World Cup Fantasy Soccer Recap

Sharpshooters Ready ++ German Help for the ÖFB?

(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Austrian soccer fans had high expectations for their national team’s first
knockout match their national team had played in a World Cup since 1954. Thousands of red-white-red fans created a fantastic atmosphere in Los Angeles (see video above), and the countless public viewings back home were packed to the brim. But in the end, all the crossed fingers were for nothing. Read the “Krone” Fan Ticker recap.

The highlights in a nutshell:

• The Austria–Spain match is history. You can read the match report here. 

• The “Krone” was on the scene at the countless public viewings across the country. Around 3,000 fans cheered on the team at the TIWAG Arena in Innsbruck, for example.
• Despite the loss, our fans are raving about Alexander Schlager. The ÖFB goalkeeper made some outstanding saves. 

• Marko Arnautovic had tears in his eyes during his interview. For him, it was his final international match for the ÖFB team. 

• Marcel Sabitzer proved to be a gracious loser after the game, but also let his deep disappointment show. 

• The sobering reality: David Alaba and his teammates didn’t hold an advantage over the “Furia Roja” in a single relevant statistic.
• The 0–3 loss to Spain was the Austrian national team’s heaviest defeat during the Ralf Rangnick era. 

The “Krone” Fanticker for further reading:

From Los Angeles to Vienna: Austria fans gave it their all 
This game was a huge highlight not only for the ÖFB players but also for the red-white-red fans.

Hours before kickoff, the traveling fans in Los Angeles were already getting pumped up for the match. And at the public viewings back home, the atmosphere couldn’t have been much better. 

Fan videos of the Austrian supporters from Los Angeles and back home:

 

Austria didn’t stand a chance against Spain
Austria’s national soccer team was eliminated in the Round of 16 at the World Cup on Thursday. The ÖFB squad lost 0–3 to Spain at Los Angeles Stadium on goals by Mikel Oyarzabal (36’, 89’) and Pedro Porro (66’). While Austria’s first World Cup appearance since 1998 has come to an end, Spain won a knockout match at a World Cup for the first time since the 2010 World Cup final—and deservedly so. The Spanish had chances to score more goals, while the ÖFB team didn’t have a single clear-cut opportunity.