Training on Thursday in Vienna / Image: (c) GEPA pictures (GEPA pictures / Edgar Eisner)
The Austrian national soccer team was not able to travel to the Faroe Islands two days before their World Cup qualifier as planned. Adverse weather conditions with strong winds made a landing on the islands in the North Atlantic impossible on Thursday. The Austrians therefore stayed one night in Vienna, according to the ÖFB, the journey should now take place on Friday. The game in Torshavn is scheduled for Saturday evening (8.45 p.m. CEST / live ORF 1).
“That is of course not ideal if it does not work that way, but the weather is to blame,” said ÖFB sports director Peter Schöttel in an initial reaction. It is not uncommon in the Faroe Islands at this time of year not to be able to land. “That's why we decided to plan a day in advance that we would fly there.” You now have to make use of this additional day of leeway.
The departure to Vagar should originally have taken place on Thursday at 4 p.m. After two and a half hours of waiting in vain at Vienna International Airport, however, we went back to the hotel. “Unfortunately it is not possible that we can land in the Faroe Islands today,” said Schöttel. “That's why this decision has now been made to go back to the hotel and fly there tomorrow morning.”
An exact travel plan for Friday was not yet fixed early on Thursday evening. A charter started early on Thursday with media representatives and sponsors on board was diverted to Bergen in Norway. In October 2008, the ÖFB selection was stuck at Vagar Airport for more than half a night after a disgraceful 1: 1 in the Faroe Islands because of a mixed up flight plan.
On Thursday afternoon the Austrians in Vienna got in the mood for the away game on the archipelago in the North Atlantic under comparable conditions. The training took place in the rain on an artificial turf field at the Ernst Happel Stadium. All 23 current squad players took part in the unit. Light rain and wind are also forecast for the match day in Torshavn.
The match, Austria's eighth duel with the Faroe Islands, will be played on artificial turf in the Torsvöllur Stadium, which has a capacity of 5,000. Around 4,000 tickets had been sold by Thursday. According to the association, the ÖFB team is accompanied by around 200 Austrian fans. Team boss Franco Foda has a total of ten injured or sick players, including numerous regulars such as Marko Arnautovic.
