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For the Austrians, like Sunday’s 1-0 in Northern Ireland, half the game wasn’t great. This time it was the performance in the first 45 minutes that left a lot to be desired. “We had too many simple mistakes in the preparation of the game and often we had to run after the ball,” explained Foda, who after 27 games as head of the national team has 18 wins.
During the break, there was a change from the 4-2-3-1 system to a triple chain. “After that, we had better access, we had better possession of the ball and we had more conquests,” said the coach, but also admitted that we had to survive one or another delicate situation. “After the break, the Romanians played two or three good counterattacks badly, so we were a bit lucky.”
Austria wins in Romania
Captain Julian Baumgartlinger highlighted the realignment, which included a change from a four-way to a three-way chain. “We did a very good adaptation in the second half and then we had a lot more access. After the tour we didn’t let anything burn. Now it is a great quality for us to be able to change the game, to be able to react in the second half and improve, ”said the Salzburg man.
“It was our weakest match in the League of Nations”
Despite the successfully defended leadership in the League of Nations group, Baumgartlinger was self-critical. “That was the weakest of the four Nations League games,” the 32-year-old said. “That we still win and that we continue to watch from the top of the group is important and enjoyable.”
Martin Hinteregger did the same. “We deservedly left the field as winners,” said the central defender. However, there is enough potential for improvement. “We are always good on defense, but we can only play half offense right now.” Hinteregger was replaced by Foda in the 53rd minute because he was in danger of being excluded. “I didn’t know that the referee had already threatened me with red. He didn’t tell me that, but the fourth official told the coach, ”Carinthian said after their 50th international game.
David Alaba was on duty the entire distance and received special praise from the team leader. “He is an absolute world-class player. You’ve already seen against Northern Ireland how important it is because it is a personality. He can lead the team and talks a lot with the players. “
Foda also spoke favorably of Alessandro Schöpf. The deciding goal scorer was the only player to be reordered in the starting lineup compared to the Northern Ireland game. “He played a good game for a long time, especially in the second half. The goal was beautiful “.
Create important goals for the man
In the past, the 26-year-old presented himself as a man of significant and sometimes even historical success. His goal for the final score 2-1 on June 2, 2018 in Klagenfurt against Germany marked the first victory over the great neighbor in 32 years. Three days earlier, the offensive man had fired at the ÖFB team for a 1-0 victory over the Russia World Cup quarter-finals.
Schöpf also scored 1: 1 in the bitter 1: 2 in the 2016 European Championship match against Iceland in St. Denis, making him the only Austrian, along with Ivica Vastic, to have scored in a European Championship. . By comparison, the 2-0 winning goal in the 2-1 friendly over Malta on May 31, 2016 seems almost insignificant.
But Schöpf did not look back at Ploiesti. The satisfaction of having played a decisive role in a major success prevailed. “I am happy for the team,” said the 24-time international. “The victory was deserved for the second part.”
ÖFB now has all the wins in hand
Thanks to Schöpf’s fifth international goal, the ÖFB team has all the triumphs in hand in the battle for first place. If they win against bottom Northern Ireland at Happel Stadium on November 15, a draw against Norway three days later in Vienna is enough to win the group. In this case, there would be duels with the main nations of Europe in the next edition of the Nations League in League A, and most likely participation in the play-off of the World Cup 2022 is in your pocket.
In the November games, most of Romania’s missing dozen players should be available again, possibly Marko Arnautovic as well. “Whether he is there depends on whether he will reach the final of the Chinese league with Shanghai. If he leaves early, he will be there, ”said Foda, who flew from Bucharest to Nuremberg late Wednesday night.
From there, the national coach took the car to Styria, where Foda attended the funeral of the recently deceased former Sturm Graz president Gerald Stockenhuber on Thursday.
