2:3 in Linz: Austria’s women’s team was close to a surprise against Germany

The premiere of the Austrian national football team in front of 7,500 fans in the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz had started brilliantly and still resulted in a false start to the European Championship qualification in terms of results. The team led by captain Sarah Puntigam lost to favorite Germany 2:3 (2:1) after a 2-0 lead. “The goal we conceded before the break was a broken neck,” said double goalscorer Eileen Campbell.

“It’s one of the bitterest football evenings because we dominated the opponent before the break. I’m proud, but it’s a shame that we didn’t reward ourselves,” said team boss Irene Fuhrmann. The next chance opens up on Tuesday (6 p.m., ORF 1): away against Poland (0:3 in Iceland), the world number 17 is the favorite.

Award for a duo

Before kick-off in Linz, Barbara Dunst, one of 6 Germany players in the ÖFB starting eleven, was presented with the trophy for Austria’s Footballer of the Year 2023. Frankfurt colleague Virginia Kirchberger was honored by ÖFB President Klaus Mitterdorfer and sports director Peter Schöttel for 100 international matches.

What will definitely be remembered is the 101st, which initially developed in a way that not even the boldest optimists had expected. “We are well prepared and excited for the game. We will be courageous and go beyond our limits,” announced goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger, who was only tested for the first time in the 21st minute. And so it was. Before the break.

Austria’s team came out of the dressing room with an incredible amount of energy, willing to take the edge off their “big sister” (original sound Puntigam). And that was really impressive for 38 minutes. ÖFB team boss Irene Fuhrmann had brilliantly recruited her team, from which Celina Degen stood out visually because of her mask (as a result of a facial injury).

The team in the 4-2-3-1 system acted aggressively against the ball, no-frills with it, poisonous. The fifth in the world rankings on the other side, eight-time European and two-time world champions, were initially just passengers and after 16 minutes, completely surprisingly, they were 2-0 behind.

Image: JOE KLAMAR (APA/AFP/JOE KLAMAR)

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Eileen Campbell impressed with a “double pack”.
Image: JOE KLAMAR (APA/AFP/JOE KLAMAR)

The stadium was upside down – DFB national coach Horst Hrubesch was not. He leaned stoically calmly against his chair while Fuhrmann ticked off kilometers. It was like she was playing along. She might have liked to have done so given this first half, which was all about striker Eileen Campbell.

The Freiburg legionnaire showed her irrepressible will when she emphatically stole the ball from Sara Doorsoun and Kathrin Hendrich and scored coldly to make it 1-0 (9th). But that’s not enough. The 2-0 (16th minute) by the 23-year-old, who finished off a well-rehearsed action with a header after Dunst’s free kick, caused the atmosphere to overflow.