Austria’s World Cup Hopes on the Line Following Airport Chaos
On Saturday, despite securing a 2-0 victory against Cyprus, Austria failed to clinch early qualification for the World Cup. Following the match, the team faced significant difficulties at the airport: their flight was delayed, and due to excess baggage weight, several pieces of luggage had to remain behind. Notably, Josef Pröll, the chairman of Austria’s supervisory board, had to continue his journey without his suitcase temporarily.
Impacts of Missed Qualification and Travel Woes
The combination of failing to qualify and the ensuing luggage dilemma, along with a restless night from Saturday to Sunday, appears to be affecting the team’s performance. In their final qualification match for Group H, Austria found themselves struggling against Bosnia and Herzegovina, as players like Sabitzer and Laimer looked fatigued and somewhat disoriented following the earlier defeat.
Match Overview
In the 12th minute, Gladbach striker Haris Tabakovic capitalized on a deflected ball from Memić, scoring with a header to put Bosnia ahead. A goal from Konrad Laimer that could have equalized for Austria just before halftime was disallowed after a VAR review due to a foul in the buildup, a decision that sparked controversy among fans at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna.
High Stakes for Austria
This early setback left Bosnia and Herzegovina in a position where they could qualify for the World Cup directly, forcing Austria into a potential playoff situation in March.
Surprising Developments Elsewhere
In another shocking turn of events, Scotland took the lead against Denmark with an early goal from Scott McTominay, briefly positioning themselves atop Group C.
After 57 minutes, Denmark’s Rasmus Höjlund equalized with a penalty, and Scotland quickly reclaimed the lead. However, as the match progressed, the score settled at 2-2, putting Denmark in a strong position for direct qualification.
Austria’s Resilience
In a bid to revive their World Cup chances, Austria found the back of the net in the last thirty minutes when Michael Gregoritsch converted a rebound off the crossbar, putting his team back in contention for direct qualification.
