“Belgium is a real benchmark, it will be a real endurance test,” says Irene Fuhrmann, Austria’s women’s soccer team boss, before the EURO dress rehearsal on Sunday (5 p.m., ORF 1) in Lier against the world number 19, who is two positions above of the red-white-red team.
“I’m looking forward to an opponent on an equal footing, so we can prove ourselves again,” emphasized FC Bayern legionnaire Sarah Zadrazil before the international test match, which can certainly have significance with a view to the EURO group phase. Because the Belgians already had to deal with two final opponents from Austria in the preparation.
On 16 June they lost 3-0 in Wolverhampton to EURO hosts England, who will be waiting for Manchester in the opening match on 6 July at Old Trafford. On Thursday, Belgium won the showdown with outsiders Northern Ireland, who – on July 11 – beat Austria’s second EURO opponents in Southampton 4-1. The result is clearer than the course of the game before the eyes of an ÖFB video analyst would have expected.
It was 1-1 up to the 82nd minute, then a triple pack sealed the sporting fate of the Northern Ireland team, who were outnumbered after being excluded (69th). A balanced match is expected for Sunday, most recently in March 2019 Belgium and Austria parted ways goalless in Cyprus.
For Fuhrmann, it’s about finding their starting lineup for the EURO and also gaining clarity regarding the nomination of the final squad of 23 (this will officially take place on Monday, 11 a.m., ORF Sport+). So there can be no question of gentle gear before the England trip. “It’s important to push yourself to the limit, both physically and in terms of play,” said 43-time team goalscorer Nicole Billa.
Source: Nachrichten
