Austria manager Ralf Rangnick is confident his team can stop Troy Parrott in Linz on Saturday, pointing to their previous success against Erling Haaland.
The Republic of Ireland travel to the Raiffeisen Arena for a UEFA Nations League fixture. Victory will secure a first-ever promotion to League A.
Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side sit second in the group. They drew 2-2 against the Austrians at the Aviva Stadium in October, where Parrott scored twice.
Rangnick’s side salvaged that match with two late goals in Dublin.
“We played Norway here and we beat them 5-1 [in October 2024] and Erling Haaland didn’t have a single opportunity to score,” said Rangnick.
“So, if we can do that with Norway and with Erling Haaland, I’m positive that we can also do it tomorrow.”
Injuries Hit Austrian Squad
Austria enter the match dealing with a substantial injury list, reported the Irish Examiner.
Rangnick is missing a group of absentees. That list includes David Alaba, Maximilian Wöber, Nikolas Veratschnig, Paul Wanner, Patrick Wimmer, Florian Grillitsch, Carney Chukwuemeka, Marco Grüll, Xaver Schlager, and Alexander Prass.
Despite the omissions, Extra reported that Hallgrímsson downplayed the impact of the squad gaps.
RB Leipzig midfielder Christoph Baumgartner has returned to the Austrian fold after missing the previous window.
“We are fully aware of the importance of tomorrow’s game but we are also fully aware that Ireland has a good team. We have experienced that, especially in the first half when we played in Dublin,” said Rangnick.
“We have a few players missing due to injuries but we had a good week of training in our camp in Aspern.”
Tactical Approach in Linz
Austria have won six and drawn one of their seven matches at the Raiffeisen Arena since its reconstruction in 2023. They average 2.25 goals per game in the campaign.
Rangnick spoke about the need for defensive stability.
Having frustrated Erling Haaland, Austria manager Ralf Rangnick is confident his side can curtail Troy Parrott 📺Watch Austria v Republic of Ireland live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player pic.twitter.com/ZPVRsm27AT
Bayern Munich midfielder Konrad Laimer talked about the physical intent for the fixture.
“We have to exert some pressure,” Laimer told RTÉ Sport.
“We have to look to see if we can get some chances to score goals. The Republic of Ireland have a good team, but I think if we perform well we can win the game tomorrow.”
Austria Hold Group Top Spot
Austria hold top spot in the group. Ireland need a strong finish to confirm their Pot 2 status for the Euros qualifiers next year.
Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side are in Linz to take on an Austrian side. That team secured a 2-2 draw at the Aviva Stadium in October, where two Troy Parrott goals had Ireland two-up at half-time before Austria fought back.
Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side face the challenge without Seamus Coleman, who is not in the match-day squad.
The referee for the fixture at the Raiffeisen Arena is Irfan Peljto from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Austria boss Ralf Rangnick said that his squad reinforced their training sessions by adding 19-year-old Stuttgart midfielder Yanik Spalt.
Rangnick’s team has won their two home matches 3-1 against Israel and Kosovo during the campaign.
For the Republic of Ireland, Caoimhín Kelleher is a selection in goal, and he is backed up by defenders Nathan Collins and Dara O’Shea.
Midfielder Conor Coventry also aims to feature. Adam Idah and Jack Moylan provide additional options in attack.
Troy Parrott enters the match having scored 10 goals in his last seven competitive appearances for the Republic of Ireland. Only Moylan and Idah have scored competitive goals for the team since November 2025.
Hallgrímsson praised Parrott’s development following his move to Spain from the Netherlands. He said that the striker is growing and understanding his teammates better.
Austria manager Ralf Rangnick said that Werder Bremen goalkeeper Alexander Schlager will be between the posts instead of the man from their reverse fixture. Christoph Baumgartner is expected to be available for 65 to 70 minutes.
Austria also have hometown LASK player Christoph Lang pushing for inclusion after scoring an equaliser against Kosovo.
Bayern Munich captain Konrad Laimer expressed his enthusiasm for playing at home, noting the great atmosphere the fans create in Vienna and Linz.
The match kicks off on Saturday, November 14, at 7:45 pm. That is 8:45 pm local time.
The game will be broadcast live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. It will feature live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1’s Saturday Sport and a live blog on RTÉ.ie/sport.
Will Ireland secure promotion to League A in Linz?
