Kalajdzic's late goal sinks Ireland in Linz as Austria clinch promotion
Sasa Kalajdzic struck in the 79th minute to give Austria a 1-0 Nations League win over the Republic of Ireland, hours after captain Nathan Collins called missing the Israel games stressful.
Late Kalajdzic strike settles it in Linz
Sasa Kalajdzic scored the only goal as Austria beat the Republic of Ireland 1-0 in UEFA Nations League Group B3 at the Raiffeisen Arena on Saturday, securing promotion to League A. His winner came in the 79th minute.
Austria are guaranteed to go up whatever happens in the remaining group fixtures. Ireland had chances of their own, according to Sky Sports, but only Kalajdzic made his count.
Collins on the Israel absence
Before kick-off, Ireland captain Nathan Collins spoke to BBC Sport about missing the two Nations League games against Israel in the previous window. The Brentford defender was out with a calf problem for the four-game run in September and October.
Collins said he felt he had left his team-mates on their own while he was absent. "It was probably more stressful away from it than it might have been in it," he said.
"I could only see what I could see online and it made it really tough."
The first game against Israel, in Hungary, had looked in doubt the previous day after training was delayed while players voted on whether to play, amid protests over the Israel-Gaza war. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu made himself unavailable for selection, BBC Sport reported. Ireland won that match 3-0 in Debrecen. In the same window they lost 1-0 away to Kosovo, drew 2-2 at home to Austria and drew 1-1 with Israel in Serbia.
What it means for Group B3
Ireland go into Tuesday's home game against Kosovo at the Aviva Stadium third in the group, a point behind their final opponents, according to Sky Sports. Before the Austria game, BBC Sport noted they needed big performances in both of their last two matches to have any chance of topping the group and earning promotion.
Collins said the squad had grown closer through the difficult window and were now focused on football.
"I think we will all go through a brick wall for each other," he said. "I think we're excited to go and we want another game of football."
Do you think Nathan Collins was right to speak openly about how hard it was to watch the Israel games from the sidelines?
