Austria and Kazakhstan meet in Linz on Thursday evening, both searching for their first victory in this season’s UEFA Nations League. Currently sitting three points behind the top two in League B Group 3, both teams are eager to secure a win to avoid the looming threat of relegation.
Match Preview
Austria began their Nations League campaign with two away fixtures, first securing a draw in Slovenia before suffering a 2-1 loss to Norway. Despite Marcel Sabitzer’s equalizer after an early setback, Erling Haaland’s late strike condemned Ralf Rangnick’s side to defeat in Oslo.
Following their relegation from League A, Austria is focused on returning to Europe’s top tier. With a talented squad that impressed at Euro 2024, they now aim to rebuild momentum. However, they have struggled in the Nations League, picking up just one point in their last five games. Their most recent win in the competition came in June 2022, a 3-0 victory over Croatia.
Now, with the advantage of playing at home, Austria hopes to turn things around in this month’s double-header. After hosting Kazakhstan, they will seek to avenge their September defeat to Norway.
Kazakhstan, on the other hand, has never beaten Austria in their previous four encounters and have yet to score against them. Their most recent meeting was during World Cup qualifying over a decade ago. Despite their historical struggles against Austria, the Hawks have been on an upward trajectory.
Promoted from League C in 2022, Kazakhstan kicked off their League B campaign with a hard-earned goalless draw against Norway in September. However, they suffered a setback in their next match, losing 3-0 to Slovenia, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko scoring a hat-trick.
Under the guidance of Stanislav Cherchesov, Kazakhstan’s promotion was secured by a strong European Championship qualifying campaign, highlighted by two victories over Slovakia. However, after just one point from their first two games in League B, Kazakhstan is in danger of relegation.
Predictions
Austria, with home advantage and a more experienced squad, are expected to control the match. Kazakhstan will aim to frustrate the hosts with defensive solidity, but Austria’s firepower may prove too much.
Prediction: Austria 2-0 Kazakhstan
