Austria loses 2-4 to Nordsjælland in XL test match

Austria Vienna suffered a 2-4 defeat to Danish club FC Nordsjælland in their second friendly match of the winter break. Johannes Eggestein and Kelvin Boateng scored the goals for the Violets. The match was played over 120 minutes at the ÖFB Campus.

In freezing temperatures but with perfect pitch conditions at the new ÖFB Campus, coach Stephan Helm sent four young Violets into the fray from the start: Dejan Radonjić, Matteo Schablas, Philipp Maybach and Marijan Österreicher. Although the very first chance belonged to the visitors from Denmark, the Violets then took control. Kelvin Boateng, Tin Plavotić and Johannes Eggestein all had good chances in the first quarter of an hour.

Eggestein and Boateng equalise twice

Nordsjælland scored the first goal, but Manfred Fischer & Co. did not let that unsettle them and repeatedly managed to break free from the Danes' high pressing and create dangerous chances of their own. It was the violet captain who fired the first dangerous shot after the goal, but the first quarter ended with a 0-1 deficit.

Mirko Kos replaced Samuel Şahin-Radlinger after the first half, but otherwise it was a similar picture to the first 30 minutes. It was an open exchange with clear sequences from both teams and chances at both ends. When Eggestein was hit in the face by an elbow in the Danish penalty area, the referee immediately pointed to the spot. The Violets' number 19 confidently slotted the penalty into the left corner to make it 1-1 after 38 minutes.

Shortly before half-time, Nordsjælland took the lead again, but Austria struck back immediately. Boateng was through on goal after a fine pass into the box, leaving the Danish keeper with no chance and making it 2-2 (54').

Vučić and Wustinger celebrate comeback

At half-time, the coaching team made a number of substitutions, with Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Aleksa Ilić, Dominik Nišandžić and Konstantin Aleksa among those coming on. In the 76th minute, Romeo Vučić celebrated his comeback in the violet jersey after a long injury break and was involved in the Violets' best chance of the second half just moments later. After a cross from Reinhold Ranftl, Vučić headed the ball perfectly to Marko Raguž, who tried to put it in the top corner – and would have done so, but the brilliant save by the Danish goalkeeper denied it.

Florian Wustinger, another long-term injury victim, returned to the pitch for the last 20 minutes, coming on as planned for Vučić. Nordsjælland scored twice in the final quarter, and although Austria created chances, they were unable to score a third goal.

Head coach Stephan Helm: "We had a really good opportunity today to try out a few things against a strong opponent with a very clear game plan. The game was very open for a long time, and we had a few chances to score more goals, but we weren't able to convert them. It's very positive that we were able to use more or less all of our players and that Romeo Vučić and Florian Wustinger were able to play their first minutes after their injuries. All in all, we can take a lot away from today and will continue to push hard so that we're ready for the season opener in Salzburg in three weeks."

Austria Wien – FC Nordsjælland 2:4 (2:2)

Austria, 1st half: Şahin-Radlinger (Kos 31') – Radonjić, Dragović, Plavotić – Schablas, Maybach, Kang Hee Lee, Österreicher – Fischer, Eggestein, Boateng

2nd half: Kos – Ndukwe, Wiesinger, Ilić – Schablas (Guenoche 76'), Nišandžić, Barry, Ranftl – Eggestein (Vučić 76'/Wustinger 101'), Raguž, Aleksa

Austria goals: Eggestein 38', Boateng 54'

Absent: Šaljić (Austrian Armed Forces), Taeseok Lee (slightly injured), Johannes Handl, Abdoulaye Kanté (both recovering), Sarkaria, Botić, El Sheiwi