The EM dress rehearsal on Sunday (5.30 p.m., live on ORF1) in Vienna’s Prater is the ÖFB team’s fifth international game against Slovakia, the Austrians are already waiting three games for a win against their north-eastern neighbor. The Slovaks are also qualified for the European Championship, where they will meet Poland, Sweden and Spain in their third participation in a major tournament. The top star is now Inter defender Milan Skriniar.
The ÖFB selection has never met Slovakia in a competition game. All four previous games have been test games. The Austrians achieved their only complete success in the first duel in March 2002 in Graz with 2-0. Since then there have been two draws and a 1: 2 defeat in August 2011 in Klagenfurt. The most recent duel between the two neighbors on November 15, 2016 in Vienna ended goalless after a few highlights.
Both teams had taken part in the European Championship in France five months earlier. While the ÖFB team ended there in the group stage, Slovakia only failed in the second round to Germany (0: 3). Even at their World Cup premiere in 2010, the Slovaks had reached the knockout phase.
Surprising change of coach
They secured the ticket for the pan-European EM in the play-off, in which they defeated Ireland on penalties and then Northern Ireland in overtime. There had been a surprising change of coach between the two games. Stefan Tarkovic, previously Kotrainer for five years and Technical Director of the association for two years, took over from team principal Pavel Hapal on an interim basis after poor performance in the Nations League.
After qualifying, the 48-year-old can now lead Slovakia to the European Championship. In their first European Championship test, the number 36 in the FIFA world rankings – Austria is 23rd – did not go beyond a 1-1 draw against Bulgaria in Ried on Tuesday.
Hamsik continues, Skriniar new star
The best known name in the Slovak team is Marek Hamsik. The offensive man with the distinctive mohawk haircut is already a bit old at 33. After two years in China, the Slovak captain has been playing at IFK Göteborg for a few months.
The real star is now called Skriniar. The 26-year-old central defender is a top performer at Inter, recently won the championship title with the club and has been voted Footballer of the Year in his home country in the past two years. With a market value of 60 million euros, the defensive player with a strong header clearly stands out, no other player has at least a double-digit figure in this regard.
International match record of Austria against Slovakia
(4 games – 1 win, 2 draws, 1 loss; goal difference 4: 3)
- March 27, 2002, Graz: Austria 2-0 Slovakia
- March 31, 2004, Bratislava: Slovakia 1-1 Austria
- August 10, 2011, Klagenfurt: Austria 1-2 Slovakia
- November 15, 2016, Vienna: Austria – Slovakia 0: 0
