Scotland v Austria

SCOTLAND v AUSTRIA / EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS / FIFA 2022 WORLD CUP
achieved by taking care
of all home games like
this one.
With Euro 2020 rapidly
approaching, the Scots
must, firstly, turn their
attention to ending what
will be a more than 24-
year World Cup hiatus
by the time the finals
in Qatar roll around in
November 2022.
And, as ever, beginning
at pace will be essential,
particularly without the
safety net of a play-off
via the Nations League on
this occasion.
8
The fixtures have
provided Steve Clarke
with a chance to do just
that with this opening
triple-header. After
tonight’s test, a trip to
face now familiar foes
Israel awaits on Sunday
and will be followed by
the visit of the Faroe
Islands back here next
Wednesday. All of which
offers a chance to get
nine points on the board
almost instantly.
If you like an omen, the
road to France began in
1996 against tonight’s
opposition and a wellearned
0-0 draw in
Vienna.
Amidst the excitement of
Belgrade in November,
it is easy to lose sight of
the significance of what
begins right here and
will rumble on after this
summer’s party’s over.
The start of a new
campaign is always
Scotland’s
road to
France
‘98 began
with a
goalless
draw in
Vienna in
1996
something to look forward
to, but perhaps even more
so this time around given
what this group of players
has now achieved.
Like the Scots, Austria
haven’t had their
qualifying issues to seek
down the years. They
too haven’t been to a
World Cup since they
both emerged from that
group in 1997 and whilst
they’ve been to two
European Championship
finals in that time, one of
those came by virtue of
co-hosting duties in 2008
alongside Switzerland.
There were some
concerns that restrictions
on travel amidst the
Coronavirus pandemic
would have deprived
current boss Franco
Foda of many of his top
German-based stars,
such as Bayern Munich’s
David Alaba, captain
Julien Baumgartlinger of
Bayer Leverkusen and
RB Leipzig striker Marcel
Sabitzer.
However, Germany
recently removed the UK
from a list of countries
requiring a 14-day
quarantine, as did France,
meaning Foda has a
full squad aside from
Baumgartlinger who is
out through injury.
Hopefully the Scotland
players will board their
flight for Sunday’s second
game in Israel having got
off to the perfect start.
That one will be the sixth
meeting in two and a half
years and the visitors
will hope to reverse their
fortunes in the middleeastern
country after
defeats in both their
recent Nations League
matches there.
HAMPDEN PARK / THURSDAY, 25 MARCH 2021