Austria's women claim comeback win but must speed up, says Söndergaard

Austria’s women turned a 0‑1 first‑half hole into a 2‑1 win in Prishtina, yet coach Lars Söndergaard insists the side must still accelerate its play before the return leg in Vienna. The late turnaround highlighted resilience, but the Danish boss warned that speed will be decisive on a superior home pitch.

The first‑leg fixture on Friday saw Kosovo take an early lead, but Austria equalised in the 37th minute when Louise Schöffel headed in a Hanshaw assist. A minute later, the Austrian side restored the lead and sealed the win with an 81st‑minute header from Nicole Billa after a Jennifer Klein cross.

Coach Söndergaard’s assessment

Lars Söndergaard had warned before kickoff about Kosovo’s individual quality and counter‑strength, a concern that was reinforced when the visitors struck in the 14th minute. He later described the 2‑1 result as a “beautiful individual action” and praised the team’s patience and composure throughout the match.

Key player contributions

Louise Schöffel, the Austria Wien winger, earned her fourth cap with a decisive goal and said, “I am overall happy about the team performance, more than about the goal.” Her confident hand on the ball helped the side dominate possession in the second half. Ereleta Memeti of Eintracht Frankfurt shocked the Kosovo defence with a textbook counter‑attack, underscoring Austria’s attacking threat.

Nicole Billa broke a long drought, scoring her first international goal since a triple‑pack in a 10‑0 World Cup qualifier on 6 September 2022. The 24‑year‑old’s 48th goal in 110 appearances moves her closer to ÖFB record‑scorer Nina Burger’s 53‑goal tally. Billa reflected, “Naturally it feels good for a striker to score after such a long time and help the team.”

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Team‑mate Sarah Puntigam, the captain, added that the squad were “very” pleased with Billa’s strike and the overall performance.

Looking ahead to the Tuesday return leg in Vienna, Söndergaard stressed the importance of a faster tempo on a superior pitch, stating, “We must play faster, we can do that on a super pitch.” Marie‑Therese Höbinger echoed this, noting that home conditions will make it easier to move the ball and exploit strengths. The coach also warned that Modesta Uka could start, urging the side to be “hellish careful” against Kosovo’s counter‑tactics.

In the subsequent round, Switzerland awaits the Austrian winner, as the hosts of the previous European Championship secured a 7‑3 first‑leg victory over Israel. When asked about future opponents, Sarah Puntigam replied, “We look from game to game,” signalling a measured approach.

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The contrast between a hard‑won comeback and the call for greater speed underlines the dual narrative of confidence and caution that will shape Austria’s quest for a World Cup 2027 ticket.