Austria

www.austria.com

World Ranking 102

Squad

Team Review

Austria squad looks in a dire state at a really wrong time as they co host the tournament which I don’t think they would have qualified for if it wernt for the new rule that hosts automatically qualify. I’m hoping I am wrong and they do at least get a few points on the board but I fear their team just hasn’t got enough class to battle it out against the likes of Germany, Croatia or Poland to even get a sniff of a qualifying spot.

Star Man

Martin Harnik, His debut came in a match against Czech Republic and after being on the pitch for just six minutes, he
scored the equalizing goal in the 78th minute. He is the new starlet of Austrian football and for their sakes hopefully he stays fit and had a good campaign.

Also check out who we think will be the 'players to watch' in the tournament

Tournament History

Match Reports

Austria 0 - 1 Croatia

(Modric 4(pen))

This game began with a penalty awarded to Croatia within the first 3 minutes which prompted thoughts of a cricket score line but to the contrary Austria show real resilience in trying to come back from a game that was thought by many as out of their reach.

Austria made a game of it and didn’t allow Croatia to play their game and although not creating too much in terms of goal threat managed to contain the Croats who most bizarrely deteriorated as the game progressed.

The game wasn’t one for the neutral to enjoy as their wasn’t too much action and flair through out the game but the one thing the Austrians can take form the game is that they didn’t give up and in actual fact played well even though they faced a Croatia side who are a lot more gifted in comparison and are seen by many as dark horses to win the tournament.

Austria 1 - 1 Poland

(Vastic 90+2(pen)) (Guerreiro 30)

This was never going to be an epic battle of flair and beautiful football but what it did conjure up was a lot of controversy. The first half hour was all Austria as they went all out trying to prove to their supporters that they deserve their place in the tournament which is what many a Austrian fan doest believe they had a few good chances to get into the lead but were not decisive enough in front of goal to make them count.

Then on the half hour marked Poland’s Brazil Born playmaker Guerrero rained down a hammer blow on the Austrian team by scoring a goal that should clearly have been disallowed as Guerrero was in an offside position when the first shot was struck.

The game didn’t offer little more for the fans as it looked like one goal lead was going to be defended by the Polish but then in the last minute English referee Howard Webb gave a penalty when Lewandowski tugged Sebastian Prodl’s shirt in the penalty area. 38 year old Austrian veteran striker Vastic lashed the ball into the net making him the oldest ever goal scorer in the tournaments history by a staggering 4 years and also claimed a valuable point for the hosts and gave the country of Austria finally something to cheer about.

Austria 0 - 1 Germany

(Ballack 49)

The Germans had it all to play for losing their second game to the impressive Croats and so did the Austrians who were still in with a chance to qualify albeit a slim one. The Germans were the better team in the first half although the Austrians were trying with all their might to stop them. The Austrians did have quite a bit of possession but never really looked like scoring.

Then came the second half and with it came the moment the whole of Germany were waiting for as within 5 minutes they had earned them selves a free kick which was being lined up by Ballack who with one almighty strike nearly tore through the net making it one nil to the Krauts.

The game never really picked up and toward the end the most exciting moment was both coaches being sent to the stands for arguing with each other and then the ref. Ballacks goal was enough to see them through to the quarter finals with a date with Portugal on Thursday to look forward to.