Ralf Rangnick has made a dream start as the new team boss of the Austrian national soccer team.
The long-standing Bundesliga coach coached the world number 34. on his debut to a memorable 3-0 (1-0) victory at the start of the Nations League against runners-up Croatia.
Captain Marko Arnautovic (41st), Augsburg’s Michael Gregoritsch (54th) and Munich’s Marcel Sabitzer (57th) scored the goals for the Austrians, who failed in the World Cup play-offs under Rangnick’s predecessor Franco Foda in March.
The Rangnick team immediately took the lead in Group A1 ahead of Denmark, who surprisingly won 2-1 (0-0) against world champions and defending champions France.
Netherlands celebrate victory in the prestige duel
Oranje also celebrated a prestigious victory: In Group A4, the Dutch team Elftal beat neighboring Belgium 4-1 (1-0) in the 128th “Derby der Lage Landen”. Bond coach Louis van Gaal’s team has been unbeaten for ten games.
Steven Bergwijn from Tottenham Hotspur (40th), the strong Barca professional Memphis Depay (51st/65th) and Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan (61st) scored for the superior guests, who defeated their neighbors for the first time since 1997.
In Paris, substitute Andreas Cornelius (68th/88th) ensured the unexpected victory for the Danes with a brace. At the Stade de France, where he had won the Champions League with Real Madrid six days earlier, Karim Benzema initially gave the hosts the lead (51′).
After initial problems, the Austrians played very effectively in Osijek and used their chances ice cold. It was the first win against the Croatians at the sixth attempt, who suffered their first defeat since the round of 16 at the European Championship last year – after nine games.
Sabitzer hits from a distance
Champions League winner David Alaba from Real Madrid was missing from Rangnick’s team, the former Munich player did not travel at all due to stress. Five Bundesliga professionals were in the starting XI: Sabitzer, Gladbach’s Stefan Lainer, Leipzig’s Konrad Laimer, Wolfsburg’s Xaver Schlager and Mainz’s Karim Onisiwo.
The high pressing that is typical of Rangnick did not initially work as desired. The Croatians, with Dortmund’s Marin Pongracic, Stuttgart’s Borna Sosa and Hoffenheim’s Andrej Kramaric in the starting line-up, found playful solutions, dominated the action even without their star Luka Modric, who sat on the bench for an hour, and created clearer scoring chances.
The Austrians only got stronger towards the end of the first half, but the lead through Arnautovic’s 33rd international goal came as a surprise.
In the second half, Rangnick brought on Christopher Trimmel and Gregoritsch from Berlin, who made it 2-0 after a remarkable combination. Sabitzer followed up with a long-range shot.