Football: Austria does not pass the first EM test

In front of 1,150 spectators in Wiener Neustadt, Zadrazil completed a combination worth seeing with a powerful shot into the far corner and made the Austrians dream of a successful start to the preparations for the European Championship. However, the lead came against the flow of the game, because Denmark had the reins in their hands right from the start.

After the break, Pernille Harder (65′) and Sofie Junge Pedersen (75′) turned the game around in favor of the 2017 European runners-up and gave Denmark a deserved win based on the number of games and chances. ÖFB goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger had previously pulled the nerve of the Danish strikers. In the end, the Austrians were unlucky with a pole header from Katharina Schiechtl in added time.

“We played well at times”

“We played good football at times. Then the result against such an opponent becomes almost irrelevant. It’s a shame that the ball didn’t go in at the end,” said goal scorer Zadrazil in an ORF interview, despite the defeat, being satisfied with the performance. The Austrians could always be dangerous, especially on counterattacks.

At 1-0, the ÖFB offensive also demonstrated their creativity in the short pass game. “Of course the goal was great. We won the ball superbly and played well. It was great that he went in like that,” said Bayern legionnaire Zadrazil, who had hit the mark for the 13th time in the Austrian team jersey.

Ideal endurance test

The Danes were a real indicator, as ÖFB team boss Irene Fuhrmann had emphasized in advance. They showed the Austrians that work is still needed to be ready in just over three weeks for the finals opener against England on 6 July at Manchester’s packed Old Trafford. However, the top striker Nicole Billa, who was not quite fit after an illness, Laura Feiersinger and the ÖFB record player Sarah Puntigam, who joined the ÖFB team late, were also missing very important players.

As in 2017 in Breda, the ÖFB selection lost out in the fight for the European Championship final against Denmark, at that time only a penalty shoot-out (3-0) after a zero number had brought the decision. The test marked the end of the first preparatory training camp, from June 17 captain Viktoria Schnaderbeck and Co. will meet again in Bad Tatzmannsdorf. Then on June 22nd there is a game against Montenegro in Maria Enzersdorf and four days later in Belgium the dress rehearsal for the European Championship.

ÖFB leadership against the course of the game

The Danes, coached by Lars Söndergaard, started with a lot of pressure and immediately put a lot of work into the ÖFB defence, which mostly operated with a five-man chain. After a mistake by the guests themselves, the quick home 1-0 almost fell. A shot by Barbara Dunst did not find its way into the goal (6th). In the 19th minute, Katharina Naschenweng was just prevented from finishing after a nice combination.

In this phase, the ÖFB selection shifted mainly to counterattacking and was subsequently successful. Lisa Kolb, who was called up as a striker, broke away from her opponent, served Marie-Therese Höbinger, who played ideally into Zadrazil’s run, and the experienced Germany legionnaire completed the goal with an overview into the far corner (29th).

From this point at the latest, the home side had a better grip on the opponent, who had significantly more possession of the ball. Only shortly before the break was twice the equalizer in the air. Manuela Zinsberger saved a Boye header (40′) and Pedersen shot over it from a good position (45′ + 1′).

Harder strikes on the fourth attempt

The Danes picked up the momentum after the break, the only shortcoming for the time being was the conversion of chances. Ironically, top star Harder lacked the callousness in the end, the striker failed twice at Zinsberger (48th, 62nd), once she missed the goal by a hair’s breadth (57th). The 29-year-old did not want to miss the fourth opportunity, she hit the corner after a hole pass. After that, Pedersen headed for the Danish lead quite unchallenged after a corner.

Naschenweng came close to equalizing with a free kick just over the goal (86′) and “Jokerin” Schiechtl, who hit the post with a head (90’+4′). Austria could not provide a good omen with regard to the European Championship. Before the summer fairy tale of 2017, there had been a 4-2 win in a test against Denmark in Wiener Neustadt. Instead of triumphing again, there was a defeat for the third time in the fifth meeting.

Comments on the game:

Irene Fuhrmann (ÖFB team boss): “It was the expected difficult game after an intensive week of training, it was used to determine the location. I think it was clearly seen that we are not yet where we need to be in terms of fitness and that mental freshness was still missing. Despite that, we have a good basis that we can build on, because even against a very strong opponent, if we dared to combine, we created good chances for ourselves.”

Viktoria Schnaderbeck (ÖFB captain): “The first impression is that it was a typical friendly match. The last freshness was still missing, that’s okay. We played well but conceded two goals, one from a set piece, we have to analyze that. They were more dangerous in the second half and we were lucky in a few situations. But we also showed that we can play when we have the ball. We are on the right track, it is clear that not everything is working out yet.”

EM test match

Sunday:

Austria 1-2 Denmark (1-0)

Wiener Neustadt, 1.150, SR Cesen (SLO)

Goals: Zadrazil (29′) or Harder (65′), Pedersen (75′)

Austria: Zinsberger – Wienroither, Wenninger, Georgieva, Schnaderbeck (46./Degen), Hanshaw (80./Schiechtl) – Höbinger, Zadrazil, Naschenweng (87./Wienerroither) – Dunst, Kolb (46./Makas)

Denmark: Svane (46./Worsöe) – K. Holmgaard, Boye (82./Färge), S. Holmgaard – Thrige (66./Lundorf), Kühl, Pedersen, Svava – Madsen (66./Troelsgaard), Harder (82. / Holdt), Brunn (66./Möller)

Yellow card: Degen, Wenninger