With 3:1 to the European Championship

“We have overcome all resistance”

Austria's U17 national soccer team secured their ticket to the European Championship finals in Cyprus in impressive fashion on Tuesday. The ÖFB team beat Spain 3:1 in Wiener Neustadt to win Group 7 of the qualifying elite round with an unbeaten seven points.

The starting position after the 2:2 draw against Norway was not promising with the late equalizer. And after the early 0:1 against Spain in Wr. Neustadt (12th), the goal seemed almost unattainable.

But Austria's U-17s refused to accept their apparent hopelessness. After 90 minutes, the lads celebrated a 3:1 win over the favorites, clinched group victory at the home elite tournament and punched their ticket for the EURO in Cyprus on May 20.

Thierry Fidjeu-Tazemeta initiated the turnaround with the 1:1 (19th) and took the penalty, which Philipp Moizi converted to make it 3:1 (80th), after Ensar Music had given them the lead with a cross-corner shot from 20 meters (36th).defied injury misfortune "So many things went against us," said team boss Martin Scherb. "We'd already had bad luck with injuries beforehand, then Ilia Ivanschitz helped himself during the warm-up and was ruled out with adductor problems. But we overcame all the obstacles. I'm so proud of the lads!"