Coach Ralf Rangnick suffered an unfortunate defeat on his home game debut with Austria’s national soccer team.
Three days after the convincing 3-0 win in Croatia, the ÖFB team, which had changed nine positions, lost 2-1 (0-1) against Denmark on Monday evening in Vienna. The game started 90 minutes late because the floodlights in the Ernst Happel Stadium had failed. The power outage also affected around 1,500 households in the second district of Vienna.
Unfazed by the blackout in the arena and by the ÖFB’s initial offensive, the guests took the lead through Pierre-Emile Højbjerg from Tottenham Hotspur (28th minute) and had more good chances. But the hosts got into the game better after the break – and Wolfsburg’s Xaver Schlager deserved to equalize (67th). Marko Arnautovic hammered the ball against the post in his 100th international match (74th). Match winner Jens Stryger Larsen made the guests cheer after all (84th).
Austria under Franco Foda had already lost both group games (0:1/0:4) against the Danes in the World Cup qualifier. After the second day of play in Group 1 of League A, Denmark (6 points) now leads ahead of Austria (3), France and Croatia (both 1).
Next Friday, the ÖFB selection will welcome world champion France, who did not get more than 1: 1 (0: 0) in a new edition of the 2018 World Cup final in Croatia. Three days after their opening defeats – France 1:2 against Denmark and Croatia 0:3 against Austria – again no team could convince in the average and poor game. The lead of the world champion by Adrien Rabiot from Juventus Turin (52nd) was equalized by Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric with a penalty kick (83rd). Luka Modric from Champions League winner Real Madrid completed his 150th international match for World Cup runners-up Croatia.
