World Cup 2018 Qualifier Preview: Austria -v- Republic of Ireland

From Macdara Ferris in Vienna

The last fortnight has seen some sporting and political shocks in America. An Ireland victory over Austria in Vienna would not be such a shock or the end of such lengthy sporting droughts as seen in Chicago – with the Cubs winning the World Series for the first time in 108 years and Ireland finally trumping the All-Blacks for the first time after 111 years.

Donald Trump’s election as US President has huge knock on affects to the world order including the US relationship with Russia. The Boys in Green are also focused on Russia as if they can claim their first win over Austria since 1963 it could be a crucial step in their attempt to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

This weekend’s match in Vienna also gives us the possibility of seeing the first player from the League of Ireland to play a competitive game in 31 years. The match at the sold out Ernst Happel Stadium has a kick off time on Saturday of 5pm Irish time with 3,000 Ireland fans expected to travel to Vienna for the game.

AUSTRIA

It has been a difficult beginning for Austria and manager Marcel Koller in his efforts in taking Das Team to their first World Cup since 1998. Austria come into the game in fourth place in Group D after three games, three points behind the Republic of Ireland who sit joint top of the table with Serbia (who play away to Wales on Saturday night). Austria began their campaign with a 2-1 win away to Georgia, before dropping points at home to Wales in a 2-2 draw before losing last time out 3-2 in Serbia.

It is a far cry from the optimism that they had going into the recent European Championship in France. They topped their qualifying group above Russia, Sweden and Montenegro and were ranked tenth in the overall FIFA rankings. At the finals though they lost to Hungary and Iceland and drew with Portugal. That early exit from the Euros, coupled with their recent run of relatively poor form, has seen them drop to 30^th in the ranking (three places above Martin O’Neill’s men).

From the home team point of the view, this match has become crucial if they are not to fall too far off the pace in the group. Speaking at his lunchtime press conference Koller, who was celebrating his 56^th birthday, acknowledged his side needs to improve on their defensive performance and taking the chances that come their way.

"We did win a lot of games during the Euro qualifying,” said Koller, “but we have lost some games and now it is important to focus on defence and work hard in defence. Also, we need to score up front as well.

"So while we did lose a lot of games, we did have chances but did not score. That's what we have to focus on. So we must pay attention and not to concede that many goals while also score more up front."

The Austria squad is short of some experience with goalkeeper Robert Almer, defender Sebastian Prodl and midfielder Zlatko Junuzovic all missing requiring Koller to make changes. Junuzovic’s dead ball accuracy will be missed by Austria who will likely start Schalke’s Alessandro Schopf in his place. Schopf replaced Junuzovic off the bench in Belgrade when the Werder Bremen went off injured.

Koller has deployed his team in a 4-2-3-1 formation in every match in this campaign so far. The two holding central midfielders have gone to his captain Julian Baumgartlinger and Austria star man David Alaba.

It was Alaba who earned a 1-0 win for Austria the last time the sides met in Vienna back in September 2013 when he scored with six minutes remaining in the match. The Bayern Munich player scored two minutes into injury time in Dublin to claim his side a point in the 2-2 draw six month’s prior to the previous game.

Like Ireland, Austria do not have a lot of attacking options up front with Marc Janko their main threat. Austrian strikers have put Ireland to the sword previously when Toni Polster and Peter Stoeger scored five goals between them in the home and away qualifiers for Euro ’96 that Austria both won.

Ireland will look to shackle Janko and Jonathan Walters’ club teammate Marko Arnautovic. The pair have both scored twice in the campaign to date, with Janko moving to 28 international goals from 59 matches and into fourth place on the all time Austria goalscoring list behind top marksman Toni Polster.

Austria (probable 4-2-3-1): Ramazan Ozcan (Bayer Leverkusen); Florian Klein (VfB Stuttgart), Aleksander Dragovic? (Bayer Leverkusen), Martin Hinteregger (Augsburg), Kevin Wimmer (Spurs); Julian Baumgartlinger (C) (Bayer Leverkusen), David Alaba (Bayern Munich); Marcel Sabitzer (Leipzig), Alessandro Scho?pf (Schalke), Marko Arnautovic? (Stoke City); Marc Janko (Basel).

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Austria can be viewed as a bit of a bogey team for the Boys in Green as Ireland have failed to get a win in the last eight meetings between the sides and have never beaten Austria away from home. Indeed it is over 50 years since Ireland’s last win over Austria. Noel Cantwell’s 89th minute penalty gave Ireland a 3-2 win in Dalymount Park in 1963 – their only competitive victory over Austria.

