The Austrian captain Marcel Sabitzer led the good example when Austria defeated Romania 2-1 in the Ernst Happel Stadium to open their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign in style.
Romania came to the Austrian capital of Vienna in the game in Fine Form after winning seven of their last eight games (L1), and it was not long before Mircea Lucescu bends their attacking muscles.
Only eight minutes had passed before two early professions on penalties were rejected by referee Maurizio Mariani. An all-action that started to the game continued with Horațiu Moldavan who produced a nice salvation to prevent Sabitzer from opening the score.
The impasse then broke nine minutes later. From the back for another Austrian attack, Maximilian showed disappointing why his specific skills are on the other side of the field, not in the last third part, while reaching high in the stands from relatively close.
Austria continued to look for the opening goal of the game before the break, but at first glance it appeared that DAS team should settle for a scoreless game during the break, because Moldavan Sabitzer twice denied the fierce attack of Romano Schmid between Acrobatically.
However, all of that changed in the 42nd minute, because Wober's header back in the danger zone was powerful by Michael Gregoritsch.
Even after he came under increasing pressure during the opening of the second half of the second half, which Denis Dragus made almost the same for Romania, Austria happened to bring the game to bed after 60 minutes.
Sabitzer led the good example, finally got his name on the score sheet with a strike from just outside the area that took a double deflection before the Moldavan defeated his nearby pole.
Although they were two goals for the good, Austria remained debts to Patrick Pentz during the final phase, because he got two stunning saves to prevent Nicolae Stanciu's set piece and replace the ambitious long-distance effort from Adrian Sut to set up an intriguing final.
Denis Alibec went home a late consolation for Romania with the last staircase of the game, but it was too late to spoil an opening day FIFA 2026 World Cup for Austria that will set them in good pass for their match against Group H -outders San Marino on Tuesday.
In the meantime, Romania returns home to a familiar environment, because Cyprus are the visitors to Bucharest.