Preview

It was time for Austria’s first home qualifier as they had invited home across their doorstep Turkey. Only two weeks earlier had they been the losing party in Kiev, when a defensively minded Hickersberger select had gone down deservedly by two to nothing against group favourites Soviet Union, but back in their own yard they would have been expecting to overcome Turkey, who did traditionally not travel well. Tonight’s visitors had been held to a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to a slightly depleted Iceland three weeks earlier, and so in order to still have a say in qualification matters, they would’ve wanted to avoid defeat here.

The group table after four matches shows the following:

Austria team news

With Austria’s most recent outing only two weeks in the past, there had not been the expectancy of wholesale changes. However, one player would come in and immediately catch the headlines: Vastly experienced midfielder Herbert Prohaska, now 33 years of age, was back in the national team after an absence of three and a half years. Prohaska, well into his second spell with Austria Vienna in between stints with Internazionale and Roma in Italy, would win his 80th cap if selected, and it was hardly likely that manager Hickersberger would’ve drafted him back into this environment unless he had plans to use him. However, there had been some doubts regarding his participation due to some recent achilles problems. Along with libero and captain Heribert Weber, also 33, Prohaska was among a fine but dying breed in Austrian football: They had both represented their country during the 1978 and 1982 World Cups.

There was no change among the goalkeepers, with both Klaus Lindenberger and Franz Wohlfahrt retained since the trip in behind the Iron Curtain. With ‘Pepi’ again expected to field a five man defensive line, it seemed obvious that the libero task would again go to Weber, and that Kurt Russ and Anton Pfeffer would be doing central defensive duties, like they had been last time around. However, both Russ and Pfeffer were capable of multiple positions, and there were also other options for various defensive positions. Manfred Zsak had been at right-back in Kiev, with Josef Degeorgi opposite. There was also the possibility of seeing yet another versatile player, 22 year old Peter Artner, perform in almost any role along the back five. Artner had stuck to his man marking task of Aleksandr Zavarov in the Soviet Union, from his original position at the back of the three man Austrian midfield.

Artner, Gerald Willfurth and Walter Hörmann had made up the midfield three against the USSR, though one suspected that Prohaska would be starting this time around. There was no Hörmann in the squad on this occasion; he had had a poor performance in Kiev. Hörmann was a regular feature with club side Austria Vienna, and so too was Prohaska. It seemed likely that the latter would replace his team mate in the national side’s starting eleven. However, another big candidate for a starting berth was indeed Rapid Vienna’s starlet Andreas Herzog. So there were indeed a few questions regarding how Hickersberger would compose his midfield trio. In addition to those already mentioned, another very much up and coming player in 19 year young Gerald Glatzmayer was in the squad. The teenager belonged to First Vienna, the country’s oldest club, and had featured in two late summer friendlies.

Up top, it would again be virtually impossible to look beyond the squad’s only foreign pro Anton Polster for a starting role. The 25 year old Sevilla striker had put himself about in the air away in the Soviet Union, but he would hopefully get more support in a home fixture against the Turks. During the 2-0 defeat two weeks earlier, Hickersberger had sprung a surprise in including Christian Keglevits for the forward’s first international in more than four years. The 27 year old had, however, been in scintillating early domestic season form, and notched no less than 12 league goals in the opening 15 matches. He’d even scored a hat-trick against then league leaders Swarovski Tirol in a 4-0 win on October 8. Despite having had a troublesome evening a fortnight earlier, he would again be in contention for a place in the starting eleven. Further candidates were Peter Pacult from said Tirol club, as well as Austria Vienna’s livewire striker Andreas Ogris. The latter had not been in the squad for the trip to Kiev.

Dropped since the squad of 16 which had travelled two weeks earlier, in addition to the aforementioned Hörmann, was defender Ernst Aigner. With Prohaska and Ogris in contention, it probably looked a slightly stronger squad this time around.

Turkey team news

The 1-1 home draw against Iceland had been Turkey’s last match, and since then there was just a single change to the 16 man squad which had travelled to the Austrian capital. Central defender Mücahit Yalçıntaş, who had been booked against the Icelandics, was an absentee, and in for him had come Gökhan Gedikali, a 22 year old defender from Ankaragücü. Could he prove to be a straight swap for the player whom he had replaced in the squad? Another defensive option was of course İsmail Demiriz, the relatively experienced Galatasaray man, who was the player among the 16 with the highest number of internationals (27).

Tınaz kept faith in the goalkeeping pair of Fatih and Engin. Mücahit was nowhere to be seen, though the rest of the defence was intact, so the likelihood of many changes seemed slim. Cüneyt Tanman, the 32 year old of Galatasaray, had been captaining the side against Iceland, and he looked odds on to do so once again. He had been a willing participant from his libero position, and appeared to thrive coming forward ball at feet.

The manager had opted for a 4-4-2 last time around, when playmaker Ünal, one of only three players to come from outside of the big Istanbul three, had been an inverted left-sided midfielder. Ünal had scored the equalizer, and delievered a ‘man of the match’ performance against Iceland. No doubt would the 22 year old Malatyaspor ace again be among the Turkish’ most important players. The rugged Gökhan Keskin had been patrolling the rear of their midfield against the Nordic country, whereas Fenerbahçe’s elegant star Oğuz Çetin had directed operations from central midfield. To the right on that occasion had been Savaş Koç, one of four starting Galatasaray men. Options here were two young players in Mustafa Yücedağ, also of Galatasaray, and 20 year young starlet Zeki Önatlı of Beşiktaş. Would Tınaz, in a seemingly difficult away fixture, again opt for 4-4-2, or would he alter his formation around on this occasion?

Goalscoring sensation Tanju Çolak had been a big disappointment against Iceland, and he had even failed to convert a penalty, as he saw his late first half spot kick saved by ‘keeper Friðriksson. Tanju had been paired with Fenerbahçe’ Rıdvan Dilmen in Istanbul, and as Tınaz had been chasing an equalizer in the second half, he had brought on Beşiktaş man Feyyaz Uçar for the trio to form a three-pronged attacking line. The same three forwards were again available to the Turkey manager.

Perhaps was it worth noting that Galatasaray had knocked reigning Austrian champions Rapid Vienna out of the European Cup in the first round. The two matches had been played early in September and October respectively, with Rapid winning 2-1 at home, before the Istanbul club had turned the deficit around through winning their home leg 2-0. Tanju and Cüneyt had got the all important goals. The squad contained no less than six Gala men, whereas the Rapid Vienna count among the Austrian 16 was only half of that.

