Thanks in part to a historic early goal from Christoph Baumgartner, Austria’s national soccer team started the European Championship year with a victory. Coach Ralf Rangnick’s team won 2-0 (1-0) against hosts Slovakia in Bratislava on Saturday.
Michael Gregoritsch from Freiburg took the kick-off to Baumgartner in Bratislava, the former Hoffenheim player and current Leipzig player, stormed off, went around several opponents and scored with a long-range shot from around 20 meters. The 24-year-old scored the fastest goal in the ÖFB team’s international history. Stefan Maierhofer set the previous record against the Faroe Islands in September 2009, when the attacker scored after 49 seconds. In the final phase in Bratislava, Andreas Weimann (83′) made the final score.
The Austrians then controlled the encounter with eight Bundesliga players in the starting line-up, but missed further goals in the first half. At the European Championships (June 14th to July 14th) a completely different caliber awaits Rangnick’s team. Austria will face, among others, France and the Netherlands in Group D.
Published/Updated: Matthias Rüb, Rome Published/Updated: Recommendations: 1 Tobias Rabe Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 1
Meanwhile, Belgium suffered a disappointment with former Bundesliga coach Domenico Tedesco. In Ireland the Red Devils couldn’t get past a 0-0 draw. Without the injured top star Kevin De Bruyne, the Belgians were even lucky when goalkeeper Matz Sels was able to save a penalty from Ireland’s Evan Ferguson in the first half.
