Austria Thrash Ghana 5-1 in Vienna: Black Stars Performance Slammed
- Austria thrashed Ghana 5–1 in an international friendly at the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna
- Marcel Sabitzer delivered a masterclass, scoring and assisting as Austria dominated the Black Stars
- Jordan Ayew scored Ghana’s only goal, but it proved little more than a consolation
- Former Ghana youth international Fuseini Adams described the display as one of the worst he has seen from the Black Stars this century
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Austria produced a dominant display to defeat Ghana 5–1 in an international friendly at the Ernst Happel Stadion on Friday, March 27, leaving the Black Stars with plenty to reflect on ahead of the upcoming international calendar.
Marcel Sabitzer was the standout performer on the night, dictating play and contributing directly to three goals as Ralf Rangnick’s side turned on the style in front of a delighted home crowd in Vienna.
Source: Twitter
Austria started the game on the front foot and were rewarded as early as the 12th minute. Sabitzer calmly converted from the penalty spot after Black Stars defender Jonas Adjetey conceded a foul in the area, giving the hosts a deserved early advantage.
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Austria’s clinical second-half surge
The home side tightened their grip on the contest after the break. In the 51st minute, Michael Gregoritsch doubled Austria’s lead with a close-range finish after being teed up by Sabitzer.
Eight minutes later, Stefan Posch made it 3–0, reacting quickest to a knockdown from Gregoritsch to fire home and effectively put the game beyond Ghana’s reach.
According to Sofascore, the Black Stars briefly showed signs of life in the 77th minute when captain Jordan Ayew pulled one back, finishing neatly after a pass from Ibrahim Sulemana.
However, Austria responded almost immediately. Two minutes later, Carney Chukwuemeka restored the three-goal cushion, finishing confidently after being set up once again by Sabitzer.
The hosts completed the rout in stoppage time when Nicolas Seiwald calmly slotted home to seal a comprehensive 5–1 victory, as ESPN featured.
Statistically, Austria’s dominance was clear. They controlled 60% of possession, recorded 11 shots compared to Ghana’s five, and managed seven efforts on target while the visitors registered just one. The hosts also created four big chances, while Ghana failed to produce any.
Austria’s attacking intent was further reflected in their 59 final-third entries compared to Ghana’s 34, as well as 25 touches inside the penalty area against the Black Stars’ 11.
Rangnick’s side also completed 469 passes to Ghana’s 319 and delivered six accurate crosses, whereas Ghana managed just one, as Sofascore noted.
Source: Twitter
Fuseini Adams criticises Black Stars' display
Despite the defeat coming in a friendly match, the manner of the loss raised concerns among observers of Ghanaian football.
Former Ghana youth international Fuseini Adams did not hide his disappointment when speaking to YEN.com.gh after the match.
He described the performance as one of the most worrying displays he has witnessed from the national team in recent years.
“This is one of the poorest shows from the Black Stars I have seen in this century,” Adams said.
“I know it was a friendly match, but still losing 5–1 ahead of a World Cup does not boost the morale and confidence of the team.”
Adams also addressed reports of internal issues within the team camp, but was reluctant to link them directly to the result.
“I do not want to believe the alleged theft case in their camp affected them,” he added.
For Ghana, the heavy defeat will raise questions as the team looks to rebuild confidence and cohesion before Tuesday's friendly against Germany.
Ghana player ratings in Austria defeat
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on the performance ratings of the Black Stars in their heavy loss to the ruthless Austrians.
Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo, Caleb Yirenkyi, and Jonas Adjetey were all among the Ghanaian players handed the lowest marks.
Source: YEN.com.gh