Miscellaneous

According to Austrian TV (ORF), each player in the Turkish squad had been promised the equivalent of 35 000 Austrian Shillings for a win in Vienna. This appears to be something in the mould of 3000 USD per today, and it seems a substantial figure for the Turkish FA of 1988.

An interested spectator was East Germany manager Bernd Stange. He was observed in the stand, something which was hardly a surprise, as they would be the next to tackle the Turkish. Four weeks later, it would be GDR who would travel to Istanbul for the next match in Group 3.

Conditions

The pitch looks in immaculate shape, but it is a chilly November evening in the Austrian capital.

Referee

41 year old Italian insurance agent Tullio Lanese was the man FIFA had appointed to be in charge of this fixture. Lanese was well into his second year on the circuit, having made his international debut in a February ’87 friendly between Israel and Northern Ireland. However, this was still only his second fixture at this level, and so his qualification bow. Italian officials were in general held in high regard, and so it seemed likely that the game would be in safe hands. He was supported along one of the lines by Carlo Longhi, a 44 year old who had six internationals behind him as a referee.

Previous meetings

Austria and Turkey had met seven times in the past, with tonight’s hosts easily the dominant force since their inaugural encounter way back in 1948. The Austrians had triumphed by 1-0 in Istanbul on that occasion, and they had indeed won all of the two countries’ first six meetings. The most recent game between the pair had occured in Istanbul almost exactly five years earlier, and for the first time ever Turkey had managed both to score and to overcome Austria (3-1). None of the starting eleven among the Turkish had participated in that 1984 European Championships qualifier, but substitute İsmail Demiriz had been a starter then. In tonight’s Austrian camp, three starters (Weber, Degeorgi and Willfurth) as well as two substitutes (Pacult and Keglevits) had been on the pitch on that occasion in Turkey.

Austria (5-3-2)

Turkey (4-4-2)

Player	Notes	Age	Club
1 Fatih Uraz		27	Samsunspor
2 Recep Çetin	68′	23	Beşiktaş
3 Semih Yuvakuran		25	Galatasaray
4 Cüneyt Tanman (c)		32	Galatasaray
5 Gökhan Gedikali	sub 59′	22	Ankaragücü
6 Gökhan Keskin	15′	22	Beşiktaş
7 Ünal Karaman		22	Malatyaspor
8 Rıdvan Dilmen	87′	26	Fenerbahçe
9 Mustafa Yücedağ		22	Galatasaray
10 Oğuz Çetin		25	Fenerbahçe
11 Feyyaz Uçar	sub 68′	25	Beşiktaş

Tactical line-ups

Match Report

First half:

Around 7pm and kick-off time, there were still a number of fans who had not made it inside the ground. Perhaps had the Austrian FA underestimated the interest for the game as they’d not made sure to open up a sufficient number of turnstiles to let people through. The travelling Turkish contingent was also quite numerous, and they would make sure that they were both seen and heard inside the ground.

The Austrians had star forward Toni Polster and attacking midfielder Andy Herzog to set in motion their home qualifying campaign. This was the first ever start in the national select for Rapid Vienna’s hugely talented youngster, and it would turn out that the attacking midfielder was a feature in the inside left position among the three home players in the centre of the pitch. Herzog thereby took over Walter Hörmann’s role from the previous match, a role which he had had an appetizer of as he’d replaced Hörmann for the latter part of the second half in Kiev. Despite having been unable to influence on the outcome then, Herzog had proved to be a step up. His inclusion from kick-off now seemed an inevitable one. Immediately to his left, Herzog had the returning Herbert Prohaska, and the 33 year old from Rapid’s rival club Austria (Vienna) was making a return appearance which had been hugely anticipated among the locals. Prohaska taking the deep midfield role would surely bring a whole lot of other qualities to that position compared to what had been demonstrated through Peter Artner’s interpretation last time around. To complete the midfield was, again, Gerald Willfurth as the inside right alternative. Willfurth had proved a capable player in the Soviet Union through his strong running, though perhaps would he be less efficient in a game where the Austrians were supposed to dominate possession?

A look at the visitors

Turkey had been superior in possession during their somewhat disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Iceland in their only previous game of this qualification. It had been a depleted Iceland side, and it had in reality been a match which the Turkish ought to have won if they were to have serious intentions of challenging for a second place, which, realistically, was the best they could hope for. They had been a bit goal shy in that fixture, and particularly disappointing had domestic goal ace Tanju Çolak been. Not only had he failed to convert a late first half penalty, but he had also been a big disappointment in open play, where for example a total lack of aggression had been a feature of his performance. He had been ousted tonight, and into the side had come Beşiktaş striker Feyyaz to win his fourth cap. The 25 year old had come on as a substitute with more than half an hour left for play against Iceland, though he had failed to impress. He would be playing alongside Fenerbahçe’s livewire striker Rıdvan Dilmen, who so often would orientate himself towards the right hand side of attack.

As far as formations went, Turkey were again in 4-4-2, just like they had been three weeks earlier. On that occasion, there had just been some minor tweaks from Tınaz regarding the formation as a customary one: Ünal, whose original position had been as the wide left alternative in midfield, certainly had worked in an inverted capacity, cutting inside time and again, and thus exposing the attacking left hand side for full-back Semih behind him to take advantage of. Ünal was again in the starting line-up, but on this occasion, and possibly as reward for a wonderful performance last time around, he had been moved into the centre of the pitch. He would be operating more or less alongside Oğuz, another player who had far from looked out of sorts against the Nordic country. This meant, since debutant Mustafa Yücedağ would take the right-sided midfield role, that Turkey would be playing without a recognized left-sided midfielder, and so appear in an asymmetrical version of the 4-4-2. At the rear of midfield, like in their qualification opener, sat the rugged Gökhan Keskin. It was worth noting that neither of the four midfielders were in double caps figures, and the total appearance number between them only amassed 17!

