Austria vs Germany: A game like a class reunion – Sport
Parks are as much a part of London as pubs are. If there is still enough shade in the summer heat, like Pennyhill Park, which the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) chose as its base quarters, then a lot of things are going right in preparation for a European Championship quarter-final against Germany. The accommodation is located near the inconspicuous town of Bagshot, around 42 kilometers south-west of London. There, the Austrians have discovered a consonance of sumptuous mood and cunning approach that helps them tease favorites despite an increasingly modest base for women’s and girls’ football back home. Just like they did at the EM 2017.
The immense anticipation of the showdown with the record European champions could be heard in every player during the media rounds under the big treetops. Also because the neighborhood duel feels like a class reunion. There are currently 13 Austrian national players under contract in the German Bundesliga. It is almost impossible to trace all connections, who played when with whom where. Team manager Irene Fuhrmann has stated: “Many of us are dying for this game against Germany because they are active there as legionnaires.” Her current best player, Sarah Zadrazil from FC Bayern, is now playing her 100th international match. On the one hand, Zadrazil, 29, likes the distribution of roles David versus Goliath, “The giant nation of Germany versus small Austria”; on the other hand, it is great to compete against the many acquaintances: “I really like them all, but for the 90 minutes it’s full throttle.” Regardless of friendship.
The largest Austrian faction now plays at Eintracht Frankfurt: Laura Feiersinger, Barbara Dunst and Verena Hanshaw are among the starting eleven. The fact that the protagonists know each other very well makes the game special, explains the all-rounder Feiersinger, 29, daughter of former Bundesliga professional Wolfgang Feiersinger. “I think it’s cool because you know for sure that they’re not immortal either. So I see this situation as an advantage.”
Without a doubt, the ÖFB selection is characterized by an enormous feeling of togetherness, which is expressed in wild cabin parties with a jukebox that you have brought with you. Keeping this “crazy bunch” together, as Verena Hanshaw calls the team, is obviously not that easy. “Big compliments to the coaching team: We’re not always easy to care for, but we work,” says center forward Nicole Billa, 26, who plays for TSG Hoffenheim. 1-4-1 system plays a central role: Billa fights for the balls in front of the four-man midfield, and if one does get through, Puntigam sucks it up like a vacuum cleaner in front of the four-man defense. Just like in 2017 in the Netherlands, the Austrians have only conceded one goal in England – in the opening game against the hosts (0:1).
In addition, they ran the most kilometers of all 16 participants in the European Championship (344) in the group games. the many moments of surprise five years ago, when the Austrian women’s triumphal march only ended in the semifinals against Germany conqueror Denmark, their style of play has changed: the experienced ensemble is much more active in the game forward.
Defense chief Carina Wenninger, 31, says: “We defended well in 2017, but we only defended there.” When it comes to club loyalty among the pros, only Thomas Müller fools you in Munich. At this turning point, it’s wonderful to be able to play an “all-star game”, says Wenninger and laughs. She even spoke to club mate and German national player Sydney Lohmann via Facetime to call ahead. Wenninger also revealed that, like last time in Brighton, the unofficial national anthem “I am from Austria” will now also be belted out in Brentford after the end of the game. You simply owe the performance to the fans and families. The fervor and passion with which she sings, she says, “depends a bit on the outcome”. But Rainhard Fendrich and Austria also belong together.