'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Austria play away to the Faroe Islands on Friday in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, looking to bounce back from consecutive defeats.
Das Team's hopes were dealt a severe blow after going down to Israel and Scotland last month, condemning them to fourth place in Group F.
But with seven points in the bag, all's not lost yet. Although direct qualification is unlikely as Denmark are running away at the top, a runners-up finish would guarantee them a place in the playoffs.
Faroe Islands shouldn't be a big challenge for them. The North Atlantic outfit, ranked 114 in the world, have accumulated only four points from their two games against Moldova, losing to all other teams in the group.
Austria had little trouble brushing them aside in the first-leg a few months ago.
Faroe Islands vs Austria Head-To-Head
Austria have a very good record against the Faroe Islands, winning five of their previous seven clashes.
They only lost their first-ever meeting over 30 years ago, which came in the 1992 Euro qualifiers.
Das Team also beat the North Atlantic outfit 3-1 in their previous clash in the ongoing qualifiers in March.
Faroe Islands Form Guide (all competitions): W-L-L-W-L
Austria Form Guide (all competitions): L-L-W-L-W
Faroe Islands vs Austria Team News
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands will have Rene Joensen back from suspension for his red card against Denmark. He could slot straight into the XI at left-back with Viljormur Davidsen absent from the squad.
Heri Mohr has been declared unavailable with Joannes Danielsen called-up as his replacement.
Injured: None
Suspended: None
Unavailable: Viljormur Davidsen, Heri Mohr
Austria
Das Team are riven with injuries at the moment, with key players like Marko Arnautovic and Christoph Baumgartner withdrawn from the squad.
Valentino Lazaro, Philipp Lienhart and veteran defender Aleksandar Dragovic are also set to miss their upcoming clashes.
Furthermore, Stuttgart attacker Sasa Kalajdzic was also not called-up.
Injured: Marko Arnautovic, Christoph Baumgartner, Valentino Lazaro, Philipp Lienhart, Aleksandar Dragovic
Suspended: None
Unavailable: Sasa Kalajdzic
Faroe Islands vs Austria Predicted XI
Faroe Islands (4-5-1): Gunnar Nielsen; Gilli Rolantsson, Odmar Faero, Sonni Nattestad, Rene Joensen; Solvi Vatnhamar, Hallu Hansson, Jakup Andreasen, Gunnar Vatnhamar, Meinhard Olsen; Joan Edmundsson.
Austria (4-2-3-1): Daniel Bachmann; Christopher Trimmel, Stefan Posch, Martin Hinteregger, Andreas Ulmer; Florian Kainz, Konrad Laimer; Louis Schaub, Marcel Sabitzer, David Alaba; Michael Gregoritsch.
Faroe Islands vs Austria Prediction
Both teams have conceded a lot of goals in the qualifiers, but Austria at least have better quality in their ranks compared to the Faroe Islands.
The latter has offered no great shakes besides their victory over Moldova.
It should be a smooth victory for the visitors, despite all the injury concerns and some of the key players missing out.
Prediction: Faroe Islands 0-2 Austria