The goalkeeper’s position by now seemed to belong to 27 year old Fatih Uraz of Samsunspor, a starter in all four of Turkey’s 1988 internationals to date. The city of Samsun sits on the northern shores of the country, right on the Black Sea, and Fatih was one of three players among the eleven in the starting line-up who did not hail from any of the three major Istanbul clubs. Midfield maestro Ünal, of Malatyaspor in the eastern regions of the country, was one, whilst central defender Gökhan Gedikali, who was in the team due to the absence of Mücahit Yalçıntaş, who had formed the central defensive pairing with captain Cüneyt Tanman in their last fixture, was the other. Gökhan Gedikali belonged to Ankaragücü, a club, as the name would suggest, rooted in the capital Ankara. At 22 years of age, he had a lot of responsibility on his young shoulders in such a vital position, so he would probably aim to lean on the skipper for advice during the game. Cüneyt had proved very keen in going forward against Iceland, and he was the designated libero once again. At 32 years of age, he was the father figure in the side, with goalkeeper Fatih the second oldest, though still five years Cüneyt’s junior. Full-backs were Recep Çetin and Semih Yuvakuran, where the latter was the left handed attacking alibi.

Turkey’s right-sided midfielder Mustafa might have been a debutant, but he showed little signs of any nerves in the early exchanges. With only two minutes on the clock, he advances on the ball in the right handed channel, though his run comes to a halt when Andy Herzog makes a poorly executed tackle on him from behind. This will lead to the Turkish arriving at the game’s first opportunity, as the alert Ünal, quickly taking the free-kick, has spotted Rıdvan make a run ahead of him and into the penalty area. The Austrian left-sided defence must have dozed off, as neither left-back Degeorgi nor left-sided central defender Pfeffer had paid attention to Rıdvan’s run. Captain Heribert Weber had, though, even if he had been unable to catch up with the forward, as Rıdvan had had a head start on him. As the speedy Fenerbahçe man attempted to square the ball for his forward partner Feyyaz, luckily for the hosts central defender Russ had recovered to intervene and boot the ball away for a right wing corner for the visitors. Weber has a stern word with the two aforementioned defenders, and certainly Austria can not allow any defensive lapses should they aim to get back on to the path for Italia ’90.

The Austrian select

Josef Hickersberger had lined his eleven up in 5-3-2 in the Soviet Union, and the same was the case once again, with the team’s most senior member Heribert Weber acting both as captain and as the libero. Immediately around him he had two 23 year olds in Kurt Russ (to his right) and Anton Pfeffer, and whereas Russ had been given a few opportunities to appear inside the opposition’s territory in their previous outing, it was hardly likely that there would be a repeat of these instructions now due to the slightly altered circumstances in personnel. At right-back was Peter Artner, who had been tied to Aleksandr Zavarov in Kiev two weeks earlier. He was filling in for Manfred Zsak, who had been at right-back last time around. Zsak had by no means played a bad game in the USSR, but he had nevertheless been relegated to the substitutes’ bench. Josef Degeorgi would again take up the left-back position. Perhaps was Artner thought to be a better alternative than Zsak in going forward from that right-back position? Austria would’ve been expected to dominate the Turkish at home, and so they would need some kind of attacking contribution from their full-backs. Degeorgi was already capable of such.

In midfield, the moustached, elegant and lean figure of Herbert Prohaska was sitting in the deep position. Having been out of the game at international level for so long, there would’ve been an awful lot of questions about him pre-match. However, he still ranked as a good player by Austrian Bundesliga standards, and in his 80th game wearing the national team jersey, he certainly did not lack in experience. Prohaska was as much the personification of Austria Vienna as Weber was across the city with Rapid. Here, they would feature in each their pivotal role in the side. Ahead of Prohaska in midfield was Gerald Willfurth, seemingly one of Pepi’s big favourites, as he had featured in all of the eight preceeding internationals under the current regime. Willfurth was full of running, relatively aggressive, but not hugely visible with Austria in possession. This was made up for through the presence of Andy Herzog across the midfield, though. The 20 year young Rapid Vienna darling had finally been allowed to start an international. This was his fourth cap, but his first ever starting inclusion. Herzog had shown during the 20 odd minute long cameo he had got in Kiev that he was more than ready for this climate. And here he would be showing the entire nation what an asset he could prove to the team from his inside left midfield position.

Up front was again the burly Toni Polster. He had won a few aerial challenges against the Soviet Union defenders, but he’d not had a lot of success apart from that in a relatively one-sided game. Here, though, Polster had been expected to come more to the fore. In addition to tremendous physique, the Sevilla man possessed a wicked shot with his left foot. And he was certainly a fearsome header of the ball. The Turkish defence would have their work cut out in trying to deny him from getting on the scoresheet. Alongside Polster would be his old partner from the Austria Vienna days: Andy Ogris. Two weeks earlier, Christian Keglevits had had a surprise return to the national side, and though the Wiener SC striker had been busy, he had not enjoyed a lot of personal triumph in Kiev. He was in the squad, but he had to make do with a place among the substitutes on this occasion. Ogris, deemed fit after some knee trouble, was the player to partner Polster. In the 24 year old forward, Pepi would get a lot of what Keglevits also had in his locker: movement, pace, the ability to drop deep. The manager did seem to favour this kind of player to give support to Polster up top.

Visitors not in Vienna just to make up the numbers

Turkey are intent on taking the game to their hosts; they do not just sit back and soak up whatever the Austrians have to throw at them. They had shown during the 1-1 game against Iceland that they were in possession of individuals who were capable of some very fine demonstrations of close control, and this enabled them to sometimes get hold of the ball and shift it around their side at pace, even inside the Austrian half. Ünal had been a vital cog last time around, and now, operating in a more central position, he was no less of an asset for the visitors. The central pairing of Ünal and Oğuz ensured Turkey of technical quality in a vital part of the pitch, and they would wish to set up either Mustafa or Rıdvan along the right hand side, whereas left-back Semih time and again crossed the halfway line to contribute from this side of the pitch. Feyyaz, the more central of the two strikers, seemed to work under somewhat similar instructions as Tanju had done for the home tie against Iceland: He would try to act predatory as an advanced forward with Turkey in control, but when they had to defend, Feyyaz would not be foreign to arriving back inside his own half in order to participate should a counter-attacking opportunity arise.

