Criticism after the defeat of the Austrian national team

Austria suffered a major setback in the World Cup qualifiers against Israel. After a 2:5 bankruptcy, the team was caught in the crossfire of criticism – although star and captain David Alaba didn’t deliver.

Just 33 minutes into the leak, the Austrian team had already lost 3-0 in their fifth World Cup qualifying match against Israel. Although Baumgartner and Arnautovic implied the connection, in the end, the result was a clear defeat 2: 5. After the 0: 4 applause against Denmark is already the second slap in the current qualifying team for Franco Voda.

Accordingly, I was criticized from within after the Saturday match. “Five players totally failed!” It is the headline for “Kronen Zeitung”, for example, and gives the worst possible mark several times in its single review. This also includes real star David Alaba. “Alaba was everywhere on the field, but nowhere was she effective. He missed a huge chance from free kicks. That was nothing!” That is the diligent analysis.

The assessment of Bundesliga mercenary Alessandro Schopf is similar, as he “allowed himself to be nibbled and frustrated before 2:4”. I do not care about two options. Embarrassing appearance,” wrote the Austrian newspaper Clartext. “Austria is slipping into disaster against Israel,” wrote the Wiener Zeitung newspaper. The “press” criticized the “painful incompetence of the bitter setback and realism.”

After the defeat in the direct duel, Austria fell behind Israel and Scotland in the table of Group F. The difference with the Danish leader has already grown to eight points. So the World Cup qualifiers are in grave danger. Or, as Der Standard puts it: “Maybe the Austrian team lost their last chance to get a direct ticket to the 2022 World Cup on Saturday.”

Coach Fouda was particularly saddened by the errors in the defensive positional play. “There is no requirement in football. We lost the match 2-5. It was not planned that way. You just have to know that – no matter who you play against – you have to be good at defending. Unfortunately, it was not like that,” Fouda says. .

Captain Alaba also touches on the insufficient assessment of chances: “I think it is very bitter. We played a good game in the first half and had many chances. We have to use them.”