austrians acted in a kind of 3-4-3 system and initially did well on the offensive, but had problems on the defensive. A half-volley from McGinn landed right at Bachmann (3′), four minutes later McGinn rolled the ball past the far corner. The Scots relied on counterattacks and were mostly deep, but the home side still had their chances. Guest keeper Craig Gordon fended off a Kalajdzic header (6th) and remained the winner even after a remarkable attack by Christoph Baumgartner and Lazaro against the Stuttgart attacker (14th).
In the 16th minute, Arnautovic shot over from a difficult position after a deflected Lazaro cross, in the 21st minute the Bologna professional could have made it 1-1, but after preliminary work by Konrad Laimer he put the ball right on Gordon. As Austria got into the game better and better, Marcel Sabitzer made a bad pass in the attacking third and thus initiated a counterattack that led to a shot at the side netting by Che Adams and then to a corner.
Andy Robertson brought the ball towards the second post, Martin Hinteregger lost the header duel with Grant Hanley, Bachmann strayed on the goal line, the artificial leather landed on the crossbar and Hendry maneuvered the ball into the net from close range. The fact that he rammed his hand in Baumgartner’s face had no consequences because there are no video assistants in test games. The ÖFB kickers sniffed the balance in the 35th minute. Arnautovic got the ball past Gordon, Kieran Tierney cleared in front of the line and Laimer fired the ball wide.
In the second half, the hosts tried hard to score, but the Scots were more effective. Tierney pulled away on the left, McGinn converted his cross with a dry direct shot (56th). The Aston Villa professional scored in the 2-2 draw between Scotland and Austria in Glasgow a year ago.
Strong final phase of the ÖFB team
Numerous changes followed, the flow of the game was lost for the time being, before the Austrians put down a strong finish. Gregoritsch headed in after a cross from Ulmer and scored his sixth ÖFB goal just 1:12 minutes after his substitution. Schöpf made it 2-2 with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area seven minutes later. Weimann even had the ÖFB victory on his feet, but found his master in Gordon (84th). In the end, goalkeepers Patrick Pentz and Maximilian Ullmann were allowed to make their debuts.
Red-White-Red is now against the current world number 40. Scotland (Austria are 30th) without a win in six home games. Coach Steve Clarke’s squad have had six wins and two draws from their last eight matches. In June, Scotland will be battling Ukraine at home and Wales away for a World Cup ticket.
The ÖFB team kicks around the same time in the Nations League, which starts for the domestic selection with a game on June 3rd in Osijek against vice world champion Croatia. In this game, the new team boss will already be on the bench, who will be hired in April and will lead Alaba and Co. to the EM 2024. Qualification for the final round in Germany starts in a year.
Source: Nachrichten