Vital when you had relatively nimble players such as Ünal and Oğuz in the centre of the pitch, was to have a sturdy feature at the rear of your midfield. For this purpose, Turkey had the powerful Gökhan Keskin, a player typically appearing with his rolled-down socks and no shin pads. When Turkey were pressed back, he would almost drop as deep as into a central defensive role, but his main part was clearly at the back of the midfield, where he needed to be alert to the presence of Prohaska and, not least, Herzog. He could also put himself about in aerial challenges, and when Austria played it long either from ‘keeper Lindenberger or from their defenders, Gökhan Keskin could battle for high balls with the robust Polster. Another Turk who was not afraid to enter these challenges was the other Gökhan – Gedikali. It was not that Turkey’s captain Cüneyt was of such tender nature that he was unable to put himself about in the air, but he was of somewhat smaller frame than the two Gökhans, and with Polster such a powerful presence up front for the hosts, the team clad in all red could use all the aerial guile that they possessed in order not to present Polster with opportunities.

Gökhan booked

Turkey right-back Recep was a far more modest player than his full-back counterpart Semih, but these were due to grounds that we’ve already established. Instead, he would focus on a solid defensive job, and he would often come up against Austria’s mobile forward Ogris. The pair would have a couple of first half tussles, and though there had initially perhaps seemed to be some spite between them, a handshake was usually not far away in the aftermath. In fact, the first half was generally played out in good spirits, even if there’s an early booking for Gökhan Keskin for bringing Herzog down through the means of an outstretched leg inside the Turkish part of the centre circle.

Cüneyt had been something of an attacking force from his libero position against Iceland, but on this occasion his forays into enemy territory were more of a rarity. This was highly understandable, as Austria in Vienna was a different proposition to playing a depleted Iceland at home. He was not without organisatory skills, the Turkish captain, and he could time and again be seen in communication with his fellow defenders, all of whom were a good few years his junior. At the other end of the pitch, Rıdvan was leading an industrious life. The 26 year old Fenerbahçe player was rarely someone who himself would be a direct threat to the opponents’ goal, but he would seek to get into wide positions from where he could deliever a cross for the centre-forward or an angled pass back to either midfielder for them to run on to. Still, with Feyyaz only really threatening the central defensive area in front of Lindenberger, Turkey left something of a toothless impression. They would be meticulous in their approach, involving quite a few players in their build-ups, yet they would struggle to get a shot away or to get into positions which were hurtful to the hosts’ defence. The exception to this ‘rule’ had been Rıdvan’s attempt to play Feyyaz with that square pass inside the penalty area early on.

A less meticulous approach from the Austrians

So what about the hosts? They certainly had a greater wish than Turkey to appear direct. They were not so fussed about involving numerous players in slow build-ups, but would rather seek either forward with a direct pass, or for one of Prohaska or Herzog to burst through midfield with pace. In applying the long pass from the back, Austria had skipper Heribert Weber. He possessed an excellent right foot for distribution, and should Turkey close down this avenue of approach for the hosts, then the secondary defender to aim balls into forward direction was Kurt Russ. The big Anton Pfeffer was less used for distribution. There were also times when Herbert Prohaska would drop deep to pick the ball off his defenders, though it has to be noted that the two veterans, Weber and Prohaska, did not at all during the opening half pass the ball between them. Weber seemingly tried to look for Prohaska on a couple of occasions, but instead ended up playing the ball for other team mates, whereas Prohaska would almost blatantly overlook his libero when seeking out options. Perhaps this was not so odd after all, as the veteran who had just returned to the national team wanted to look for more advanced alternatives.

The Austrian full-backs were hardly in frequent use in an attacking capacity. However, Josef Degeorgi, the left-back, would be a bigger contributor from his side than Peter Artner across the pitch. Degeorgi possessed a delicate left foot, and he would attempt crosses into the box from the deep at times. He would also deliever deep set-pieces from the left hand side, albeit rarely very successful. Artner was more modest in his attacking approach, and one could say the same too for Gerald Willfurth ahead of him in the inside right midfield position. Or perhaps was ‘modest’ not the most exact word to describe Willfurth’s actions. He was industrious, alright, but he was hardly extravagant in possession. Instead, he would look to make runs into Turkish defensive territory to create an unbalance among the visitors. This appeared to be the idea of the Austrian right hand side, whereas the left hand side, with Degeorgi and not least midfield starlet Andy Herzog, more sought dominance through the means of possession. Herzog had great vision and wonderful passing range, and he was an important player for set-pieces. He was equipped with two strong feet. He could also easily take a man on and leave him for dead. Considering how bleak Walter Hörmann had been in Kiev two weeks earlier, it seemed very odd how Hickersberger could have elected not to start that game with Herzog.

Prohaska’s return

There was no denying that the return of Herbert Prohaska had been greatly anticipated by Austrian football fans and media alike. Prohaska had been put in the deep midfield role, and it was evident almost from the word ‘go’ that he would seek to get on the ball and play. He was far from the type of destroyer which Hickersberger had played for this role against the Soviet Union in Artner. The manager’s vision was clearly a more attacking one. Not that it should be a surprise, as the Austrians would’ve expected to overcome Turkey at home. Prohaska would come back into the centre circle when the Austrian defenders were in possession, and though they would not always look for his participation, he could force his way on to the ball. Despite not having been part of the national team picture for years, he was not someone who would go hiding and cut a modest figure. Prohaska clearly had a wish to show influence. He obviously was looking after himself well, as there did not appear to be any excessive body weight on him. However, despite his wish to show the entire nation what he was capable of at international level, he was not always fortunate in his endeavours. It seemed like there was some rustiness to pick off, as he would be caught in possession, and also knock a stray pass or two. This was his early adjustment. He would settle into his stride soon enough.

Turkish counters

Despite Turkey’s wish to predominantly base their play on possession, they were also able to break with pace if the opportunity to counter-attack arose. Should they dent an Austrian attack through a clearance from central defence, they would often see Ünal pick the ball up deep inside his own half and carry for a few yards, before releasing a forward ball for Rıdvan to run on to. These two were the main characters behind any attempt the Turkish gave to catch the Austrians on the break, sometimes with Mustafa as an extra. The Galatasaray debutant was also capable of speedy bursts. As we have established, Rıdvan would usually run into the channels when fed, and this meant that either of Russ or Pfeffer, whomever’s defensive territory Rıdvan would run into, needed to be very alert. In direct combat both defenders did well, but at times both men’s positioning was questionable. This was when Weber’s wealth of experience came to good use for the hosts, as the libero would be the defender more likely to close the Fenerbahçe forward down. Rıdvan, if he succeeded in escaping the Austrian defence, would attempt to reach Feyyaz in the centre. This seemed to be almost a blueprint for Turkish counters. During the opening 45, they would cause some uneasiness among the hosts, but not threaten Lindenberger’s goal enough.

