Austria’s hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012 took a jolt following a 2-0 home defeat against Belgium on Friday.
Standard Liege midfielder Axel Witsel did the damage for the visitors with goals in either half, ensuring Austria fell to the first defeat of the qualifying campaign.Austria remain second in qualifying Group A but five points behind leaders Germany, while Belgium rise to third, equal on points with Austria.Expectations of a match approaching something like their 4-4 draw in Brussels last October were quickly sunk as Austria managed just the one real chance in 90 minutes.Belgium goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was at hand to smother that opportunity, collecting the ball at his feet after Austria captain Marc Janko was sent through.Witsel put the visitors ahead in just the sixth minute, breaking from the offside trap and getting a clean header to a whipped-in cross.The 22-year-old scored again five minutes after the break, smashing a left-footed shot past Austria custodian Juergen Macho after being picked out at the far post by Laurent Ciman’s cross.
Fri 25 March, 2011