Christoph Baumgartner (10th), Philipp Lienhart (53rd), Marcel Sabitzer (56th) and Matthias Seidl (79th) scored the clear victory in front of 14,500 fans. Although Rangnick and Co. had difficulties. converting their chances in the first half, with the ball hitting the frame of the goal three times, it was difficult to be in the second half of the game.
Austria were well into the game from the start, constantly putting the Central Asian team under pressure and rarely letting their opponents down. Goalkeeper Alexander Schlager only had to save a Kazakh shot in the 73rd minute.
league of nations
Schedule and table
The ÖFB team will need a similar performance this Sunday against Norway, who beat Slovenia 3-0, with Erling Haaland scoring twice. If the red-white-red team wins by more than one goal, they will top the table. In the event of a win, first place and promotion to group A of the League of Nations is as good as gone.
Rangnick trusts Schlager
Rangnick – in contrast to Salzburg coach Pepijn Lijnders – fielded reliable goalkeeper Alexander Schlager and put striker Junior Adamu in the starting line-up. For Schlager this was his first international appearance since his knee injury, which cost him his participation in the European Championships in early summer.
debate
How will the ÖFB team get back on track?
Adamu preferred Marko Arnautovic in the middle of the attack. The 23-year-old, who recently fought for a regular place at SC Freiburg, played his eighth international game and third in the starting line-up. According to the ÖFB, his clubmate Michael Gregoritsch, who recently recovered from a torn muscle fiber, was not in the squad due to a flu-like infection.
Knocked twice, went the third time
The Austrian started as a coach, players and fans expected: agile and aggressive. The team was trying to forget the mixed performances against Slovenia and Norway. Austria’s first chance came in the third minute. But the shot from Hoffenheim winger Alexander Prass only hit the outside bar. In the eighth minute, Prass curled a right free kick towards the far corner of the crossbar, but Kazakhstan goalkeeper Igor Schazkij turned the ball over the crossbar.
1-0 by Christoph Baumgartner (10th)
In the tenth minute, the Leipzig Legionnaire Christoph Baumgartner scored the deserved 1-0 with his 17th team goal.
Soon after, however, Shatsky was powerless. Baumgartner was again a threat to the team. After Nicolas Seiwald won the ball in the attacking third, the ball immediately went to Baumgartner, and the RB Leipzig player, who goes no further than a reserve there, did not give Schazkij a chance with his low shot for his 17th goal in the ÖFB . uniform
Metal instead of waltz
Laimer sent the next good shot just over the goal in the 16th minute. Prass, who was obviously in a shooting mood, hit the crossbar (18th). The game was played on the famous “slippery slope”. In the 21st minute, Schazkij hit the brutal Baumgartner with his hand on his leg while trying to clear the ball. According to the TV images, make clear contact.
Penalty alert in Kazakh penalty area (20th)
Kazakhstan goalkeeper Igor Schazkij touches Christoph Baumgartner’s leg as he runs out. For referee Robertson from Scotland, not enough for penalties.
Referee Donald Robertson from Scotland did not see a penalty and, surprisingly, neither did the VAR. Konrad Laimer also highlighted the fact that the ÖFB team took boss Rangnick’s appeal for “heavy metal instead of a slow waltz” to heart in the 27th minute with an irresistible start on the left. Adamu deflected Stangl’s sharp pass just centimeters over the goal.
A clear balance of power
The audience loved what was on offer in the Linz stadium. A block of fans behind Schlager’s goalie chanted “Red-White-Austria.” Philipp Lienhart blocked the equalizer with his head. Laimer was the controlling center in midfield, on the right side Romano Schmid and Baumgartner showed their enthusiasm.
Adamu hits the bar (27.)
For the third time that evening the post was in the way of the Austrian rear.
Adamu was lurking in the middle, and Prass on the left had already shown his danger. In the 44th minute, captain Marcel Sabitzer also introduced himself with a long-range shot. Overall the game went smoothly. The game was under the control of the ÖFB team, the coach Rangnick could be happy. Perhaps he wanted a better result from the efforts on goal. The ratio of goals shot at the break was 13:1 – for Austria.
Double freedom stroke
Finally Lienhart redeemed the team and its fans with the 2-0 (54th minute). After a goalless period immediately after the restart, a Freiburg corner from Schmid headed past Schazkij into the goal. The spell was broken. Austria was able to play freely. Which was immediately reflected in the 3-0 result.
2-0 by Philipp Lienhart (53.)
The Freiburg defender scored the decisive second goal for the Austrians after a corner.
A start from Baumgartner in midfield, followed by a clever pass on the left to Sabitzer, and the Dortmund player managed to make it 3-0. Schatsky flew in vain (56th). Kazakhstan team boss and former Austrian legionnaire Stanislaw Cherchessov went wild around the perimeter and made the first substitutions. However, these changes came too late against an ÖFB team in a match mood.
If it works, it works
Rangnick also brought fresh energy. Venezia legionnaire Michael Svoboda was very happy with his first team. For Marko Arnautovic, who was also a substitute, it was his 119th appearance for the team. Patrick Wimmer also threw himself into the action.
Austria dominated the game and Rangnick continued to represent. In the 72nd minute, Matthias Seidl came on the field in place of goal scorer Baumgartner, and just seven minutes later, after an assist from Arnautovic, the Rapid player increased the lead to 4-0 with his first team goal (79th) . The game was therefore in the books as a victory for Austria. The fans were delighted, as evidenced by the thunderous applause and the loud singing of “Sweet Caroline” after the final whistle.
4-0 by Matthias Seidl (79th)
Not only was the Rapid player able to secure the final score, but at the same time he was able to celebrate his first goal in the team’s jersey.
Voices about the game:
Ralf Rangnick (ÖFB team boss): “The key was, of course, our game against the ball. The only thing we would have liked more today was another goal or two. But overall, in terms of energy, the performance was exactly what we wanted.”
Stanislav Cherchesov (Kazakhstan team boss): “With 0:4 there is not much to sugar coat. We made a lot of mistakes. We gave up many goal situations, to be punished at this level. The intensity of the game was very high. As usual, Austria played very well and is in top form. We knew they were good at pushing. We learn, that’s football. I am optimistic that we will go into the next games with more experience.”
UEFA Nations League, League B, Group 3
Thursday:
Austria – Kazakhstan 4:0 (1:0)
Linz, Raiffeisen Arena, SR Robertson (SCO)
Torfolge:
1:0 Baumgartner (10.)
2:0 Lienhart (53.)
3:0 Sabitzer (56.)
4:0 Seidl (79.)
Austria: A. Schlager – Posch, Trauner (62nd/Svoboda), Lienhart, Prass – Seiwald, Laimer (76th/Grillitsch) – Schmid (62nd/Wimmer), Baumgartner (72nd/M. Seidl), Sabitzer – Adamu (62nd/Arnautovic )
Kazakhstan: Schazkij – S. Astanow, Kassym, Alip, Worogowskij – Sainutdinow (76./Schaxibajew), Abiken (46./Orasow), Islamchan (46./Samorodow), Tagybergen (67./Darabajew), Tschesnokow – Schaxylykow (59. /Schuschenatschew)
Yellow cards: Brass (suspended against Norway on Sunday) and S. Astanow