Qualifying start
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Led 2:0, fought heroically, but lost narrowly in the end: For Austria's women's national soccer team, there was a lot of light at the start of the European Championship qualifier against Germany in the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz, but also a bit of shade due to the 2:3 home defeat. The hoped-for revenge for the team's quarter-final exit at Euro 2022 came to nothing, but confidence was nevertheless boosted for Tuesday's clash against Poland in Gdynia.
After early goals from Freiburg legionnaire Eileen Campbell (9th, 16th), a sensation against the record European champions was in the air at LASK's home ground. Klara Bühl with a double strike (39th, 49th) and Giulia Gwinn (63rd) with a very controversial penalty turned the game around. The Germans were rewarded for a clear improvement in performance after the break. However, they are only second in the qualifying Group A4 table, with Iceland leading the way after a clear 3-0 home win over bottom-placed Poland.
Virginia Kirchberger and Katharina Schiechtl benefited from the absence of the injured Sarah Zadrazil and Katharina Naschenweng, who were cheering in the stands, and moved into the starting eleven. Austrias Schiechtl defended on the right side of the back four, while the Frankfurt international Kirchberger, who was honored by the ÖFB before the match for her 100th international match, played on the inside. The regular central defender Celina Degen moved up a level to defensive midfield and took over Zadrazil's role.
Dream start
There was no sign of any coordination problems; great courage, high aggression and strong pressing caused problems for the "big sister" Germany, as Sarah Puntigam had called the opponents beforehand. Even in the first few minutes, the ball moved well in ÖFB's own ranks and the opening goal felt like only a matter of time. After a Hanshaw cross, there was not much missing from a Degen finish (6'). Three minutes later, Campbell scored the goal of the day. The ex-Altach player first beat Sara Doorsoun and then, thanks to a bit of luck, Kathrin Hendrich as well, and then left-footed the ball into the far corner from the edge of the area.
Just ten minutes later, the 23-year-old headed in powerfully from six meters out after a made-to-measure free-kick cross from Barbara Dunst. The Germans were non-existent offensively at this point, but Sjoeke Nüsken changed that with two shots (21st, 31st). At the other end, Campbell slipped near the edge of the penalty area, meaning a potential top chance did not materialize (33). The big favorites only got back into the game through a mistake of their own. Marina Georgieva dribbled the ball away and it ended up with Bühl, who scored into the corner from the edge of the six-yard box.
Germans ice-cold
However, this did not put sand in the ÖFB's gears and goal number three was in the air. Lilli Purtscheller almost surprised Merle Frohms with a shot into the near corner, and Degen headed over from the resulting corner (45'). At the break, Horst Hrubesch, the veteran German coach with a background in Austria, seemed to have found the right words. The two-time world champions showed their true colors, suddenly set the tone and quickly equalized. Nüsken played in Bühl, who completed her brace.
Things got even worse for the ÖFB squad after just over half an hour. Laura Freigang was brought down after a collision with Manuela Zinsberger, who was sitting on the ground, and Swedish referee Tess Olofsson whistled for a penalty that was highly controversial to say the least, which Gwinn safely converted at the second attempt. The goalscorer almost scored another own goal in the 66th minute, but otherwise another DFB goal was in the air. Zinsberger saved her team from going further behind with good saves (68th, 74th).
As was the case at Euro 2022 (0:2), there was no happy ending in the second competitive match against Germany, the fourth defeat in the fourth international match. 7,500 spectators ensured the second-largest attendance in ÖFB women's history, but hopes of a new record were clearly not fulfilled.
Austria - Germany 2:3 (2:1)
Linz, Raiffeisen Arena, 7,500
refereed by Olofsson (SWE).
Goals:
1:0 Eileen Campbell (9.)
2:0 Eileen Campbell (17.)
2:1 Klara Bühl (39.)
2:2 Klara Bühl (49')
2:3 Giulia Gwinn (63', penalty)
Austria: Zinsberger - Schiechtl (64. Feiersinger), Georgieva, Kirchberger, Hanshaw - Purtscheller (80. Hickelsberger-Füller), Degen, Puntigam, Dunst - Campbell (80. Pinther), Höbinger (88. Billa)
Germany: Frohms - Gwinn, Doorsoun (46. Schulze Solano), Hendrich, Linder - Lohmann (46. Freigang), Oberdorf, Nüsken - Brand (86. Endemann), Schüller, Bühl (90. Kössler)
Other match: Iceland - Poland 3:0 (2:0)
| 1. | Iceland | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:0 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2. | Germany | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
| 3. | Austria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
| 4. | Poland | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:3 | 0 |
Further matches ÖFB-Team:
Poland - Austria (Tuesday, 6 p.m.)
Austria - Iceland (31.5. in Ried)
Iceland - Austria (4.6.)
Austria - Poland (12.7.)
Germany - Austria (16.7.)
The group winners and runners-up in League A qualify directly for the 2025 European Championship finals in Switzerland. The other seven places will be determined in two play-off rounds.
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