Ralf Rangnick will once again have to reshuffle his side. Paul Wanner and Nikolas Veratschnig are out injured, Sascha Horvath has also left the camp, while Kevin Danso is suspended. Konrad Laimer, however, is available for the first time during this international window. The Bayern midfielder is not expected to start. Kick-off in Dublin is at 8:45pm.
Two wins, but two very different performances
Austria lead Group B3 with six points. They opened their campaign with a 3-1 win over Israel in Linz, although the result was only secured late on. Romano Schmid put Austria ahead from the penalty spot, Israel equalised after the break but were reduced to ten men shortly afterwards. Phillipp Mwene and Sasa Kalajdzic eventually sealed the 3-1 victory in the closing stages.
The subsequent 3-1 win over Kosovo was considerably more convincing. David Affengruber headed Austria in front from a set piece before Junior Adamu finished off a superb transition move just before half-time. Substitute Carney Chukwuemeka made it 3-0 after the interval, with Edon Zhegrova later reducing the deficit from the penalty spot. Above all, Austria’s intensity, counter-pressing and speed in transition were significantly better than they had been against Israel.
Ireland, by contrast, showed two very different sides within the space of a few days. Heimir Hallgrímsson’s team were clearly second best in a 1-0 defeat away to Kosovo. The hosts registered 22 shots, while Ireland offered little threat going forward before Vedat Muriqi scored the winner in the 83rd minute.
The response came with a 3-0 victory over Israel. Troy Parrott, Adam Idah and Jack Moylan all scored before half-time. Moylan in particular impressed with a goal and an assist and has put himself firmly in contention to start behind the two strikers against Austria.
Rangnick expects plenty of direct balls
Rangnick sees Ireland’s contrasting performances as an additional challenge.
“We’ve seen two faces of Ireland,” said the Austria coach. He noted that the Irish created very little in Kosovo but looked “completely different” against Israel and deserved their victory.
Tactically, Rangnick expects a much more direct contest than Austria faced against Kosovo.
“They are a team that tries to get the ball forward quickly. I also expect a lot of long balls, a lot of balls into our penalty area.”
Austria will therefore need more than technical quality. “We need to have a higher energy level on the pitch than our opponents again,” Rangnick stressed.
Second balls are likely to be one of the key battlegrounds. Ireland have two physically strong forwards in Parrott and Idah and are often willing to bypass midfield with direct passes. Austria, meanwhile, will look to press Ireland’s back three or back five early and attack the spaces behind the wing-backs after turnovers.
Wiegele starts as Danso, Wanner and Veratschnig miss out
Florian Wiegele will start in goal for Austria. Rangnick confirmed before departure that the 2.05-metre Viktoria Plzeň goalkeeper will earn his second senior cap.
“He’s done really well in training again and plays every game for his club,” Rangnick said.
Danso is unavailable after collecting his second yellow card, meaning Philipp Lienhart is likely to partner Affengruber in central defence. Stefan Posch could replace the injured Veratschnig at right-back. Phillipp Mwene is available again after his recent physical problems, while Maximilian Wöber remains another option on the left.
Wanner and Horvath are both absent in midfield. That could hand Chukwuemeka his first start of the international window after scoring as a substitute against Kosovo. Laimer, meanwhile, is expected to begin on the bench. Rangnick has indicated that the Bayern midfielder, who has been recovering from an adductor problem, could play around 30 minutes in the second half.
Michael Gregoritsch is also available again following an ankle injury. Rangnick therefore has several options at centre-forward, with Gregoritsch, Adamu and Kalajdzic all in contention.
Hallgrímsson looking to make home advantage count
Ireland coach Hallgrímsson described Austria as “the highest-ranked team in our group” and made clear that his squad must now refocus entirely on football after a turbulent few days. He said the mood in camp was good following the victory over Israel.
The hosts will be without captain Nathan Collins because of a calf injury, while striker Evan Ferguson is sidelined with an ankle problem. Bosun Lawal has rejoined the squad but is not yet ready to play.
Ireland can, however, draw confidence from an impressive run at the Aviva Stadium. They are unbeaten in their last eight home matches and have kept clean sheets in each of their previous four. Austria, meanwhile, have not won in Ireland since 1995.
Predicted line-ups
Ireland could again line up in a 3-4-1-2 or 5-2-1-2:
Kelleher – Abankwah, O’Shea, O’Brien – Kitching, Molumby, Coventry, Manning – Moylan – Idah, Parrott.
That compact structure worked extremely well against Israel, particularly with the two forwards offering a constant threat in quick attacks.
Austria are likely to start in a 4-2-3-1:
Wiegele – Posch, Affengruber, Lienhart, Wöber – Seiwald, Xaver Schlager – Schmid, Chukwuemeka, Wimmer – Adamu.
Gregoritsch, Kalajdzic and Mwene are alternatives, while Laimer is expected to enter the game during the second half.
After two home fixtures, Dublin represents the first genuine away test for Austria’s reshaped side. A third straight win would already put Rangnick’s team in an excellent position in the race for promotion back to League A. Ireland, meanwhile, would draw level on points with victory – ensuring that the atmosphere at the Aviva Stadium is likely to match the intensity on the pitch.
