A terrible start and a rip-roaring finish, Ireland’s clash with Austria ended with substance thanks to Jon Walters’ equaliser but was worryingly devoid of style. We are still in a brilliant position to qualify for next summer’s World Cup, so why does it feel so precarious? Here are ten talking points after a huge week for Ireland’s qualification hopes.
Graphic Designer Adam Caul brings us a wonderful Subbuteo-inspired graphic for the next in our Póg Mo Goal Matchday Poster Series as the Austrians roll into town for a crucial World Cup Qualifer against Ireland.
Noel Feeney brings us a superb design in the latest instalment of our ongoing matchday poster series. With Dundalk’s European high flyers Daryl Horgan and Andy Boyle making the squad to travel to Vienna for Ireland’s next qualifier, the League of Ireland pair will be hoping to go one step further and get some game time against Austria.
On 5th November, 2015, little Austria stood 10th in the FIFA rankings. A landslide campaign in the Euro qualifiers with nine wins and just one draw even turned the Alaba-led team into a dark horse for the tournament in France. What has happened since then? Georg Sander of 90minuten gives the view from the Boys in Green’s next opponents.
Ireland’s record against Austria does not make for great reading ahead of our crucial game in Vienna. The last time we defeated the Austrians was in Dublin in 1963 in front of almost 40,000 at Dalymount Park in a European qualifier, which effectively made us quarter-finalists in the competition.
Mesut Özil had a 95% pass accuracy against Ireland, sending Germany on their way to the World Cup and capping the evening with a goal. Meanwhile Zlatan was at it again for Sweden.
The last time Ireland defeated Austria was in Dublin in 1963 in front of almost 40,000 at Dalymount Park in a European qualifier. Having drawn 0-0 in Vienna three weeks earlier, Ireland progressed to the last eight of the European Nations Cup thanks to a 3-2 win with two goals coming from Manchester United’s Noel Cantwell.
Both smarting from defeats last Friday and trailing the play-off spot by three points, Austria and Ireland face off in Vienna desperately clinging to hope. Georg Sander of 90minuten.au traces the recent development of Austrian football, claiming the current defence is a weakness, and that former Salzburg coach Trapattoni still holds a fascination for the natives – an allure that has all but disappeared in Ireland.
Some would say he was at the helm of Ireland for too long, with some ageing players, a direct style of play deemed no longer suitable for international football, and, with defeat in Austria, headed for the exit door. There are many parallels between Jack Charlton’s last days as Irish boss and the apparent imminent end of the Giovanni Trapattoni era. Vienna forms the back-drop to both.
As Ireland prepare to take on Austria in Vienna hoping for a miracle, Tuesday’s hosts are recovering from a 3-0 defeat in Munich. Germany inched closer to qualification with goals from Miroslav Klose, equalling the German record, Kroos, and Muller. Meanwhile Kazakhstan, who must defeat Sweden to give Ireland any hope, had to come from behind to beat the Faroe Islands.