Gala in Nations League
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What an evening of soccer: Austria have put themselves in an excellent position in the battle for promotion back to the top division of the Nations League with a resounding victory over Norway! The Austrians dispatched the team led by star striker Erling Haaland 5:1 (1:1) in Linz on Sunday.
Marko Arnautovic scored a brace (8th, 49th/penalty), Philipp Lienhart (58th), Stefan Posch (63rd) and Michael Gregoritsch (71st) were also successful for the ÖFB team.
First home win against Norway in 45 years
Ralf Rangnick's side have the group win in their own hands after beating Norway at home for the first time in 45 years. Austria are level on points with the Norwegians and Slovenians ahead of the final games in Kazakhstan (November 14) and against Slovenia (November 17), but have won the decisive head-to-head clash with Haaland and Co.
Arnautovic returned to the starting line-up as a "wild card" after two ÖFB games. In front of 16,500 spectators in the sold-out Raiffeisen Arena, the record international was preferred to Junior Adamu, who had last started in the center of the attack in the 4-0 win over Kazakhstan. Arnautovic captained Austria in his 120th international match - and proved his worth after just seven minutes. After a pass from Baumgartner and a good run, the 35-year-old smashed the ball into the net from the edge of the penalty area via the bottom edge of the crossbar. It was his first ÖFB goal from play since September 2023 in the 3-1 win over Sweden.
Pentz instead of Schlager in the ÖFB goal
Less than 100 seconds earlier, Haaland, who had been somewhat fortunate to get on the ball, hit the bar. Patrick Pentz, who had returned to the ÖFB goal for Alexander Schlager, would have been beaten (6th). Haaland's strike partner Alexander Sörloth made his first appearance in the 17th minute, but his shot went over the goal. Haaland was decisively pushed away by Gernot Trauner with another shot (19).
The Austrians briefly had the upper hand after the opening goal. Norway keeper Örjan Nyland had some trouble with a shot from Marcel Sabitzer (11') and made a strong save from an attempt by Christoph Baumgartner (24'). Sörloth equalized from a Julian Ryerson free-kick (39). Stefan Posch was blocked by Morten Thorsby, allowing the Atletico striker to head home unchallenged. Pentz had wandered through the penalty area somewhat indecisively and was therefore unable to intervene. Before the break, Nyland defused a dangerous shot from Konrad Laimer (43').
Arnautovic converted a penalty safely into the left corner
There was a brief lapse in the floodlights after the break, but the Austrians kept their cool. Andreas Hanche-Olsen threw himself into Baumgartner's path in the penalty area in extremis. Arnautovic converted the penalty safely into the left corner. With 39 international goals to his name, the Inter Milan striker is now just five short of ÖFB record-holder Toni Polster.
Just like three days ago, Lienhart scored with his head from a Romano Schmid corner - and into the exact same goal in front of the Austrian fans. But it got even better for Austria: Sabitzer, who had been playing in a turban since the first half, found Posch with a cross at the far corner, who also headed in. It was the Bologna defender's second goal in his 40th international match. Nicolas Seiwald came close to scoring his ÖFB debut goal, but his header lacked centimeters (66').
Gregoritsch came on for Arnautovic - and scored immediately
Arnautovic made his exit in the 69th minute and Gregoritsch, who had been out of action during the week with a fever of up to 39 degrees, replaced him. Less than two minutes later, the Freiburg striker, who had missed the failed Nations League opener in September due to a torn muscle fiber, scored with his head. Sabitzer had once again done the groundwork.
Austria thus also won their fourth competitive match at the new stadium in Linz. It was the ÖFB team's fifth home win in a row and their first against Norway since 1979, when they dispatched the Scandinavians 4-0 in the Vienna Prater. The last time the Austrians scored more goals in a competitive match was in September 2019 in the European Championship qualifier against Latvia (6:0). The Norwegians, who were unbeaten in the Nations League up to that point, conceded more than four goals for the first time since a 6-0 defeat to Germany in September 2017.
The result:
Austria - Norway 5:1 (1:1)
Linz, Raiffeisen Arena, 16,500 spectators (sold out), referee Bognar (HUN)
Goals: 1:0 (8.) Arnautovic, 1:1 (39.) Sörloth, 2:1 (49.) Arnautovic, 3:1 (58.) Lienhart, 4:1 (62.) Posch, 5:1 (71.) Gregoritsch
Yellow cards: Posch or Hanche-Olsen, Berge
Austria: Pentz - Posch, Trauner (79. Svoboda), Lienhart, Mwene - Seiwald, Laimer (84. Grillitsch) - Schmid (79. Wimmer), Baumgartner (84. M. Seidl), Sabitzer - Arnautovic (69. Gregoritsch)
Norway: Nyland - Pedersen, Ajer, Hanche-Olsen, Möller Wolfe (79. Heggem) - Ryerson (63. Berg), Berge, Thorsby (63. Dönnum) - Sörloth (85. Larsen), Haaland, Nusa (63. Myhre)
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