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| May 6th 2005 |
Rome, Stadio Nazionale
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| AUSTRIA - DENMARK |
3-3 (1-2)
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GOALS 19' 0-1 Pauli Jörgensen
27' 1-1 Josef Bican
44' 1-2 Michael Laudrup
50' 1-3 Ole Madsen
82' 2-3 Hans Krankl
89' 3-3 Franz Binder
REFEREE Romualdas Arppi Filho (Brazil)
ATTENDANCE 45,000
YELLOW CARDS Pezzey, Happel (AUT) - Nielsen, Middelboe (DEN)
AUSTRIA (Coach: Hugo Meisl, system 4-2-4)
1 Rudi Hiden
3 Karl Sesta
5 Bruno Pezzey
6 Ernst Happel
4 Gerhard Hanappi
7 Ernst Ocwirk (captain)
10 Matthias Sindelar
13 Josef Bican
9 Hans Krankl
12 Franz Binder
14 Karl Koller (-66)
Substitutes:
20 Alfred Körner (+66)
DENMARK (Coach: Sepp Piontek, system 4-3-3)
1 Peter Schmeichel
2 Ole Rasmussen
3 Ivan Nielsen
4 Morten Olsen (captain)
17 Jan Heintze
5 Nils Middelboe
7 Pauli Jörgensen (-79)
6 Sören Lerby
8 Michael Laudrup
11 Preben Elkjaer-Larsen (-46)
20 Brian Laudrup (-73)
Substitutes:
10 Ole Madsen (+46)
15 Frank Arnesen (+73)
21 Thomas Helveg (+79)
MATCHREPORT
Austria and Denmark played a do-or-die match in the old Stadio Nazionale in
Rome. Denmark, only having drawn to England and lost to Sweden, had to win.
A three goal advantage would guarantee a place in the second round. A draw
would be enough for Austria if England would beat Sweden, or if the Swedes
would win it by a margin of at least four goals. Both teams were equipped
pretty offensive, and it turned out to be become one of the most exciting
matches of the tournament. Sadly enough for them it ended all square at 3-3
and both Austria and Denmark were eliminated after England and Sweden drew
0-0.
Austrian coach Hugo Meisl had Karl Sesta back from suspension at full back
and decided to insert one extra striker with Hans Krankl which cost Herbert
Prohaska his place in the starting XI. Shortly behind the four men up front
there was Matthias Sindelar given the task of providing the strikers. If one
thing was clear even before the start of the match it was, that captain
Ocwirk would have a heavy match in midfield having to do most of the dirty
work all on his own. Denmark started with both Laudrup brothers on the wings
and Elkjaer-Larsen at centre forward. Jörgensen was put in an attacking role
from midfield. It became a match that went up and down the field and the
strikers were far stronger than their defensive opponents.
Already after 3 minutes Josef Bican was released by a Sindelar pass and he
blasted it just over the bar above Danish goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel.
Denmark did something back but Elkjaer-Larsen squandered the most beautiful
opportunity when he appeared all alone in front of Rudi Hiden. The goalkeeper
succeeded in turning it away. And before 10 minutes were gone by, Hiden
again made a brilliant save from a Lerby shot. It was a great match from the
beginning.
After 19 minutes Denmark took the lead. A fine move on the right took the
ball to Brian Laudrup who presented it to Pauli Jörgensen. The powerfully
built little man outplayed Hanappi and beat Hiden with a dry shot into the
left corner: 0-1. Austria responded immediately with a string of attacks.
However in front of goal they lacked a cool head. Sindelar played quite
deep, leaving Ocwirk alone in midfield just as expected and the captain had
a tough time against running machine Lerby. Austria had to play the long
ball from behind but mostly Nielsen headed it away. Still from one of those
long kicks the equalizer came. Eight minutes after the Danish goal Austria
came back. Sesta knocked it into the box, Heintze couldn't control it and
Bican shot it, out of the air, over Schmeichel in the net: 1-1, they could
start from scratch again.
Austria had the better chances from that moment. Schmeichel had to show his
full competence on a header from Binder and Bican was close to his second
goal when his shot went just the wrong side of the post. Against the run of
play at that time, Denmark took the lead just before half time. Michael
Laudrup escaped with a brilliant smooth trick from Hanappi and put the ball
under Hiden in goal: 1-2. Even after Laudrup's goal Sindelar had the chance
of doing something back before the break, but Schmeichel again was in the
way and so Denmark went into the dressing room being one goal up. Still that
wasn't enough to be sure, but they were well on their way.
Preben Elkjaer-Larsen didn't return in the second half. He was fouled by
Happel minutes before the break. Happel got a yellow card from referee Arppi
Filho, Madsen was the player to be sent in by Piontek. And surprisingly
enough, where Elkjaer-Larsen had failed, Madsen soon made his presence felt.
A cross from Lerby, who had overrun Ocwirk again, landed exactly on
Madsen's head and with a beautiful curve fell behind Hiden, beaten for the
third time. Denmark two up now, the match seemed to be decided but still
Denmark needed another goal to qualify. Austria for a moment were down and
out, but then found back their morale. They were able to turn to an "all or
nothing" style of play.
Alfred Körner was brought into the game by Meisl in place of disappointing
Karl Koller. It brought more danger from the left were Ole Rasmussen
suddenly looked out of place at the highest level. Ocwirk found his power
back and offered Lerby a real fight now, Sindelar got the better of
Jörgensen who had to back to ground he wasn't too familiar at. Sindelar
released many fine passes, the strikers couldn't moan about not being
provided too many good balls. It was a miracle that Austria didn't score.
Bican hammered the ball on the crossbar, Binder's header touched the post
next to Schmeichel. And what was between the post, Scheichel seemed to
attract just like a magnet. Piontek thought that midfielder Arnesen could
add a little more power in midfield were Hanappi and Happel constantly
supported Ocwirk and Sindelar now. Austria however remained the better team.
Shortly after Madsen had missed the ideal opportunity to make everything
clear, Austria as yet came back. From a Koller corner, the ball wasn't
cleared and from the 6 yard line Krankl scored: 2-3, the goal of the
Austrian hope. When messages came in that England and Sweden were cruising
to a draw, Austria still needed two goals. With this 3-2 score, Denmark
would be through on the number of goals scored compared to Sweden. But it
wasn't to be for Danish Dynamite and Franz "Bimbo" Binder was responsible
for it. One minute from time he converted from a Sindelar cross, with his
head: 3-3. Schmeichel would have died to save it, but ended up short.
The 3-3 wasn't enough for both Austria and Denmark. They had fought to the
maximum but Sweden were just a goal better than Meisl's men and Denmark
ended without a win. They had hoped for an English win against Sweden but
when the Swedes carried the 0-0 over the finishline in London, Austria and
Denmark went home shattered.
The last matches in group G are without too much tension. Although Argentina
and Germany play a rematch of the 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals. At stake
is the win in the group. Germany need a draw to win it and play against
Sweden in the round of last 16. If Argentina win, the Germans play England.
Argentina-Germany is in Buenos Aires with referee George Reader. Both teams
are expected to play with their best teams, Helmut Schön might drop a
striker for this heavy test. Turkey and Switzerland are scheduled in the
huge Maracana for their last match that is completely meaningless, apart from
regaining a bit of pride after the two teams were humiliated by the giants
in the group. Referee here is Nikolai Latichev.
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