Article by Aurelian Botezatu – published Monday, October 13, 2025, 08:06 / Updated Monday, October 13, 2025 08:06
Austria had come to Bucharest to take the “decisive step” towards the 2026 World Cup. He left with the tail between his legs, and the Vienna press accused, like Ralf Rantnick's players, the goal scored in the last second of the National Arena.
Oestereich24: “Virgil Ghiță's goal was scary”
The tabloid “Oestereich24” titled “What bitter! Austria lost at the last moment” and wrote that Virgil Ghiță's goal was “scared!”. At the same time, he stressed that their players “had a much more difficult task on Sunday against significantly stronger opponents than three days earlier, against” pizzerians “in San Marino.
The first half was Romania. After the series of goals against San Marino, the Austrians had difficulty in playing in Bucharest. “While about a thousand red-white fans and the Beate Meinl-Reisinger Foreign Minister, VIP guest, were already preparing for the sixth group match without defeat, Ghiță's goal: 0-1 ”.
Kurier's daily, in turn, titled “Austria misses the first match ball in Romania“Over the chronicle of the match in Bucharest. The conclusion at the end:” The Romanians celebrated that they have maintained their hopes to reach the World Championship. Austria will have to follow their example in November, when they play against Cyprus, and then with Bosnia, at home. “
Krone: “Romanians had more dangerous moments”
The journalists from “Krone” did not hide their disappointment for the goal scored in the last second: “bitter! Austria loses because of a goal scored at the last moment. Central defender Virgil Ghiță gave him the decisive blow. It is the first defeat in these preliminaries, after 5 consecutive victories.”
About the match: “Over 1,000 Austrian fans and Beate Meinl-Reisinger Foreign Minister witnesses a disputed match, in which Ralf Rantnick's players had a little more possession before the break, but Romanians had more dangerous moments.
They remained more dangerous after the break. Mihailă sent a shot from 20 meters in the left bar (minute 60), and Dennis Man shot over the gate from a similar position (minute 62). After which the cold shower from the 90+5 minute came.
Bild: “Shock in the last minute, empty Ghiță, from Hannover”
The German tabloid Bild also noted the failure suffered by the compatriot Ralf Rantnick, following a goal scored by the player of Hannover 96, Virgil Ghiță.
“Shock in the last minute for Rantnick! The author of the goal, Ghiță from Hannover!”, The Germans wrote.
