2023-11-21 21:01:00
Slowly but surely EURO football fever is rising. Before the draw for the six groups of four takes place in Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie on December 2nd, two of the 24 final round participants met in Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium. The classic Austria once morest Germany, which would also be possible at the EURO, ended with a convincing 2-0 (1-0) win for Ralf Rangnick’s team. Hats off!
When the German anthem was played, occasional whistles might be heard from the stands. Pretty out of place. After just 90 seconds, the red-white-red team had their first opportunity to finish: Christoph Baumgartner’s shot was deflected. It’s the start of a magnificent and intensive football evening – with clearly better opportunities for the Austrians.
The biggest one goes to Michael Gregoritsch, who outwits the DFB team’s offside trap, runs towards goalkeeper Kevin Trapp, but misses miserably. The shot is too central. What a chance (16th)!
Image: ROLAND SCHLAGER (APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)
Rangnick’s team knows how to please. The pressing works, the Austrians are toxic and hardly give the Germans any room to breathe. Gregoritsch falls in the penalty area – that’s not enough for a penalty (23′).
But the celebration of the goal doesn’t take long to arrive. Dortmund legionnaire Marcel Sabitzer’s 1-0 win brought the fans out of their seats. The Wels native completed a dream combination with Gregoritsch and Baumgartner in the 29th minute with a skillful low shot into the left corner. Trapp is caught on the wrong foot. Goal for Austria, deserved.
Germany tries to calm the game down. It only works in phases. Serge Gnabry’s long-range shot in the 40th minute falls into the category of “despair” – no threat to Alexander Schlager’s goal, who has been virtually unemployed to date.
And now we’re heading in the other direction with vigor. Baumgartner’s attempt goes past the right corner of the cross (43′). Austria’s performance is impressive and characterized by fast-paced football. That leaves you wanting more.
The half-time break is over, the game continues in front of a sold-out house (46,000 visitors) – with a personnel change on the German side. Thomas Müller replaces Niclas Füllkrug, who was completely unregistered.
Leroy Sane sees red
Things get turbulent in the 49th minute: a pack forms on the pitch, Leroy Sane and Philipp Mwene clash, Sane puts his hand in Mwene’s face. For this assault he sees a red card from referee Vincic. Marko Arnautovic tries to calm Sane down. It succeeds gradually.
Germany is now outnumbered and chasing a 0-1 deficit. Everything speaks in favor of the Austrians, who are pushing hard. Nagelsmann seems to use any means to disrupt the flow of the game. He signals goalie Trapp to fake a calf injury. The Frankfurt goalkeeper actually sits down on the pitch, gets treatment and takes minutes off the clock. It wasn’t very sporty. We’re entering the last half hour.
Continue with Gregoritsch, who fails because of Trapp (64th). The Germans have now made five changes. After Füllkrug, Julian Brandt, Serge Gnabry, Ilkay Gündogan and Leon Goretzka also left the pitch. Benjamin Henrichs, Florian Wirtz, Joshua Kimmich and Robert Andrich, who is celebrating his DFB debut, are trying to bring regarding a turnaround.
Now the Austrians also swap for the first time: In the 68th minute, Maximilian Wöber comes on for Mwene, who was greeted with thunderous applause.
Preliminary decision by Baumgartner
In the 73rd minute everything seems to be clear, the next dream goal makes the red-white-red footballer’s heart beat faster. Leipzig legionnaire Baumgartner scores for the eleventh time in the team jersey. It is a perfectly executed attack via David Alaba and Michael Gregoritsch, which extends excellently into the path of his strike partner. Baumgartner leaves Trapp no chance with his lob. 2-0 – the preliminary decision and the crowning achievement of an excellent team performance.
“Oh, that’s beautiful, you haven’t seen something like that in a long time,” chanted the enthusiastic spectators. The last minutes are running, Austria has everything under control, Germany has no answers. The bottom line is 12:8, the DFB team has more ball possession on paper (52:48 percent), but Ralf Rangnick’s team still comes across as superior.
The victory is absolutely deserved. Sabitzer even has a chance to make it 3-0 (87th). In the 89th minute, Hartberg striker Maximilian Entrup made his team debut and was immersed in a wave of enthusiasm. Enjoyment factor 100.
Eight Germany legionnaires in Austria’s starting eleven
Austria’s team boss Ralf Rangnick nominated his starting eleven for the prestigious friendly international match more than an hour before kick-off. The only real surprise concerns the left-back position: Philipp Mwene (FSV Mainz 05), who missed the last course due to injury, gets a chance in place of Maximilian Wöber.
“It’s an interesting match for the players and spectators, certainly a special game for both nations,” said the coach: “I expect an explosive and exciting showdown, it can certainly be compared to a derby.” Of course, nobody wants to lose.
There are no less than eight protagonists in Rangnick’s formation who earn their living in the German Bundesliga: In addition to Mwene, these are Philipp Lienhart (SC Freiburg), Konrad Laimer (FC Bayern Munich), Xaver Schlager, Nicolas Seiwald, Christoph Baumgartner (all RB Leipzig). Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund) and Michael Gregoritsch (SC Freiburg).
And this is what the ÖFB line-up looks like: Alexander Schlager; Stefan Posch, captain David Alaba, Lienhart, Mwene; Laimer, X. Schlager, Seiwald, Sabitzer; Baumgartner, Gregoritsch.
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National team Nagelsmann would probably like to have Rangnick’s problems
Germany’s national coach Julian Nagelsmann has also made a decision: Kevin Trapp starts in goal, Jonathan Tah, Antonio Rüdiger, Mats Hummels and Kai Havertz play in defense, Ilkay Gündogan and Leon Goretzka form the midfield center, flanked by Serge Gnabry, Leroy Sane and Julian Brandt. Niclas Füllkrug is intended as the top.
For Bayern stars Joshua Kimmich and Thomas Müller there are only places on the substitute bench.
Author
Alexander Zambarloukos
Sports editor
Alexander Zambarloukos
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