Austria aims to end a seven-game losing streak against Germany when the neighbors meet in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday in Vienna.
Germany has scored 25 goals in those seven games, thelast of which was a 6-2 win in Euro 2012 qualifying. Austria’s last victory was in 1986 and a 0-0 tie 20 years ago marked the last time the Austrians avoided a loss. But the Austrians have renewedhope ahead of the Tuesday game — its first of the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign. Germany began its Group C play with a meager 3-0 win over the lowly Faroe Islands.
The Austrians alsohope their players’ experience in the German Bundesliga will help. Ten members of Austria’s roster play in Germany, including Christian Fuchs (Schalke 04), AndreasIvanschitz (Mainz 05), Martin Harnik (VfB Stuttgart), Sebastian Proedl (Werder Bremen) and Zlatko Junuzovic (Werder Bremen).
“Great teams have few weak points,” says Austria’s Swiss coach Marcel Koller. “Of course, we have studied the Germans meticulously and draw our conclusions, but that is notsomething we are going to make public. We need to be at our best on Tuesday as the Germans, in spite of their homemade problems, are still a top-level team who have outstanding players, above all inattack, who are very dangerous in one-to-one situations.”