Just a 1-1 draw against Denmark

What a letdown! Austria will likely miss the U21 European Championship

All their hard work wasn’t enough; in the end, Austria couldn’t secure a victory...(Bild: GEPA)

The 2027 U21 European Championship in Albania and Serbia will most likely take place without Austrian participation!

On Friday, in their penultimate Group I qualifying match at Sport-Club-Platz in Vienna, the ÖFB squad drew 1-1 with Denmark—just as they did in the first leg—and thus remain three points behind their second-place rival. The Danes also have a goal difference that is nine goals better, a deficit Austria would have to make up in the final round.

Goalie Lukas Jungwirth and his teammates will travel to Caernarfon on Tuesday (6:30 p.m.) to face fourth-place Wales, while the Danes will host Belgium—who have two more points—in Vejle in the battle for the group title. In Vienna, in front of nearly 2,700 spectators, the visitors took the lead with a goal by “super sub” Conrad Harder (50th minute). The home team also saw a substitute, Erik Kojzek (69th minute), find the back of the net, but otherwise failed to capitalize on their clear advantage in scoring chances due to a lack of clinical finishing.

(Bild: GEPA)

Four Changes to the ÖFB Starting Lineup
ÖFB head coach Peter Perchtold made four changes compared to the last-minute 2-1 victory over Belarus. In central defense, Valentin Zabransky started in place of Konstantin Schopp, and in midfield, Luca Weinhandl replaced Nikolas Sattlberger, who plays in Belgium. In addition, Thierry Fidjeu-Tazemeta and Jacob Peter Hödl were selected over Nikolaus Wurmbrand and Oluwaseun Adewumi in the attack. The newly assembled team, featuring Jungwirth and Vasilije Markovic who had been called up from the senior squad, had the better chances before halftime but lacked efficiency.

Thun forward Furkan Dursun was denied twice by Danish goalkeeper Theo Sander (16th, 42nd); on the latter chance in particular, he should have scored after intercepting a misplaced pass. Sander also made a fine save on a Hödl shot that was deflected by his teammate Villads Nielsen (37'). He didn’t have to make a save on a header by Zabransky, which went over the bar (43'). The visitors put up a strong fight, but a goal was only in the air once, when August Priske shot wide (22').

(Bild: GEPA)

Controversial Calls at the Start of the Second Half
The start of the secondhalfwas turbulent. A possible goal-preventing foul on Dursun—who had received a yellow card in the first half for an alleged dive—was not penalized by Israeli referee Snir Levy (48th minute). Almost immediately afterward, Zabransky went down in a tackle with Valdemar Andreasen. Rightly, no whistle was blown. Andreasen drove toward the goal and set up Harder, who had just come on as a substitute, and Harder finished from point-blank range.

Otherwise, however, it was all the home team, who established clear dominance against the Danes, who were now sitting deep. A shot by Schuster was too weak (52'). But “super sub” Kojzek spectacularly deflected a Weinhandl shot with his heel to tie the game. The ÖFB’s pressure didn’t let up, and the Danes were in serious trouble. Wurmbrand missed miserably from the five-meter line after a pass from Adewumi toward the far post (72'). Bajlicz shot wide (80'). In the closing minutes, a winning goal seemed possible for either side, but it never came—not least because a Puczka free kick missed the goal (98th minute). Thus, just like last October, there was no winner.

In addition to the group winners, the best second-place team has also secured its spot in the final round. The remaining four spots will be decided in a playoff among the other second-place teams.

The result:
Austria – Denmark 1–1 (0–0)
Vienna, Sport-Club-Platz, 2,674 spectators, Referee Snir Levi (ISR)

Goals: 0–1 (50') Harder, 1–1 (69') Kojzek

Yellow-red card: Berthel Askou (97'/foul/Denmark)

Yellow cards for Austria: Zabransky, Dursun, Adejenughure

Austria: Jungwirth – Olivier, Schuster, Zabransky, Puczka – Weinhandl, Bajlicz (90. Micheler) – Fidjeu-Tazemeta (57. Adewumi), Markovic (57. Adejenughure), Hödl (68. Wurmbrand) – Dursun (57. Kojzek)