Austria's national team before the decisive play-off against Serbia!

Austria's national team before the decisive play-off against Serbia!

Austria's national soccer team started the year 2025 with a bitter defeat. In the first official game, the team suffered a 2-0 defeat against Serbia on March 24, 2025, which cost them a return to the top division of the Nations League. How laola1.at reported, the disappointing result was a hard blow for the team and the ÖFB. Despite these setbacks, ÖFB sports director Peter Schöttel does not see World Cup qualification as being at risk.

The focus is now on the upcoming World Cup qualification, for which Schöttel is optimistic. He explained that the team had expected the games against Serbia to be very different and highlighted that the Serbs were able to efficiently capitalize on few chances. The situation is being analyzed carefully by the coaching team and Schöttel is convinced that qualification is feasible. The failures of important players such as Baumgartner and Sabitzer were particularly discussed. The relationship between Schöttel and team boss Ralf Rangnick is described as good.

Important challenge in the Nations League play-off

In addition to the difficulties in the Nations League, Austria now has the opportunity to achieve promotion to League A through a play-off game. How oe24.at reported that the draw at the UEFA Center in Nyon revealed that the national team will face Serbia again. The first game in the play-off will take place in Vienna on March 20, 2025, while the second leg will follow three days later.

The Austrians won a friendly against Serbia 2-1 in June 2023, which could give the players courage. However, in the last competitive games, Austria failed to win Group B3 and thus missed out on promotion to League A with a 1-1 draw in the last international match of the year. Marko Arnautovic will play in the play-off against his father's home country.

Outlook for the World Cup qualification

Austria was placed in Pot 1 for the World Cup qualification for the 2026 finals, which begins in June 2024 at the earliest. As a result, the team escapes the strongest nations in Europe. The draw will take place on December 13, 2023 in Zurich, which presents the ÖFB with another exciting challenge. Until then, it is expected that the team, led by Ralf Rangnick, will do everything in its power to make the World Cup qualification a success and to take the positive aspects from the friendly against Serbia.