Austria misses Nation League ascent-ranknick stunned!

Austria misses Nation League ascent-ranknick stunned!

Today, on March 24, 2025, a decisive football event for the Austrian national team took place, which could strongly influence the mood in the team and fans. Phillipp Mwene completed his international obligations with the national team after Austria lost 0-2 in an important game against Serbia. This result means missing the promotion to the National League League A, which is a considerable disappointment for the team. Mwene also affected the defeat himself, who said that the team wanted to achieve more, but felt powerless, since not all options were available to them. "The Nations League has a certain meaning," says Mwene, "but the World Cup qualification has the highest priority for us."

In the first game in Vienna, Austria managed to achieve a 1-1 draw, which aroused hopes for the ascent. But in the second leg, Mwene stayed in the cabin at halftime, since coach Ralf Rangnick had decided to act more aggressively and to change Marco Grüll. This tactical decision was made during a game that was already shaped by problems.

the match and its consequences

The Austrian team showed a certain superiority in both games, but could not achieve the decisive result. Ralf Rangnick described the 0-2 defeat as absurd, especially the first goal, which was considered half the own goal after a misunderstanding. A serious mistake by goalkeeper Alexander Schlager led to a slapstick goal that was difficult for the team. In addition, due to a red card, Gernot Trauner had to leave the field prematurely, which significantly impaired Austria's game and the dominance they had on the pitch quickly gave up.

With the mission of the ascent, Austria now remains in the B-Liga of the Nations League. Although the defeat is painful, the result could have a positive effect on the World Cup qualification for 2026 that will take place in the USA, Canada and Mexico. In qualification group H, Austria sees itself with Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cyprus and San Marino, where they are considered a favorite. In the new structure, the winners of the twelve European groups qualify directly for the World Cup, while the group runners -up have to go to the playoffs. Europe will send a total of 16 participants to the final round.

mood and future outlook

The mood after the game against Serbia was characterized by helplessness and a certain indifference. Rangnick said that the team was faced with some challenges during his tenure because many potential squad players were not available. Despite the claims that have grown under his leadership, failure against Serbia remains a significant setback.

In the coming time, Austria must now keep an eye on the new challenges and prepare for the upcoming qualification games. You are a clear favorite in your group and should do everything possible to improve your services and achieve the goal of participating in the World Cup.