Belgium with third goalkeeper against Austria

Belgium’s national soccer team will have to do without its two best goalkeepers in the European Championship qualifying match against Austria on Friday (8:45 p.m.) in Vienna. After Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois was injured for a long time, his replacement Koen Casteels also had to withdraw on Thursday. The 31-year-old from VfL Wolfsburg is suffering from abdominal inflammation, the Belgian association announced on Twitter (X).

According to the association, Casteels will also miss the following home game on Monday (8.45 p.m.) in Brussels against Sweden. In his place, Matz Sels, who is the same age, should guard the goal in both games. The goalkeeper from French first division club RC Strasbourg has played three international matches so far, the last one in June in Estonia (3-0). At that time, star goalie Courtois left the team camp early after an argument with team boss Domenico Tedesco.