ÖFB women celebrate important victory in Glasgow-Nations League secured!

ÖFB women celebrate important victory in Glasgow-Nations League secured!

The Austrian women's national team took an important step in the Nations League on May 30, 2025 in Glasgow with a narrow 1-0 win against Scotland. Julia Hickelsberger-Füller, who returned to the team after a longer injury break, scored the decisive goal in the 62nd minute. With this victory, Austria secured third place in the group phase, which ends on Tuesday with a last game in the Vienna Generali Arena against Germany. Germany previously sat down to the top of the table with a clear 4-0 win against the Dutch.

Team boss Alexander Schriebl made two changes in the starting eleven for the game in Glasgow. Marina Georgieva replaced the injured Claudia Wenger in central defense and Lilli Purtscheller returned, while Viktoria Pinther stayed outside. Scotland, under the new team leader Melissa Andreasta, performed defensively, which gave Austria the opportunity to take the initiative immediately.

dominance and opportunities for Austria

The ÖFB women were dominant and were able to work out several chances. Hickelsberger filler awarded a first option in the 10th minute. Verena Hanshaw failed just three minutes later on goalkeeper Lee Alexander. A crucial phase was the 14th minute when Georgieva could not use a double chance after a corner kick. In the 40th minute, the latte prevented another goal when Hickelsberger filler attacked again. Finally, the tour gate fell after a corner kick that Hickelsberger filler used.

Although Austria experienced pressure in the final phase, the team kept the lead to the final whistle. The highlights of the final phase were another shot from Hickelsberger-Füller, which was parried again by Alexander in the 77th minute, as well as a crossbar from Kirsty Howat in the 88th minute, in which the Austrian goalkeeper Zinsberger could easily intervene. Eileen Campbell also celebrated her comeback in the ÖFB team, which gave the team additional stability.

outlook for the upcoming encounters

Julia Hickelsberger-Füller, who had to pause in early 2023 after a meniscus operation, is now back and is to play the last two Nation League games against France on December 1st in Rennes and against Norway on December 5 in St. Pölten. Team boss Irene Fuhrmann sees these games the chance to secure the relegation in the A-Liga. Austria is currently in second place in the group with seven points, behind France with ten points. It is expected that the decision on relegation against France could be made.

The return to St. Pölten, the last venue six years ago, is a special motivation for the players. Fuhrmann hopes for numerous fans and good weather. Celina Degen will be blocked for the game against France, and other players such as Verena Hanshaw and Lilli Purtscheller have already collected yellow cards.

The introduction of the Nations League from autumn 2023 will offer the Austrian national team a new platform to prove itself in international women's football. The competition should not only simplify the qualification for championships, but also increase the competitiveness of the teams. Austria will do everything possible to continue success in the Nations League and thus also recommend it for future tournaments, including for the European Championship 2025.