WM Qualifiers: Austria Defeats San Marino Convincingly 4-0

The Austrian national football team fulfilled its duty and secured its second victory in the second match of the World Cup qualification. The Austrians dispatched the clear underdog San Marino in Serravalle with a convincing 4:0 (4:0). The goals were scored by Marko Arnautovic (3rd, 15th), Michael Gregoritsch (11th), and Christoph Baumgartner (27th). With one game less and a significantly better goal difference, Austria is only three points behind the group leader Bosnia.

Austrian Team with a Minute of Silence at the Start of the Game

Austrian team coach Ralf Rangnick included Mathias Honsak, a debutant in the national team, in the starting lineup in front of 1,500 traveling Austrian fans. The forward from the German Bundesliga club Heidenheim started as a very offensively positioned left-back. Alongside him, Marco Friedl played in the central defense. For the Werder Bremen captain, it was his first appearance for the national team in exactly three years. Arnautovic and Gregoritsch formed a striking duo.

After a minute of silence for the victims of the rampage in Graz, it took less than three minutes for Arnautovic to score for the first time. The Austrian record player scored from the edge of the six-yard box into the near corner after a cross from Stefan Posch. Gregoritsch followed up with a well-placed shot from just outside the penalty area after a high ball recovery by Konrad Laimer. The native of Graz has now scored in six of his last eight international appearances. The celebration was subdued in light of the events in his hometown.

Arnautovic Chases Polster's Record

The Austrians were at times able to combine unchallenged. The ball came to Arnautovic via Gregoritsch and Marcel Sabitzer, who secured his brace from the backfield. With now 41 international goals, the 36-year-old is only three goals short of the Austrian record held by Toni Polster (44). Another shot by Arnautovic was cleared off the line (20th), Sabitzer hit the crossbar (21st), before Baumgartner made it 4:0 with a header. The fact that the goal counted surprised the Leipzig forward himself. A San Marino player had lifted the offside during Arnautovic's header assist after Gregoritsch's cross.

In the finish of the first half, the ÖFB team became somewhat careless, the pressure was lost. The world's lowest-ranked team had their first header chance through Samuele Zannoni after a corner (44th minute). Rangnick was visibly keen to further improve the goal difference, which is crucial in FIFA competitions when points are equal. "Faster, faster," the German loudly demanded from the sidelines.

At halftime, Rangnick made four substitutions. In goal, Tobias Lawal replaced the untested Patrick Pentz, and like the LASK goalkeeper, WAC forward Thierno Ballo also made his international debut. Leopold Querfeld and Romano Schmid also joined the game, and later Marco Grüll (from the 63rd minute). The rolling attacks of the initial phase were no longer present. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened twice and prevented possible ÖFB goals. A hand penalty after a duel between Giacomo Valentini and Sabitzer (53rd minute) was withdrawn, as was a goal by Ballo, who was slightly offside during Sabitzer's pass (66th minute).

Missed Penalty in the Finish

Only in the last quarter of an hour did the ÖFB team become more concrete again. A double chance by Querfeld and Grüll was thwarted by San Marino goalkeeper Edoardo Colombo (78th minute). After a foul by Valentini on Arnautovic, there was indeed a penalty. However, Colombo prevented the fouled player from moving closer to Polster in the all-time ÖFB scorers list. The semi-professional from the Italian Serie D team Forli saved the half-high penalty shot by Arnautovic from the corner. On the other side, Lawal had to intervene against Nicolas Giacopetti (86th minute). A Posch goal was disallowed due to an offensive foul by assist provider Querfeld (88th minute).

Thus, the ÖFB team missed matching the highest away victory in its history in a qualifying match ten years ago in Liechtenstein (5:0). The highest victory since Rangnick took office three years ago remains a 6:1 in a European Championship test in March 2024 in Vienna against Turkey. Competitive match victories with a four-goal difference were already achieved under the 66-year-old in October of the previous year in Linz against Norway (5:1) and Kazakhstan (4:0).

For the Austrians, the qualification group H continues on September 6 in Linz against Cyprus. Three days later, the first showdown with Bosnia takes place in Zenica. Only the group winner secures a direct ticket for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

(APA/Red)

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