Austria wear all white at Aviva Stadium, Kalajdzic leads attack

At the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, the Austrian national players gather in immaculate white kit, while striker Sasa Kalajdzic is in the attack from the start for the first time in this Nations League. The atmosphere is tense, as the team wants to secure the third win in the third match.

New lineup and fresh faces

Under coach Ralf Rangnick, the team faces the Irish opponent – the “Boys in Green” – in Dublin for the first time since 2017. So far Rangnick has never played against this side.

The Austrians plan to secure the third victory in the third Nations League match. The game is considered an important goal for the team.

Another novelty: for the first time since 2017, the team meets Ireland in Dublin, an event that has not occurred since the last encounter in 2017.

The choice of the all‑white kit recalls the unlucky World Cup exit against Spain, which was also played in white – a bad omen that Rangnick and his men, however, ignore.

At the Aviva Stadium, the Austrians rely on six newcomers in the starting eleven and two players making their debut. Goalkeeper Florian Wiegele starts, as does Carney Chukwuemeka, who has so far only been used as a super‑sub.

In attack, Sasa Kalajdzic, who previously provided a spark twice as a super‑sub, now takes on the role of the regular striker and is expected to occupy the Irish defenders immediately.

The lineup is: 4‑2‑3‑1 – Wiegele; Posch, Affengruber, Lienhart, Mwene; Seiwald, X. Schlager; Wimmer, Chukwuemeka, Schmid; Kalajdzic.