Goal attempts

The game is played at decent speed. Neither side appears to have a wish to slow proceedings down, and this should be seen as a credit to the Turkish, who were far from overawed by the occasion. They were a match for their Austrian hosts, and as the first half was approaching its latter stages, Turkey had not been inferior at all. They had arrived at a decent opportunity for a shot from just outside of the penalty area through Oğuz on 28 minutes, but his effort had been wildly aimed, and ended up yards wide to the right. Eight minutes earlier, Mustafa had had something of a similar chance to fire at Lindenberger, but even he had failed to hit the target with his right foot, as his effort had been sliced wide. And there had been a moment of anxiety among the home fans when Mustafa had been allowed to poke the ball just wide of goal, as Pfeffer’s back pass after the defender had stopped Ünal in his track had fallen just short of its intended target Lindenberger. However, as the Turkey wide right man stuck out his boot to try and prod the ball home, he rammed into the ‘keeper, and the whistle went for a free-kick for the hosts anyway.

Down the other end, Fatih had had no problems in holding on to two Polster efforts: The first had been a low 25 yard free-kick on 13 minutes, whereas the second had come on 37 minutes, when the number 9 had made his way into the area, though having been forced somewhat wide to the left by Cüneyt and Recep in tandem, his shot towards the near post had been easily trapped by the Turkey stopper. From two Prohaska left wing corners in relatively quick succession around the half hour mark, Pfeffer had first arrived at a headed opportunity at the far end inside the area, an effort which dropped harmlessly to the right of goal, and then he had been unable to produce a finish when presented with the next opportunity, as he had been closed down by the Turkish defence.

Austria take the lead

His last effort had been something of a warm-up exercise from Toni Polster, though. Just a minute later, the ball would end up in the back of the visitors’ net. To his great credit, Willfurth, in crossing the halfway line on the ball, had spotted a fine run from Ogris ahead of him, and the mobile forward had got himself in between left-back Semih and central defender Gökhan Gedikali. Neither of these two managed to catch up with Ogris as the Austria Vienna man sped into the area, and as Fatih came out to close him down, Ogris proceeded to play the ball sideways inside the area. The square ball was a wonderful invitation for Polster to carefully knock it into an unguarded net, as right-back Recep had strayed too near the centre of the area to be able to prevent Polster, appearing behind the Turkey number 2’s back, from seizing on the opportunity. This was the big striker’s tenth goal for his country, though his first in a year and a half. No wonder why he felt the need to celebrate wildly. It was a huge goal for player and country alike. Fine play by both Willfurth and not least Ogris to set Polster up.

…and then score again!

Austria certainly looked more of a threat when approaching the Turkey goal directly rather than through the means of more articulated build-ups. They had not been able to dominate the visitors like they would’ve hoped for pre-match, but the goal, one would’ve thought, would have served to settle any anxiety among their camp. At the same time, the strike had been somewhat harsh on the visitors, who had probably looked the slightly better side up until then. However, Turkey would be the masters of their own downfall as they again went to sleep following a forward ball into space inside of left-back Semih. It was not that Semih was at fault through poor positioning; it was more the fact that the Austrians deliberately sought to exploit precisely these pockets. This time central defender Gökhan Gedikali had been higher up the pitch, and so the direct ball from inside their own half by Russ had dropped perfectly for the advancing Herzog, who was able to keep Semih at a distance and then cut inside and fire left-footed from 18 yards beyond Fatih, who got a touch, for 2-0. It was the young midfield ace’s first goal at international level, and he clearly enjoyed the occasion as he ran away to celebrate, with Polster and Prohaska the first of the congratulants to arrive.

Half time

Not long in the trail of the second goal, the referee sounded the half-time whistle. In the mean time, the shell-shocked visitors attempted to claw their way back into the contest. Despite mustering late efforts through Mustafa, who appeared between Russ and Artner on the far post to head an Ünal right hand side cross well over, and Feyyaz, who tried a shot when approaching the penalty area from the left hand channel, an effort which hit Weber and spun up into the air for Lindenberger to claim comfortably, Turkey had to withdraw to the dressing rooms two late goals down. How would these sudden changes in events affect the second half? And would there be any tactical twists from either manager, or perhaps changes in personnel during the break?

Second half:

As the teams line up for the start of the second half, with Turkey forward duo Feyyaz/Rıdvan to see to kick-off, it is clear that there has been no changes in personnel for either. Turkey, having conceded two late first half goals, certainly need to hope for a good start to the second half in order to have a chance to come away with something from Vienna, whereas the Austrians will want to build on that end to the previous 45. They had not been totally convincing during a sometimes messy opening period, but they had been very efficient. And they certainly seemed stronger in midfield through the respective presences of Prohaska and Herzog. Turkey had gone to sleep at the back late on, and been punished.

Austria’s central defence

Heribert Weber had constantly been taking out a lot of depth as the Austrian libero behind Manndeckers Russ and Pfeffer. Weber was an excellent reader of the game, accummulated through years of experience. He was also solid in aerial challenges, despite not being the tallest (5’11/180cm); he had excellent timing when going for headers. It should also be noted how he, despite his advancing years, still possessed good speed. Pace to burn was an essential Austrian defensive ingredient due to the fact that they had a blisteringly quick opponent in Rıdvan. And again, like in Kiev two weeks earlier, it was necessary for the Rapid Vienna maestro to orientate himself more often towards the left hand side of centre than opposite.

In their previous qualifier, Kurt Russ had left a decent impression, and despite his central defensive position, he had been allowed to move forward and into Soviet territory on a number of occasions. Here, though, most likely because the Austrians, as opposed to the game in the Soviet Union, had a defensive midfielder who would contribute inside the opposition’s half, Russ would get few opportunities to wander in forward direction. He again cut an untidy figure when on the ball; it was at times baffling how he still managed to escape with possession intact. He would look clumsy when attempting a back-heel in order to trick an opposing player, but despite his uncomfortability on the ball, the 23 year old was a decent defender. He would often be up against Feyyaz in direct combat, and he would probably have the better of these challenges.

