Revenge achieved

The Austrian women's national team ended the COVID-19-affected 2020/21 season on a high note. In the second friendly against Germany in Füssen, the Austrians gained revenge for the previous day's 1:5 defeat. The 3:2 overtime victory gives head coach Jari Risku's team confidence ahead of the final round of Olympic qualification due to take place in autumn.

The course of Thursday's game mirrored that of the first encounter: Germany took the lead in the first period, while Austria levelled the scores in the second through Theresa Schafzahl. However, the Austrian visitors kept pressing and took a 2:1 lead into the break through a goal from Lena Dauböck. Germany threw everything forward again in the final period and pushed for an equaliser.

Nicola Eisenschmid scored the 2:2 with three minutes remaining to send the game into overtime. Both teams created good opportunities in overtime, but the Austrians then made the decisive breakthrough on a quick counter-attack. Schafzahl played a perfect pass across to Anna Meixner, who skilfully rounded the German goalkeeper and fired home the winner.

"Compared to the first game, we changed a few things. Our good defensive work won us the game today," said head coach Risku. "We will meet again for an off-ice camp in June to continue working towards our goal. Every player knows how we can fulfil our Olympic dream."

From 11 to 14 November, the action returns to Füssen. Austria will face Germany, Denmark and a qualifier for a place at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in China. Only the winner will subsequently take part in the Olympic ice hockey tournament; it would be the first time in the 20-year history of Austria's women's national team.

NATIONAL TEAM FIXTURES 2020/21

(CANCELLED) 04 - 07.11.2020: Training camp and international matches
Venue: Budapest/Hungary
Participants: Hungary, Austria

05.11.2020, 16:30: Austria v Hungary
06.11.2020, 16:30: Hungary v Austria

16 - 20.12.2020: Training camp and international matches
Venue: Villach
Participants: Austria, Slovakia

16.-18.12.2020: training days

Both matches LIVE on LAOLA1.at, match one LIVE on ORF Sport+
19.12.2020, 16:00: Austria v Slovakia 3:1 (0:0,1:1,2:0)
Goals: Wittich (31./PP), Meixner (47., 58.) and Kubekova (33.)
Penalty minutes: 6 and 4

20.12.2020, 12:30: Austria - Slovakia 1:2 (1:0,0:2,0:0)
Goals: Trummer (8./PP) and Istocyova (31./PP), Kubekova (38.)
Penalty minutes: 2 and 4

10 - 14.02.2021: training camp and international matches
Venue: Vienna
Participants: Austria, Kazakhstan

10–12.02.2021: Training days

Both matches LIVE on LAOLA1.at, match one LIVE on ORF Sport+
13.02.2021, 18:00: Austria - Kazakhstan 1:0 (0:0,1:0,0:0)
Goal: Granitz (33.)
Penalty minutes: 14 and 8

14.02.2021, 15:00: Austria - Kazakhstan 3:1 (0:1,1:0,2:0)
Goals: Vlcek (36.), Hofbauer (42.), Dauböck (52.) and Broad (10.)
Penalty minutes: 4 and 8

03 - 08.04.2021: training camp and international matches
Venue: Gmunden and Füssen/Germany
Participants: Austria, Germany

03–06.04.2021: training days
07.04.2021, 19:00: Germany - Austria 5:1 (1:0,1:1,3:0)
Goals: Lanzl (6.), Kluge (35.), Eisenschmid (48.), Botthof (51.), Jobst-Smith (59.) and Meixner (21.)
Penalty minutes: 6 each

08.04.2021, 11:00:Germany - Austria 2:3 after overtime (1:0,0:2,1:0)
Goals: Karpf (12), Eisenschmid (57) and Schafzahl (27), Dauböck (38), Meixner (64) respectively
Penalty minutes: 6 each