Austria vs Romania

Austria will belatedly launch their World Cup qualifying journey by hosting Romania in Vienna on Saturday, aiming for a strong start in Group H.

While Romania earned three points from their opening two matches in March, Austria were competing in the UEFA Nations League playoffs. After securing second place in their Nations League group, Austria faced Serbia in a playoff but fell short, losing 3-1 on aggregate.

Despite an unbeaten home record in the group stage—with notable victories over Norway and Kazakhstan, plus a draw against Slovenia—they drew 1-1 at Ernst-Happel-Stadion and suffered a 2-0 loss in Belgrade.

Remaining in League B of the Nations League, Austria, under Ralf Rangnick’s guidance, now shift focus to World Cup qualification, a feat they haven’t achieved since France '98. Despite a promising start to Rangnick’s tenure and glimpses of potential at Euro 2024, Austria trail Group H leaders Bosnia-Herzegovina by six points and Romania by three.

Romania, who previously faced Austria in World Cup qualifying for South Africa 2010—earning one point from two matches—also met them in the Nations League nearly five years ago, securing a 3-2 win in Vienna but losing 1-0 at home.

After a lackluster start to their current qualifying campaign, marked by a surprising home defeat to Bosnia and a 5-1 thrashing of San Marino, Romania, led by Mircea Lucescu, are determined to avoid further slip-ups. Only the group winners secure direct qualification for next summer’s finals, while second place faces a tougher playoff path.

Following an impressive Euro campaign and six consecutive Nations League victories, Romania aim to close the gap in Group H. A positive result in Vienna, followed by a home win against Cyprus, would be an ideal early birthday gift for Lucescu, who turns 80 next month. Conversely, Austria will look to capitalize on their home advantage to level points with Romania and boost their qualification hopes.