Austria Faces Crucial Test Against Confident Bosnia in World Cup Qualification
Zenica, Bosnia adn Herzegovina – The Austrian national team travels to Zenica on Tuesday to face a confident Bosnia and Herzegovina side in a pivotal World Cup qualifying match. Despite a narrow 1-0 victory over Cyprus, concerns remain about Austria’s ability to execute Ralf Rangnick’s high-pressing style against more structured opponents.
The article in Die Presse highlights a potential mismatch between Rangnick’s preferred tactics – forcing errors high up the pitch – and teams possessing strong structure, discipline, and a willingness to run. Cyprus, it notes, successfully adopted a “pinprick” approach, frustrating Austria’s attempts to dominate. the piece also points out that creative solutions in possession remain a challenge for the Austrian squad.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, currently leading Group H, warmed up for the showdown with a dominant 6-0 win against San Marino.Four wins from four games have fueled their belief, and a victory against Austria would considerably boost their chances of reaching only their second World Cup, following a preliminary round appearance in 2014.
Players like Michael Gregoritsch, who plays alongside Bosnian international Benjamin tahirović at Brøndby IF, acknowledge Bosnia’s confidence but emphasize the need for a strong performance from Austria.Central defender Philipp Lienhart underscored the game’s importance, stating, “If we want to go to the World Cup, we will have to win this game.”
However, the article suggests a draw might be a valuable result for Austria, given they host Bosnia in a potentially decisive match on November 18th. While Bosnia’s strong start, including a surprise win in Bucharest against Romania, has positioned them as a leading competitor, the report maintains Austria possesses greater overall quality and squad depth.
Rangnick has a nearly fully fit squad available, with only Stefan Posch unavailable for the trip to the Bilino Polje stadium in Zenica – a venue known for its intense home atmosphere.
