Austria Top Group Stage with Dramatic Extra-Time Victory
Goals from Weimann, Gregoritsch, and Sabitzer seal victory
Austria's dramatic victory over Kazakhstan on Sunday night secured top spot in Group C3 of the UEFA Nations League. The 3-1 win, secured thanks to goals from Andreas Weimann, Michael Gregoritsch, and Marcel Sabitzer, ensures Austria will compete in League B next season while Kazakhstan will be relegated to League D.
The match was a closely fought affair, with Kazakhstan taking a shock lead in the 63rd minute through a Baktiyar Zainutdinov penalty. But Austria responded strongly and Weimann leveled the scores just six minutes later. Gregoritsch put Austria ahead for the first time just after the hour mark, with Sabitzer sealing the victory with a third in extra-time.
Austria's victory was a just reward for their dominance throughout the match, with Ralf Rangnick's side enjoying 64% possession and creating numerous chances. Kazakhstan defended resolutely but were eventually undone by the quality of Austria's attacking players.
The victory is a major boost for Austria's hopes of qualifying for Euro 2024. Rangnick's side will now be seeded for the draw for the qualifying groups, which will be held in October.
Reaction
Rangnick was delighted with his team's performance, saying: "I'm very happy with the victory. We played very well and created a lot of chances. We deserved to win."
Kazakhstan coach Magomed Adiyev said: "We're disappointed to lose, but we're proud of our performance. We defended well for most of the match, but Austria's quality eventually showed."
Key Stats
- Austria had 64% possession
- Austria created 15 chances
- Kazakhstan had 5 chances
- Weimann's goal was his third for Austria
- Sabitzer's goal was his second for Austria
Conclusion
Austria's victory over Kazakhstan was a hard-fought but deserved win. Rangnick's side showed great quality in attack and resilience in defense to secure top spot in Group C3. The victory is a major boost for Austria's hopes of qualifying for Euro 2024.