As for Russ’ central defensive colleague Anton Pfeffer, it was a slightly different matter. The left-footed Pfeffer, six months younger than Russ, was a tall, robust player. He would relish a challenge, but he was probably more comfortable when up against more stationary players such as Feyyaz rather than quick and nimble opponents like Rıdvan. To Pfeffer’s bad fortune, Rıdvan had a preference for the territory which very much was part of Anton Pfeffer’s to defend. With the Turkey number 8 so often looking to get into space either between Pfeffer and left-back Degeorgi or indeed behind them, it was not always so that Pfeffer got to utilize his greatest assets: strength and physique. Still, he seemed to adapt well to this different challenge, and he clearly looked the more reliable of the two man-marking central defenders when in possession. He also made a few fine interceptions, though his inability to cooperate well enough with his left-back in order to cut Rıdvan off was something of a blow to his performance.

In combination with the two full-backs, Artner and Degeorgi, these central defenders would need to fend off Turkey just as well as they had during the first period. Not that the early sections of the final 45 suggested that Turkey would deploy drastically different tactics. So this would imply that the Austrian defensive line would need to remain concentrated throughout, and then there would be a fine opportunity for them to lay claim on the twin points at stake.

Home counters

The hosts needed to be considered as something of a counter-attacking force after an early such foray in the second half. Pfeffer had done well to win the ball through a tackle deep inside his own half, and as the ball broke for Prohaska, the ageing midfielder decided to carry the ball with pace in the forward direction. Turkey had committed quite a few men forward, and so they were caught off balance as Prohaska burst through the centre circle and into their half of the pitch. Prohaska had Ogris as an option to his right, and with Polster ahead to his left. The 33 year old opted to play in the latter, and Polster darted into the penalty area, though he got pulled towards the left by the cunning Cüneyt. As he tried to pass the ball towards the centre, in the direction of either Herzog or Prohaska, Gökhan Gedikali came in the way, and the opportunity was gone. However, the counter had been executed with pace, and precision had also not been bad until Polster’s final moment of decision making. They had proved their credentials even in this respect.

Turkey’s central defensive

For Turkey’s sole previous ’90 qualifier, captain Cüneyt, the designated libero, had appeared with Mücahit Yalçıntaş as his central defensive partner. This time around, as we’ve learnt, there was a second Gökhan, Gedikali, alongside the team’s most senior member at the heart of their defence. The 22 year old from Ankara, winning his only third cap, did not seem to differ a whole lot to the man whom he had succeeded in the number 5 jersey. He had a no-nonsense approach, and he would not be afraid to go into aerial challenges with Polster. He was also no stranger to booting the ball out of harm’s way, and he did perhaps not carry a great element of tranquility about him. However, up against such a forceful opponent, Turkey for sure needed a defender with Gökhan Gedikali’s qualities alongside Cüneyt. The captain, who had impressed against Iceland, seemed more cautious in his approach on this occasion, and he also appeared to be more in line with his fellow defenders. Cüneyt did not drop needlessly deep. He remained confident in possession, and he did indeed, like his maturity in age would suggest, appear to be the father figure in the visiting side.

Ahead of the two central defenders was defensive midfield man Gökhan Keskin, the physical alibi at the rear of their midfield. He was a feature more or less in an anchor role, and for large chunks of the first half, these tactics had served the Turkish well. However, the two late goals by the hosts during the first 45 had changed that impression. Now, as Turkey were in need of stronger attacking presence, could they still afford to be playing with a midfield anchor man? Gökhan Keskin had at times dropped so far back that he resembled a third central defender, but he was also not completely without creative ability. He seemed to enjoy being in possession, looking up to see what options lay ahead. He was a fairly slow player, but his distribution was decent. There was a lot of mobility ahead of him in midfield, with Ünal and Mustafa the most likely outlets, but also with Oğuz again having an alright game in the centre of the pitch. Gökhan Keskin had received that early warning for the foul on Herzog, but it did not seem to hamper his game.

Hosts increase their lead

Within nine minutes of the restart, the hosts are three goals to the good. They strike again following another Prohaska left wing corner. Austria had had a spell of dominance, in which they had shown plenty of aggression throughout their team in order to arrive first to the ball in challenges which had ’50/50′ written all over them. Perhaps had morale been affected somewhat by recent proceedings in the away camp, but they had struggled to find their feet early in the second half, had Turkey. The hosts make another burst through the centre of the pitch with Prohaska again the director. This time he has Herzog ahead of him, and when he feeds the 20 year young starlet, Herzog attempts to take Cüneyt on when arriving inside the penalty area to the left. The Rapid Vienna man had probably tried to cross the ball into the centre, despite the fact that none of his team mates had yet arrived at the scene. As it is, the ball takes a deflection off the Turkey captain and spins out for that left wing corner. On Prohaska’s delievery towards the far post, Fatih comes out to make a punch just on top of Polster’s head. The ball reaches the edge of the 18 yard area, where Ogris attempts to get it under control, fails, and then sees Herzog arrive from outside of the area to strike it first time with his right boot. The ball comes off the now lying Ogris’ back and finds its way high into the back of the net for 3-0. Austria have what appears to be an unassailable lead.

Both sides make substitutions

Turkey have far from been three goals inferior to their hosts, but Austria have been deadly efficient. The visitors are lacking penetration and bite up front, despite the best efforts of Rıdvan. Feyyaz, for all his endeavour, becomes a relatively manageable task for the home defence to cope with. Straight after the goal, Hickersberger decides to take midfielder Willfurth off and replace him with a forward: Peter Pacult. The 29 year old striker from league leaders Swarovski Tirol somewhat surprisingly slots directly into Willfurth’s inside right midfield position, so there’s no changes in the Austrian formation. The player in white and black with ’15’ on his back comes on for his 15th cap. As for Willfurth, there had been no indication of an injury. The substitution appeared to be for tactical reasons.

Tınaz, too, would’ve felt an urge to make some changes, but what were his options, and whose performance would he have to cut short? They had been playing in that asymmetrical 4-4-2 formation, with no designated left-sided midfielder. This had left a whole lot of attacking responsibility to left-back Semih, and when going forward, Semih had exposed gaps at the back, something which the hosts had been able to exploit. The change which Tınaz makes is replacing his centre-back Gökhan Gedikali with wide midfielder Savaş Koç. The 25 year old Galatasaray man had played the full 90 in the game against Iceland, his second international, though he had failed to produce a whole lot of quality along the right hand side on that occasion. Now he was thrust into the other wide midfield position: along the left. Tınaz attempted to get his midfield symmetrics right, though he would be taking a calculated risk in withdrawing Gökhan Keskin from the defensive midfield position. The Beşiktaş hard man, completing the game with his socks at ankle height, would now instead accompany Cüneyt at the heart of the defence with his namesake Gökhan Gedikali departed. The 4-4-2 would suddenly have a more conventional outlook.

