Austria 3–1 Israel | UEFA Nations League | 24 September 2026

Result Summary

Austria produced a dramatic late turnaround to defeat Israel 3–1 in their UEFA Nations League clash, with all three Austrian goals arriving in the final minutes of the match. Israel had taken a surprise lead through Sayd Abu Farhi on 55 minutes, but two goals in quick succession — from Philipp Mwene (90') and Sasa Kalajdzic (90+3') — sealed a deserved victory for Ralf Rangnick's side after a dominant but frustratingly wasteful performance.

Match Analysis

The statistics tell a clear story of Austrian dominance that was almost punished by clinical Israeli opportunism. Austria registered 19 total shots to Israel's 5, and an extraordinary 9 shots on target compared to Israel's single effort, yet found themselves behind with just minutes remaining. Their 83 dangerous attacks to Israel's 21 underlines how thoroughly they controlled the tempo, backed by 108 attacks overall and a 52% possession share.

The match's tone was set early. Xaver Schlager picked up a yellow card on 26 minutes for a foul, followed by Eliel Peretz for Israel on 31 minutes. Austria's Michael Gregoritsch was forced off injured at 36 minutes, replaced by Sasa Kalajdzic, a substitution that would prove pivotal late on.

The second half opened with further controversy. A heated exchange led to both Kevin Danso and Sayd Abu Farhi receiving yellow cards on 51 minutes. Then, just four minutes later, Israel broke the deadlock — Abu Farhi heading home to give the visitors an unlikely lead. Almost immediately, however, Abu Farhi collected a second yellow card on 56 minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct, reducing Israel to ten men and completely shifting the match's dynamic. This moment was central to what followed.

Despite the numerical advantage, Austria continued to struggle to convert. Patrick Wimmer was booked at 64 minutes before being replaced — alongside Nicolas Seiwald and Romano Schmid — as Rangnick made a triple substitution at 73 minutes, introducing Sascha Horvath, Christoph Lang, and Carney Chukwuemeka to inject fresh energy. Israel goalkeeper Daniel Peretz received a yellow card for time-wasting at 90 minutes, a sign of the mounting pressure Austria were applying.

The breakthrough finally came when Paul Wanner — introduced at half-time — provided the assist for Philipp Mwene to level on 90 minutes with a right-footed finish. Moments later, Christoph Lang turned provider for Sasa Kalajdzic, who added a third with his left foot in the 90th+3 minute to complete a stunning comeback. Austria's 16 key passes to Israel's 3 throughout the contest reflected just how relentlessly they had probed the Israeli defence.

Prediction Review

Our pre-match forecast of a 1–1 draw proved incorrect, with a low confidence rating of 34/100 reflecting genuine uncertainty about this fixture. The prediction of a competitive, tight encounter was partially validated — Israel did lead for a significant period and defended resolutely until Abu Farhi's red-card offence. However, the final scoreline of 3–1 to Austria was beyond our projected outcome. Austria's statistical dominance strongly supported a home-win probability, and in hindsight the weight of their attacking pressure — 9 shots on target — made a single-goal margin the more likely scenario.

Key Takeaways

• Austria's relentless pressure was ultimately rewarded, though it required a man advantage to unlock Israel's defensive shape.
• Sayd Abu Farhi's double yellow card on 56 minutes was the pivotal moment, turning the tie decisively in Austria's favour.
• Substitute impact was decisive — both goals credited to substitutes Mwene (already on the pitch) and Kalajdzic, with assists from sub Paul Wanner and Christoph Lang.
• Israel's defensive organisation under Ran Ben Shimon was impressive for long periods, but individual discipline ultimately cost them dearly.