Test against the Czech Republic

Strong Ländle youngsters in the U18 national team

Yanik Spalt (right) moved from AKA Vorarlberg to VfB Stuttgart in September 2023.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Yanik Spalt from Nüziders led the red-white-red U18 selection onto the pitch as captain in the test against the Czech Republic. Leo Lucic from Lustenau made a spectacular save to prevent what looked like a certain goal.

In the 2:0 victory of the red-white-red U18 selection in the test against the Czech Republic, the two Ländle youngsters in the team made a strong showing. While Yanik Spalt from Nüziders, who transferred from the Vorarlberg academy to VfB Stuttgart in September 2023, captained the U18s onto the pitch and pulled the strings in midfield, Leo Lucic shone as a savior in the greatest need.

Leo Lucic from Lustenau plays for the FC St. Gallen U19 team.(Bild: GEPA)

After a catastrophic blunder by the central defense, the 16-year-old from Lustenau, who like Spalt left the academy in September 2023 to join the FC St. Gallen youth team, put on a tremendous sprint and scraped the ball off the line for goalkeeper Christian Zawieschitzky, who had already rounded him.

Key scene
For U18 coach Martin Scherb, who was still coaching Altach in the Bundesliga in spring 2017, this was also a decisive action in the game. "There was this key scene in the second half where substitute Leo Lucic sensationally clears the ball off the line," said Scherb, "it was a lackluster win in the end, but it's all right."

The test "return match" against the Czech Republic follows on Sunday (12.30/live on ÖFB-TV) - played in Scherb's home town of Herzogenburg in Lower Austria.