Ralf Rangnick can also get really angry, the story of how the French equalizer came about in the 83rd minute made the 63-year-old German blush with anger.
The professor, who as Austria’s soccer team boss created a spirit of optimism in the country within a few days, is a perfectionist. That’s why he finds it difficult to live with the 1-1 draw against the reigning world champion in front of 44,800 enthusiastic fans in Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium.
When the ORF crew around moderator Rainer Pariasek ensnared him with hymns of praise and repeatedly said the word “congratulations”, Rangnick fell in front of the camera. He didn’t want to hear that.
“I don’t know what there is to congratulate. I’m happy with the game overall, but not with the result,” said the former Manchester United head coach. “We were 1-0 up, we have a free kick in the opposing half and give the opponent a chance to counter. Eight seconds later we get it 1-1. That was naive.”
“I had to wait a long time for this goal”
Rangnick’s former Leipzig protégé Konrad Laimer, who lost the ball in this situation, will also have to listen to this, although the midfield engine courted by FC Bayern again showed a strong performance over long stretches. He runs and runs and runs. Not only that.
The 25-year-old is also excellent in the offensive game. Seen this way in minute 37: After fine preliminary work by Marko Arnautovic, he duped his opponent with a “Gurkerl”, the ideal Stanglpass found the foot of Bristol City legionnaire Andreas Weimann, who sent the ball over the line from close range to make it 1-0 pressed.
The red-white-red football world was still okay for Rangnick, for the 30-year-old Wiener Weimann, who scored in his 18th country match for the first time in a team jersey, anyway.
“I had to wait a long time for this goal, I couldn’t have picked a better moment than against the world champion. Unfortunately we didn’t get the lead over time. We deserve this point. Now we’re a bit disappointed, there wasn’t much missing. But overall we can be satisfied.” Rangnick is not. It’s always more.
“He just shows his speed”
Goalkeeper Patrick Pentz knows that too, who, like in the 2-1 draw against Denmark on Monday, played his way into the display with strong saves. “I would have preferred to take the win and no saves,” admitted the 25-year-old.
“We didn’t do badly against a top team for long stretches and scored an unbelievable 1-0. We were in good shape, but then a situation arises where he simply shows his speed.”
He is none other than Paris Saint Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, who turbocharged, ran away and scored mercilessly to make it 1-1. The lightning-fast striker Rangnick came within a hair’s breadth of spoiling the evening and putting France on the road to victory. But then Pentz and the crossbar saved (88th).
Rangnick reacted to the constant pressure from the French after the break. When David Alaba was substituted with (renewed) adductor problems, the team boss gave his protégé Marcel Sabitzer a note. With instructions to change the system. “We switched to 5-4-1. I gave Sabi the note with the new basic order,” reported Rangnick.
Captain Alaba will probably be missing in Denmark
For the ailing ÖFB captain Alaba, who will probably not play in Denmark on Monday, it was over in the 69th minute. “The adductors kept closing. It didn’t make any sense if you weren’t at 100 percent. It wasn’t an easy game,” said the Real Madrid defense chief.
“If you look at the second half it’s probably a fair draw. But we can’t be happy about that, we can’t concede the goal. We have to stay calm. We should have won 1-0. It doesn’t feel so good now,” said the 29-year-old.
“This team has a new style”
Laimer emphasized the “great quality” of the Equipe Tricolore. “Mistakes are severely punished. Of course we would have liked to win, but we played 1-1 against the world champions.” There are mixed feelings, but not in the stands. The audience was still celebrating the Austrian team minutes after the final whistle on their lap of honor.
France’s goalkeeper Hugo Lloris had already disappeared into the catacombs. “Since the new coach has been in office with the Austrians, this team has a new style. They pressed very hard and high, we were prepared for that. We had a lot of chances after the break. Unfortunately we didn’t win.”
This draw sounds like a felt defeat. On both sides.
Source: Nachrichten
