Sunday against Norway

Mwene ahead of Haaland hit: “This is extra motivation”

Phillipp Mwene

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

Austria's national team is aware of the importance of the clash with Norway. Only with a home win on Sunday (8.45pm) in Linz do the Austrians have group victory and thus promotion to the Nations League's top division in their own hands. 

"We know that we should get a positive result," said Phillipp Mwene on Friday at the ÖFB camp in Windischgarsten.

The runners-up in the group will play a third-placed team from the A-League for promotion in March. In the event of a tie on points, the direct duel counts, in which the Norwegians are currently three points ahead after their 2:1 home win in September. What conclusions were drawn from the game in Oslo? Mwene: "That it's not enough for us if a few percentages are missing."

(Bild: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB)

They didn't have the necessary intensity in the run-in. "We didn't put them under as much pressure as we would have liked." When the Norwegians overplayed Austria's pressing with high balls, they also won very few second balls. "That's the number one thing we've been working on," explained the Mainz legionnaire. The 4-0 win against underdogs Kazakhstan on Thursday was "a good indication" of the direction we should take.

Mwene missed the game due to a yellow card suspension, but will return at left-back against the Norwegians. Alexander Prass, who is now suspended, left the team camp on Friday. Otherwise, few changes are expected in terms of personnel. Michael Gregoritsch, who suffered from a flu-like infection with a fever of up to 39 degrees on Wednesday, is feeling better according to an ÖFB spokesperson. There is hope that the Freiburg striker will at least be in the squad on Sunday.

Norway will travel on Saturday with their new record goalscorer Erling Haaland, who scored a late winner in the first leg. Mwene emphasized that they would not just focus on the Manchester City star when analysing their opponents. "It's about being stable around him so that the others can't use him in such a way that he gets those finishing opportunities. We actually did an okay job of that in the first leg." Until a scene in the 80th minute, which Haaland capitalized on to score the winning goal.

In addition to Haaland and his strike partner Alexander Sörloth, Mwene also warned against the quick wingers. "They have very, very good quality offensively." However, he also wanted to play to nil against the Norwegians. "I think we'll be even more confident at home." The two Nations League openers in Slovenia (1:1) and Norway were "not super-optimal". "But I think we're still on the right track overall," said the 30-year-old. "We also want to develop further."