Glimmer of hope for Turkey

Having not made any goal threats so far in the second half, Turkey see an instant reward following their substitution as they pull a goal back. It could perhaps have been so that the Austrians had gone into a more reserved mode, thinking that the job had already been done. They would ignore the still lively Rıdvan at their peril, though. The livewire Fenerbahçe forward would again run into the right hand channel, feeding off Ünal’s excellent pass forward from a central midfield position. Rather than being followed out into this territory by Pfeffer, as per usual, it had been Russ who had made the transition from his right-sided central defensive position. Perhaps not as alert to Rıdvan’s trickeries as Pfeffer, Russ sold himself short in trying to block what he thought would be a first time cross from the Turkey forward. However, cunningly, Rıdvan drew the ball back and got himself into a crossing position. Feyyaz had ran himself free behind the back of the now confused Pfeffer, and the striker, six yards out, could easily direct Rıdvan’s precise cross into the back of Lindenberger’s net with his head. All of a sudden the visitors had been handed a lifeline!

Herzog injured

The Austrian midfield had been composed with a creative outline. So far, they had not been hugely involved in any defensive work, and this went for all three of Prohaska, Willfurth and Herzog. Now, of course, Pacult had replaced Willfurth, and this hardly favoured a more conservative approach from the three across the middle among the hosts. Herzog, well assisted by Prohaska, had so far run the show, but he had almost been free of any defensive duties, despite his very early tackle from behind on Mustafa. With Turkish tails suddenly up, the hosts would need contribution from each and every one of their players also when operating off the ball, so it remained to be seen what the Austrian midfield’s defensive mettle counted for. Shortly after Feyyaz’ goal, Herzog goes down in an inoccuously looking challenge out by the left hand touchline from Gökhan Keskin. The scorer of Austria’s two last goals immediately cluthes his left knee and remains down for a prolongued period of time. He will be attended to by the Austrian medical staff, and after almost five minutes it becomes clear that he will not be able to continue. Herzog is forced to withdraw, and Hickersberger elects the only teenager among the players in the two squads, First Vienna’s promising Gerald Glatzmayer, as his second substitute. Glatzmayer, yet another Austrian with long hair, comes on in the inside right position, something which forces the other substitute, Pacult, across from this position and into the inside left role which Herzog had kept until then.

Second booking

Whilst Herzog was attended to on the far side, Ogris went down along the opposite touchline following a strong challenge from Semih. On the night before the game, the two countries’ under 21 sides had met (the hosts had triumphed 3-0), and Austrian newspapers had accused the visitors of some foul play in that fixture. Now, the senior side seemed to resort to some strong physical play whilst on the receiving end of another poor scoreline. With both Austrians down, the game continues eleven v nine for the visitors. Shortly after, though, Ogris is able to resume play. He had possibly gone down a bit dramatically anyway. However, moments prior to the introduction of Glatzmayer, the Austrian players become enraged as a third Turkish foul within a short period of time occurs, this time as right-back Recep fells Degeorgi. Still, there’s no retribution from the referee, though briefly after, after play has resumed, Recep becomes the second visiting player to go into the referee’s notebook after yet another poor challenge. This time Pacult is the victim, though the Tirol man will quickly be back on his feet, and the decision to book Recep was probably more a result of that high number of recent incidents rather than this particular challenge being nasty. Had the Italian referee not intervened, the game could have threatened to boil over.

Lindenberger comes to the rescue

The fact that the game was going more physical probably did not do Turkey any favours. There had seemed to be a brief period of momentum following their goal, but now it was becoming a stop-start affair, and there was no longer much flow to proceedings. Still, Ünal, the Turkey playmaker, managed to cause some stir with a fine run in the right hand side channel. He was chased by Glatzmayer, but the Austrian substitute never got near enough to put a tackle in, and Ünal was able to reach all the way into the hosts’ penalty area. Lindenberger had done well to come out from his goal to close down the angle, and when Ünal tried a low shot, the ‘keeper foiled him with a legs save. Again, the home side had appeared slightly unaware at the back, and they had their goalkeeper to thank for keeping Ünal out. There was still more than 20 minutes left for play, and another Turkish goal would’ve seen to an interesting finale. 

Rıdvan assists again

Turkey striker Feyyaz might have got their goal to bring the scoreline down to 3-1, but he had still not made a whole lot of an impression, and around the time when Austria had had to bring Glatzmayer on, visiting boss Tınaz chose to take the Beşiktaş striker and bring on domestic goal ace Tanju Çolak in his place. It seemed a good occasion for Tanju to show that his bleak performance against Iceland did not really reflect his ability on the international stage, and with some ten minutes left for play, he would be rewarded with a goal, his fifth at this level in his 16th appearance. Tanju certainly owed a lot to the continuously spirited Rıdvan, as it had been the number 8 who had laid the ball on to him on a plate for Tanju to side foot home for 3-2. The vociferous Turkish contingent in the stands sounded their appreciation, and their support must have given their players further belief.

One player who definitely did not lack in faith was Rıdvan, whose two assists brought his confidence levels through the roof. He was a constant menace to Austria from his wide right forward role, and despite Pfeffer not having a bad game, he did struggle to get near enough to Rıdvan to either get a tackle in or to foul him. In the circumstances, with the hosts now having to defend the slimmest of margins, bringing Rıdvan down rather than let him continue with those mazy runs of his did not seem a bad choice. To surrender a three goal lead at home to supposedly inferior opposition was something which Austria could ill afford.

