Group H of the World Cup qualifiers was always going to be competitive, mainly due to the lack of any Top-20 teams. And since Bosnia & Herzegovina already got nine points, Austria can't afford mistakes when they host Cyprus on Saturday.
Ralf Rangnick's team achieved a flawless start, beating San Marino 4-0 and Romania 2-1. With a game in hand, they can take over the top of the group if they beat Cyprus, and boost their confidence ahead of the more difficult fixtures in the near future.
Austria's performance at the Euros made them fan favourites, and Rangnick's experience continues to push them towards greater achievements. For one, Austria have not reached the World Cup since 1998 and they've never had an easier qualification group since then.
Cyprus began the cycle with a straightforward win over San Marino, earning them their only three points to date. Knowing the level of their opponents, we can expect Cyprus to accumulate at least six points total. But when it comes to Austria, we should be back to square one with Cyprus, who have a single win in their last 20+ away matches.
How the bookies view it: Almost no odds for Austria
Bookmakers almost didn't bother with giving Austria odds, as they expect this match to be played in front of one goal only. With this said, you can pick Austria at 1/10, the draw at 10/1, or Cyprus at 25/1.
Recent head to head: Cyprus won the most recent encounter
Austria and Cyprus have some history between them but it's been a while. Their last encounter dates back to 2005, when they met in a friendly match. To date, this remains Cyprus' only win over this opponent, while the previous six encounters all finished with convincing wins for Austria.
Players to watch: Arnautovic is chasing records
Ralf Rangnick will have to deal with several key absentees, as Wober, Friedl, and Trauner are all out with injuries. But as long as Marko Arnautovic appears, we can be happy. The 36-year-old veteran no longer plays at the highest level after a semi-successful season with Inter Milan, but he remains Austria's biggest threat in the final third. Arnautovic needs to score four more goals for his country to become the all-time goalscorer, and there will never be an easier opportunity than a home match against Cyprus.
Probable line-ups
Austria: Pentz, Mwene, Lienhart, Danso, Posch, Laimer, Baumgartner, Seiwalrd, Sabitzer, Gregoritsch, Arnautovic
Cyprus: Mall, Pileas, Laifis, Sielis, Satsias, Kyriakou, Kastanos, Loizou, Sotiriou, Kakoullis, Pittas
Anything else catch the eye?
Unfortunately for Cyprus, the best they could hope for is for Austria to be merciful like they were against San Marino. Back then, Rangnick's men scored four goals within 30 minutes and then pushed the brakes, not scoring for the remaining 60 minutes.
Austria's squad is on a whole different level, with the majority of the players being regulars in major Bundesliga and Serie A teams. Rangnick has enough depth in his squad to make a dozen rotations and still fear for nothing. We expect a one-sided game with a clean sheet for Patrick Pentz.
GambleAware