After a goalless first half and after the Austrians, who had dominated from the start, were disallowed two goals for offside in front of 980 fans in Wiener Neustadt, Höbinger put Fuhrmann’s team ahead with a precise shot. The 21-year-old from FC Zurich took heart from the right edge of the penalty area in the 62nd minute and curled the ball over the Czech goalkeeper into the net.
Just six minutes later, Katharina Naschenweng made it 2-0 after a nice move with a shot into the near post, which caught Olivie Lukasova on the wrong foot in the Czech goal (68′) and thus completed the team’s successful course. Last week the Austrians turned a 2-0 deficit against the Belgians into a 3-2 win in the same place.
Naschenweng increased to 2:0
The Carinthian completed a beautifully played action for the second goal for the Austrians
Self-critical Austrians
“It was a deserved win, but we still made a lot of unforced mistakes that we definitely have to stop. The central defenders in particular lacked the accuracy of the pass, so we took security. Nevertheless, we created enough chances and got a 2-0 win in the end, which is okay like that,” summed up team boss Fuhrmann in an ORF interview.
After the successful evening, her players were also mainly self-critical. “We have to be more consistent over the 90 minutes, avoid scoring chances and use ours more consistently,” said Höbinger. Naschenweng added: “We didn’t have a good set-up in the first half, the last pass wasn’t that successful. We also have to create more chances.”
For the ÖFB selection it was also the third win this year in a defeat. Another test in front of a home crowd will follow in July before the Nations League starts in the fall. In the run-up to the game, Jasmin Eder (55 games) and Stefanie Enzinger (30), who had retired from the national team, were honored by ÖFB interim president Johann Gartner and sports director Peter Schöttel, as was Laura Feiersinger afterwards for 100 international matches.
Personnel castling
Team boss Fuhrmann made three changes this time compared to the win against the Belgians. Instead of captain Carina Wenninger, Celina Degen started in the center of defence, Sarah Puntigam moved into midfield for Laura Feiersinger, and up front Viktoria Pinther was preferred to striker Nicole Billa.
Things didn’t go as planned right from the start, apart from offside goals by Marina Georgieva (11′) and Pinther (15′), there was little danger to be seen on the offensive. It was also Pinther who should have taken the lead just before the break, but the FC Zurich striker sent the ball into the clouds from four yards out instead of into the goal (44′).
Chance through Pinther (minute 44)
The Zurich legionnaire didn’t get the ball in the goal from a good position shortly before the break
Double strike brings decision
At that point, Georgieva was already off the pitch, having left the field prematurely in the 33rd minute with a thigh problem. As a result, Feiersinger made her 105th international appearance earlier than planned, and Puntigam went back into defence. Frankfurt legionnaire Feiersinger had the lead right after the restart, which was destroyed by a foot defense by the Czech goalkeeper (50th). Immediately afterwards, Pinther hit the goal again from offside (51′).
As the second half progressed, the hosts were able to convert their superiority into goals. Höbinger happily got the ball at the sixteen corner and hit the far corner with a flick that was all the more worth seeing. It was the 21-year-old Zurich player’s seventh goal in her 28th international match.
Six minutes later, after a pass from Lisa Kolb, Naschenweng put his left into the near corner from a tight angle. The Austrians, with whom Lilli Purtscheller was allowed to make her debut in the team jersey from the 83rd minute, prevailed 2-0, as in the most recent duel in March 2018. In the sixth encounter with the world number 27. there was the third victory.
football test match
Tuesday
Austria – Czech Republic 2:0 (0:0)
Wr. Neustadt, 980, SR Terteleac (ROU)
Tore:
1:0 Höbinger (62.)
2:0 Naschenweng (68.)
Austria: Kresche – Wienroither, Georgieva (33rd / Feiersinger), Degen, Hanshaw – Zadrazil (46th / Schasching), Puntigam, Höbinger (83rd / Klein) – Naschenweng (83rd / Purtscheller), Pinther (66th / Billa), Haze (66th/Kolb)
Czech Republic: Lukasova – Slajsova, Necidova, Pochmanova, Peckova – Vesela (60th/Khyrova), Cahynova, Sonntagova (78th/Zufankova), Dubcova (78th/Starova), Cerna (89th/Mrazova) – Szewieczkova (78th/Polcarova) )