The clock is ticking. In twelve days, the World Cup starts in Russia and thus the mission title defense for the German national team. Until then, the team of Joachim Löw completed at least two test matches against Austria and Saudi Arabia. In this article, we first deal with the game against the ÖFB kicker, which will be kicked off on Saturday (02.06.) At 17:00 clock in the completely sold-out Wörthersee Stadium of Klagenfurt.
The Austrian selection could not qualify for the final round of the World Cup and may serve therefore until the World Cup opening as a welcome sparring partner for three finalists. In addition to the encounter with Germany completed the team of head coach Franco Foda already a test against World Cup host Russia and receives on 10.06. nor the five-time world champion Brazil. For the Germany selection, however, it is the last test before the final squad nomination on 04.06.2018. In addition to the well-known Wackelkandidaten captain and national goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will be under close scrutiny, which is expected to survive the next stress test after two internal tests against DFB-U-20 selection.
Austria:
After the disappointing European Championship 2016 and the missed participation in the finals of the World Cup in Russia, it is for the Austrian Elf once to lick their wounds and to reposition themselves for the upcoming European Championship qualification. The order has received the German football coach Franco Foda, who has been in charge of the ÖFB selection since the beginning of this year and who knows Austrian football both as a player and as a coach – most recently at Sturm Graz. His goal is to make the most talented ÖFB generation fit for the coming tasks since Krankl, Prohaska and Schachner. First steps have already been completed. In the upcoming test matches missing with Valentino Lazaro, Michael Gregoritsch and Marcel Sabitzer, however, three offensive forces. Even a use of David Alaba is not foreseeable.
The current form gives Foda so far quite right. After all, the Austrian national team remained undefeated under his sporting leadership so far. So the ÖFB selection prevailed in the first game under new management and at the same time the last game of the year 2017 thoroughly deserved 2-1 against Uruguay. In March of this year followed two wins against Slovenia (3: 0) and Luxembourg (4: 0). Last Wednesday hosted Russia hosted in Innsbruck. Here Austria celebrated the fourth victory in the fourth test under new coach Franco Foda. The goal to more than deserved 1-0 final score scored Alessandro Schöpf.
Germany:
Although the Elf of Joachim Löw would certainly like to win the upcoming test against Austria, first and foremost team building and important personnel decisions are in the foreground. Accordingly, the competition is in full swing. In addition to the vacant goalkeeper question, it is also important to sort out three more field players. If the regulars remain fit or in good time get fit (especially Jerome Boateng), probably a decision between Jonathan Tah, Sebastian Rudy, Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle, Matthias Ginter and Nils Petersen fall.
The form of the Germany national team is at first glance less edifying. However, national coach Joachim Löw did not really bake a small roll after the outstanding qualification for the World Cup in Russia (balance sheet: 10-0-0, goal difference 43: 4). Each of the last four opponents of the match could well meet in the final of Moscow on the DFB-Elf. However, less focused on the results than the findings obtained against the top teams from England (0: 0), France (2: 2) and Spain (1: 1). This certainly also applies to the 0-1 defeat against the Brazilian national team, which probably meant the end of a series of 22 games without defeat due to several experiments by Joachim Loew.
In the last two internal test matches in the training camp of Eppan against the U20 selection, the national team could record two victories for themselves. After Manuel Neuer in the first test (once 30 minutes) was not too busy (7: 1), he was in the second test last Wednesday surprisingly ran in the box of U20 (twice 30 minutes). Here he got, according to assistant coach Thomas Schneider also a lot on the box. Overall, he passed the ball only twice and the foot was able to withstand the load.
PREDICTION: Over 2.5 goals @ 1.73