Hosts ram the bar

With some six minutes on the clock, Austria come close to increasing their lead. Turkey were committed to getting back on to level terms, and it was clear that there would be gaps in their defensive line which could be exploited by the hosts, should the Austrians be willing to try. Prohaska, by now the only remaining starting midfielder in the home side, had a few minutes prior to Tanju’s goal had a shot from 25 yards somewhat awkwardly saved by Fatih, and Pacult had come even closer when Gökhan Keskin had not properly cleared an effort from Prohaska inside the area. As the ball had ricochetted into the path of Austria’s now inside left midfield man, he had only been able to guide it a couple of yards over Fatih’s crossbar, with the ball arriving to him too quickly. Now, though, it had been Ogris to finally make a big goal threat, as he got his head to Prohaska’s free kick from the right hand side. Ogris had been energetic, but had so far not looked like getting on the scoresheet. His header would bounce off the top of the bar with Fatih unable to get close enough to save had it crept inside the frame.

Rıdvan yellow

The end to the game had been lively. The second half had been something of a see-saw spectacle, and neither side looked particularly sound defensively. Austria had failed to shut up shop after moving three goals in front, and Turkey, to their credit, had never surrendered. Right until the end they would remain hopeful that they could snatch an unlikely draw, and they did seem to have cause for a penalty appeal three minutes from time as Rıdvan, who else, burst into the penalty area, this time through the centre. He was chased by Weber, who would bundle the forward off the ball with a not too impressive shoulder challenge. The referee, however, felt that the Turkey man had gone down way too easily, and proceeded to show Rıdvan the yellow card. Booking players for diving was hardly commonground in 1988, so it did cause some tension among the visitors’ players.

There was to be no further goal chances. The Austrians could breathe a huge sigh of relief when Lanese blew his whistle to signal the end to the game a minute and 20 seconds into time added on for injuries.

Conclusion:

In the end, the hosts do just about enough to win, even if their performance had perhaps not always been a totally convincing one. They had shown huge efficiency up until 3-0, when they had not produced a whole lot of opportunities except for their goals. Herzog had been the hero with his two goals, his first in the national team shirt, but their defence would never come to terms with the lively Rıdvan, who would cause Austria all sorts of problems. The 26 year old assisted for both of Turkey’s goals. The second half saw some niggly fouls from the visitors, and right-back Recep was probably lucky to stay on the field until the end after a series of bad challenges, even after seeing yellow for a tackle on Pacult. Two hard-earned though expected points for the hosts, while Turkey remain rank outsiders with their tally of one point from two fixtures.

Ratings

AUSTRIA:
1 Lindenberger 7.0
seems confident despite not playing behind an always calm and collected backline. Turkey goals not his fault. Important save when one on one with Ünal
2 Artner 6.9
energetic, but could have contributed more going forward
3 Degeorgi 6.8
better inside the opposition’s half than in a defensive capacity. Does not always communicate well enough with Pfeffer, and has to share some responsibility for Rıdvan’s excellent performance
4 Pfeffer 6.8
positioning let him down, as he was more than capable whenever he was in battle. Gave Rıdvan too much space
5 Weber 7.3
sweeps well, is strong in the air, and has the not always enviable task to keep the defensive line tight. Good in distribution, sprays some fine long balls, and generally has a good game
6 Russ 6.9
has this odd knack of escaping situations with the ball still stuck to his feet, though less contributive in an attacking sense than last time around. Strong in challenges with both Feyyaz and Tanju
7 Ogris 6.9
assist his old Austria Vienna pal for 1-0 and heads onto the crossbar late, but apart from that is not always a success in what he attempts to do. Likes to come out wide: towards the left in the first half, more often towards the right after the break
8 Prohaska 7.0
does take a little while to get going, as he loses possession too easily early on. Gradually regains his international footing, and has spells of dictating play. By no means any reason to be ashamed about his comeback
9 Polster 7.2
such a presence up front, and not just in the air, where he was too much for the Turkish defenders. Fairly easily side-footed home for 1-0 following Ogris’ delightful work
10 Herzog 7.5
two terrific strikes for his first international goals, and shows some delicate touches on the ball, as well as demonstrating his ability to leave an opponent for dead when striding forward. Eventually stretchered off, but his knee had only taken a painful knock and nothing serious
(13 Glatzmayer –
quite stationary in his inside midfield role after coming on, but is not overawed by the occasion despite his fledgling status)
11 Willfurth 6.5
his running off the ball provides space, and he prepares Ogris’ assist for Polster’s 1-0, but generally poor in possession. This could be why he was substituted
(15 Pacult 6.8
offers a very attack-minded midfield interpretation after coming on, and with some luck could’ve scored when the ball bounced onto him)

TURKEY:
1 Fatih 6.9
should’ve punched better when Herzog scored for 3-0, though apart from that gave an assured display
2 Recep 6.7
aggressive, bad-tempered, some fine tussles with Ogris, particularly in the first half. Should’ve seen yellow earlier, and even after his booking he had a couple of fouls, one (on Pacult) which could’ve resulted in an early bath
3 Semih 6.8
strong in the challenge, but exposes himself defensively on a few occasions when he ventures too far inside home territory
4 Cüneyt 6.9
communicative, but a less impressive performance than last time around. Clearly less freedom to venture forward
5 Gökhan G 6.6
often in battle with Polster, loses more challenges than he wins, and is part of a not hugely successfully organised defence until replaced for a wide midfielder
(16 Savaş 6.2
even if Turkey scored twice after he came on, his contribution was scarce)
6 Gökhan K 6.9
important in aerial challenges with Polster, and his physique was an important factor against strong Austrians. At times wanted to do too much when in possession
7 Ünal 7.1
busy opening half hour, but would gradually drift out of the game. Has great close control and vision, and is capable of hitting a pass, though on this occasion end product was lacking
8 Rıdvan 7.5
has spells during the game when he goes hiding, but when he’s tuned in, he almost toys with the Austrian defence. Assists for both goals, and causes a lot of havoc through his runs between Pfeffer and Degeorgi
9 Mustafa 6.8
another player with a relatively industrious opening. No debutant nerves, shows some fine touches, and has a second assist for Turkey’s second goal. Inverts from his right-sided role, but has spells where he’s invisible for too long
10 Oğuz 6.9
along with Ünal he dominated midfield in the opening half hour, but he would lose his way after that. Fine technical ability
11 Feyyaz 6.6
heads home a fine goal, but does otherwise not leave a great impression as he struggles to come to terms with the Austrian defence. Shows improved mobility compared to Tanju’s performance last time around
(14 Tanju –
makes sure to get on the end of Rıdvan’s pass for 3-2, and does seem more interested than he had done against Iceland, yet not too effectful)

kaltz