Ireland is set to host Austria in their UEFA Nations League matchday three fixture on Thursday at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin as they look to build on their last win.
Ireland vs Austria – Match preview and team news
- Date: Thursday, 1st October.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin.
Ireland team news
Ireland heads into tonight’s crucial UEFA Nations League clash at the Aviva Stadium with mixed news on the roster front.
Manager Heimir Hallgrímsson must navigate the high-profile absence of captain Nathan Collins, who has been ruled out of this entire international window due to an injury. In his absence, Dara O’Shea will step up to wear the captain’s armband to lead the backline.
However, Gavin Bazunu is expected to rejoin the matchday squad after withdrawing just before the recent 3-0 victory over Israel.
Further up the pitch, the squad remains slightly depleted. Both Jamie McGrath and Harvey Vale withdrew early in the window due to club-level injuries, prompting a late call-up for Killian Phillips, while Finn Azaz remains a major injury doubt after missing the weekend fixture.
Austria team news
Ralf Rangnick is managing a heavily altered squad compared to their summer tournament lineup. The visitors are adjusting to a new era following the international retirement of talismanic striker Marko Arnautović, while star midfielder Marcel Sabitzer is unavailable for this entire Nations League cycle.
The team’s creative options are further limited by an injury to attacking midfielder Christoph Baumgartner, who is completely ruled out of the fixture.
Additionally, there are doubts surrounding the fitness and availability of Konrad Laimer, though the midfielder has travelled with the squad.
In light of these key absences, Rangnick is leaning heavily into a youth movement, counting on the strong recent form of Carney Chukwuemeka, who can make an appearance in this match, and Junior Adamu to spearhead the Austrian attack.
Form
Ireland
The Republic of Ireland enters tonight’s matchup showing volatile form in their recent League B outings. They kicked off their new campaign with a disappointing 1-0 away defeat against Kosovo, struggling heavily to create concrete chances upfront. However, the Boys in Green bounced back emphatically on Sunday. They dismantled Israel in a comprehensive 3-0 victory in Hungary, highlighted by a dominant three-goal first-half blitz.
Austria
Austria arrives in Dublin in excellent domestic form, currently commanding the top spot in Group 3. Following a competitive summer run where they reached the World Cup knockout phase before a 3-0 defeat to Spain, Ralf Rangnick’s squad has been flawless in the Nations League. They have secured maximum points via consecutive 3-1 victories, comfortably dispatching both Israel and Kosovo while showcasing lethal efficiency upfront.
Predicted lineups
Ireland: Kelleher; Abankwah, Egan, O’Shea; O’Brien, Molumby, Knight, Manning; Ogbene, Moylan; Parrott
Austria: A. Schlager; Posch, Lienhart, Affengruber, Wober; Siewald, X. Schlager; Wimmer, Schmid, Wanner; Adamu
How to watch Ireland vs Austria?
You can watch the match live in the UK via the Amazon Prime Video Pay-Per-View service.
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