Austria made home advantage count in Vienna, beating Kosovo 3-1 in UEFA Nations League, League B, Group 3. The hosts were sharp in the boxes and tidy in key moments, building a two-goal lead by halftime and managing the rest. Patrick Wimmer led the way with an all-action display and a Sofascore Rating of 8. It was efficient, physical and largely controlled football from Ralf Rangnick’s side at the Ernst Happel Stadion. For full match data, you can dive into the Sofascore match page or follow the competition hub for the UEFA Nations League.

Fast start in Vienna sets the tone

Austria’s early pressure paid off on 23 minutes when centre-back David Affengruber rose to head in Romano Schmid’s delivery for 1-0. The second arrived right on the stroke of halftime as Junior Adamu finished a Wimmer pass, a high-quality chance that carried 0.76 xG and was placed perfectly on target. That two-goal cushion reflected an assertive first half where Austria won territory, pressed well and used set pieces smartly. Kosovo struggled to create clear sights of goal before the break, managing just one shot and no attempts on target. With five first-half corners and a 55% share of the ball, Austria continually asked questions down the flanks. The momentum carried into the restart.

On 61 minutes, substitute Carney Chukwuemeka made it 3-0, slotting in with his right foot after a composed move; the chance registered 0.28 xG but was struck cleanly. Kosovo’s reply came late when Edon Zhegrova converted a penalty on 83 minutes, a left-footed finish from the spot worth 0.79 xG. The visitors had earlier lost goalkeeper Arijanet Murić to injury at 65 minutes, with Amir Saipi stepping in. Austria then saw out the final minutes without fuss, keeping the ball and absorbing long balls. The scoring timeline matched the shape of the contest.

Numbers that told the story

The shot map says a lot: Austria took 11 shots to Kosovo’s 6 and put 6 on target to the visitors’ 1. Expected goals finished 1.83 to 1.39, while expected goals on target read 2.92 to 0.76, underlining Austria’s shot quality and placement. Touches in the penalty box were 28 to 13, which mirrors how frequently Austria entered dangerous zones. Corners stood at 5 to 1, a key platform for the opening goal and sustained pressure. Interceptions were 9 to 2 in Austria’s favor, helping break up Kosovo’s build-up and kick-start transitions. Big chances ended 3-3, but Austria converted two of theirs to Kosovo’s one.

In possession, the hosts completed 443 accurate passes to 403 and forged 60 final-third entries to 45. Austria’s final-third pass phase was 86/128 (67%), showing tidy combinations near the box. Kosovo did hit a solid 38/56 (68%) on long balls and looked for quick territory, especially after halftime. Cross accuracy was low on both sides at 2/11 (18%) for Austria and 1/11 (9%) for Kosovo, which tracks with a match where cut-backs and short passes were more decisive. These numbers align neatly with the 3-1 result.

Adjustments, duels and aerial control

Possession was balanced overall at 52% to 48%, with Austria on top in the first half (55%) and Kosovo edging the second (51%). The hosts didn’t need to chase the game after the break and were happy to duel and clear when required. Austria won the aerial battle decisively at 63% overall and 82% in the second half, a detail that blunted Kosovo’s direct balls. Ground duels leaned Kosovo’s way in the first half, but Austria evened that out after the interval. Total tackles were 22 to 16 and recoveries 51 to 46, speaking to Austria’s compact off-ball work.

Clearances tell the other side of the coin: Kosovo made 21 to Austria’s 12, showing how often the visitors had to defend their area. Discipline was steady under referee Nick Walsh, with two yellows apiece: Kevin Danso (14′) and Affengruber (81′) for Austria; Ron Raçi (22′) and Valmir Matoshi (85′) for Kosovo. Muriqí missed two big chances for Kosovo, a swing that could have tightened the finish. Rangnick’s bench made an impact as Chukwuemeka scored minutes after coming on, while Franco Foda turned to Edon Zhegrova at halftime and was rewarded with a composed penalty.

MVP: Patrick Wimmer’s all-action show

Patrick Wimmer earned a Sofascore Rating of 8 and was everywhere Austria needed him. He delivered the assist for Adamu’s goal, created three key passes and logged a team-high 10 ball recoveries. He won 4 of 4 tackles, pressed with intent and still found time to take two shots, one on target. His expected assists value of 0.47 captured the quality of his final ball, and his 32 out of 36 passing reflected control without overplaying. Wimmer also carried the ball 17 times with strong progression, pushing Austria up the pitch and keeping Kosovo on the back foot. It was the sort of wide-midfield performance that knits transitions with end product.

There were strong supporting roles too. Carney Chukwuemeka scored off the bench and posted a 7.6, completing all 10 of his passes and injecting pace into midfield. Nikolas Veratschnig also scored 7.6, defending with three tackles, a key pass and calm distribution. David Affengruber’s 7.5 came with the opening goal and four clearances, although he did concede the late penalty. For Kosovo, Edon Zhegrova matched a 7.6 with a perfect 18 of 18 passing and that cool penalty. Amir Saipi’s 7.0 off the bench stabilized things after Murić’s injury. The ratings fit the eye test: Austria’s right side and set pieces were decisive.