Manuela Zinsberger, Austria’s number 1, has played eight EURO matches in her career and conceded just two goals. When the 26-year-old, who captured the 1-0 win over Norway in Brighton on Friday, trudged to the TV interview after a sweaty session in the weight room at Pennyhill Park yesterday, she was caught in the midday heat at Pennyhill Park ” was peppered with questions by ARD. That’s in the nature of things: Austria’s soccer players will meet record European champions Germany in Brentford on Thursday (9 p.m., ORF 1), who completed their group flawlessly – with a maximum of nine points and without conceding a goal. “It won’t be a walk in the park, may the best win,” said Zinsberger.
“No Walk”
The ARD had really tickled the Austrians before their group finals because the commentators had practically committed themselves to Norway as opponents in the round of eight. “We already noticed that, it motivated us a bit, provoked us a bit,” admitted winger Julia Hickelsberger-Füller.
Eintracht Frankfurt legionnaire Barbara Dunst also found clear words: “It’s now Austria against Germany – we have shown that some of us have to be on the bill. That will be advertising for women’s football,” emphasized the Styrian.
The German national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg certainly had Austria on her list. Recognition sounds through, there can be no question of hubris or arrogance. “Congratulations to Austria! They deservedly reached the quarter-finals. They played three great games. They are tactically well adjusted, they live off their team spirit like us. They want to make life really, really difficult for us. Nobody should think that it will be a walk in the park. I have great respect for this team performance and for this trainer (Irene Fuhrmann, note).” This appreciation for what has been achieved is mutual.
“For me, Germany was always one of the favorites for the title, they put in incredibly strong performances. Sometimes we don’t need the world stars in the team, but each individual counts. Everyone leaves their last shirt on the pitch,” says Zinsberger, for example, while ÖFB- Substitute goalkeeper Isabella Kresche, who injured her ankle yesterday, hobbled from the training ground on crutches.
405,000 euros in UEFA awards
Setbacks are part of the business, but they don’t throw the red-white-red team off track. They weld them together even more – if that is still possible at all. “For us you are already the funnest team at this EURO, the fun factor is huge,” emphasized the colleague from the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” and spoke about the celebrations after the red-white-red sense of achievement, which to date has 405,000 euros to UEFA premiums (200,000 for the two wins, 205,000 for reaching the quarterfinals) flushed into the ÖFB coffers.
Is there still a progression level in party mode? “Tramway foarn” by Jazz Gitti is quite trendy right now. “We’ll see on Thursday whether we’ll continue with the tramway. It happens out of emotion. It’s just us, it’s part of us,” emphasized Zinsberger. “If anyone hasn’t understood that by now, then write it down again. It’s nothing against other nations. If we do something well, then we celebrate the reward.” End of the announcement, full focus on the preparation.
First competition game against Germany
Austria versus Germany – which is a classic among football men, not least because of Cordoba, where Hans Krankl made a nation “crazy” with his World Cup goals in a 3-2 victory in 1978, is a rarity among women. For Irene Fuhrmann’s ÖFB team, the EURO quarter-finals on Thursday in Brentford will be the very first encounter with the neighbors in a competitive game. Previously, only two friendly country matches took place. In 2016 Austria lost 4-2 in Regensburg after Laura Feiersinger (48th) and Nina Burger (54th) had equalized to make it 2-2. In 2018, Germany won 3-1 in Essen. Nicole Billa, who scored her first EURO goal against Norway on Friday, scored the 1-1 draw (34th).
Source: Nachrichten