This Ireland team though come into the game joint top of their World Cup qualifier Group D table having earned a very creditable seven points from the opening three games - even if at times the performances have been below par.

Ireland were pegged back in Moldova before emerging victorious and Saturday night is a crucial game as O’Neill outlined when he spoke to the press in the Ernst Happel Stadium ahead of his team training on the pitch.

“In Moldova we gave a poor goal before half time and we fought back. We have plenty of spirit. I know it is a cliché but that is why you are in the game for – to play games like tomorrow night at international level and Champions League games if at all possible during your career.”

Due to injury Martin O’Neill’s squad is shorn of a number of likely first choice players such as Shane Long, James McCarthy and Stephen Ward. In addition Stephen Quinn and Eunan O’Kane, who returned to his club Leeds United after travelling to Dublin, are not available also due to injury.

With Ward out, O’Neill may choose to go with Robbie Brady at full back rather than risk moving Ciaran Clark across to that position. If O’Neill goes with this, he may likely deploy at midfield diamond bringing Harry Arter into the starting XI. The midfielder, who has started every Premier League game for Bournemouth this season, would be earning his first competitive cap.

He would play alongside Jeff Hendrick, who returns from suspension, and in front of Glenn Whelan who will sit in front of the back four. This would leave Wes Hoolahan at the tip of the midfield diamond .

Jonathan Walters seems certain to start up front for Ireland. James McClean trained on Thursday in Dublin and in Vienna on Friday and may well be deployed playing off Walters. McClean had an excellent game in Ireland’s last qualifier as he scored twice in Ireland’s 3-1 away win in Moldova last month.

If O’Neill goes with a more standard 4-2-3-1, it isn’t likely that Dundalk’s Daryl Horgan will start but it would increase his chances of getting a run out off the bench. Pat Byrne was the last League of Ireland player to earn a cap in a competitive game. The Shamrock Rovers captain played in Dublin against Denmark in 1985.

If Ireland can take at least a point away from the game, it will leave Ireland in a very strong position going into the international winter break – having played three of their first four matches away from home – with Wales to come to Dublin in late March.

For more from Ireland's pre-match press conference see: O'Neill looking to trump Austria in Vienna and Captain Coleman: "We truly believe we can beat these teams."

Republic of Ireland (possible 4-1-2-1-2): Darren Randolph (West Ham); Seamus Coleman (Everton) (C), Ciaran Clark (Newcastle United), Shane Duffy (Brighton & Hove Albion), Robbie Brady (Norwich City); Glenn Whelan (Stoke City); Harry Arter (Bournemouth), Jeff Hendrick (Burnley); Wes Hoolahan (Norwich City); James McClean (West Brom), Jon Walters (Stoke City).

Referee:  Sergei Karasev (Russia).

MATCH STATS

In the head-to-head between the sides, Austria have come out on top on 12 occasions while Ireland have just two wins, with the four remaining matches finishing level.

Austria manager Marcel Koller is a former midfielder who spent his entire playing career with Swiss side Grasshoppers, making over 400 league appearances from 1978 to 1997, winning seven league titles and five Swiss Cups. He was capped 55 times for his native Switzerland making two appearances at Euro 96, coming off the bench in the 1-1 draw with hosts England and starting the 1-0 defeat to Scotland.

The match venue on Saturday evening was renamed from the Praterstadion to the Ernst Happel Stadion in 1992 in honour of Austria’s most famous managerial son Ernst Happel. He won the European cup as manager with two different clubs - Feyenoord (1969/70) and Hamburg (1982/83) – the first manager to achieve that feat. He coached the Netherlands to runners up spot in the 1978 World Cup. As a player he won six Austrian league titles with Rapid Wien.

BETTING

Austria 19/20; Draw 5/2; Ireland 3/1.

PREDICTION

Austria 1-1 Republic of Ireland

Austria

Injured: Zlatko Junuzovic, Robert Almer and Sebastian Prodl.

Suspended: None.

Republic of Ireland

Injured: Shane Long, James McCarthy, Stephen Ward, Daryl Murphy, Eunan O’Kane and Stephen Quinn.

Suspended: None.

extratime.ie will be covering the Group D clash between Austria and the Republic of Ireland from Vienna. Our reporter Macdara Ferris will be in the Ernst Happel Stadium to take you through the match build-up here, including Ireland’s pre-match press conference on Friday, and the game itself on Saturday evening.