Austria’s Baumgartner nets quickest-ever international goal in victory over Slovakia

Austria’s Christoph Baumgartner made history by scoring the fastest goal ever recorded for the national team in their impressive 2-0 triumph over Slovakia on foreign soil. The victory extends Ralf Rangnick’s squad’s remarkable streak to just one loss in their last 13 outings.

Entering the match, the visitors boasted an impressive record of three consecutive victories, each without conceding a single goal. Their latest triumph came against the Euro 2024 hosts, Germany, in a convincing 2-0 win. Within an astonishing six seconds of kick-off, Baumgartner etched his name in the annals of Austrian football history, unleashing a precise strike from the edge of the penalty area that nestled into the bottom-left corner of the net.

Despite the early setback, Slovakia responded admirably, showing resilience as they sought an equalizer. However, their efforts initially failed to trouble Austria’s goalkeeper, Patrick Pentz, as a flurry of attempts missed the target. The Falcons did manage to test Pentz just before the half-hour mark, with Lukas Haraslin’s effort thwarted by an outstanding reflex save.

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While Austria dominated possession for much of the match, clear-cut scoring opportunities remained scarce. Their best chance arrived ten minutes into the second half, as Michael Gregoritsch’s first-time strike was expertly saved by Martin Dubravka. Baumgartner came agonizingly close to adding a second goal moments later, narrowly missing the target with another effort.

Austria eventually doubled their lead with seven minutes left on the clock, as substitute Andreas Weimann capitalized on a Romano Schmid assist to find the net from close range. This comfortable victory further solidifies Austria’s preparations for Euro 2024.

Meanwhile, Slovakia’s impressive three-game winning streak comes to an end, but they maintain a positive trajectory as they gear up for their third consecutive appearance in the upcoming continental tournament.