Romania take on the visitors Austria in a World Cup 2026 qualification match. The match will be played on Sunday, October 12th at Arena Nationala (Bucharest).
Romania leave a mixed impression. The “Tricolors” seem unsure of what to expect from themselves. Under Iordanescu, they qualified confidently for Euro 2024, yet before the tournament, they were losing almost every friendly. But once in Germany, they started by thrashing Ukraine and advanced to the knockout stage. Afterward, Edward was dismissed, and his replacement, Lucescu, achieved a perfect record in the Nations League — 6 wins out of 6 — though the opposition consisted of Kosovo, Cyprus, and Lithuania. This year, victories have only come against San Marino and Cyprus (and even then, the away game ended in a draw), while half of their matches have resulted in defeats. Naturally, only a win will satisfy them now, especially since they can focus all their efforts on achieving it. The team skipped the previous round, filling the break with a friendly against Moldova — which they won 2-1, albeit without much dominance. Romania’s attacking efficiency remains inconsistent, and defensive lapses still occur too often against stronger opponents, but home support in Bucharest could give them the extra push they need.
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Austria have been absent from the world stage for too long. Still, this is a talented and successful generation that consistently qualifies for the Euros and reaches the knockout stages — as they did last summer. In the Nations League, however, they lost the battle for the top spot in their group to Norway, and later fell to Serbia in the March playoff (1-1 at home, 0-2 away). Nevertheless, Rangnick kept his position, and judging by the current winning streak that began in June, that decision has proven wise. They’ve beaten Romania, Bosnia, and San Marino, among others, showing both stability and attacking flair. Their latest match was against the group’s underdog at home, where they achieved a stunning 10-0 victory. Austria now look confident, clinical, and well-organized, with their front line in excellent form and their defense barely giving opponents a chance to create.
After their win in the summer, Austria pulled ahead in the rivalry. They now have three victories and two defeats in eight meetings between the sides. The visitors are considered favorites at the moment. However, the hosts will surely give everything they’ve got. Our bet is on both teams to score in what should be an open and entertaining encounter.
Prediction for the match: Both teams to score – yes.
