Marcel Koller ready to risk it all

Marcel Koller accepts he might be forced to take risks to keep Austria’s World Cup hopes alive in Cardiff tonight (7.45pm).

Wales and Austria are locked on eight points — four adrift of the top two teams in Group D, Serbia and Ireland. But that gap could be wider when Wales and Austria kick-off tonight, as Serbia and Ireland will have finished their games by then.

Serbia are at home to the group’s bottom team Moldova, while Martin O’Neill’s men are away to Georgia.

“Maybe it’s an advantage for the other teams playing earlier,” Austria manager Koller said yesterday. “So if the situation requires we will just really have to go for it. Both teams need to win, my colleague from Wales (Chris Coleman) knows that as well.

“It depends on the other games of Ireland and Serbia what happens, but it will be very difficult for the team that loses here to qualify.”

The two sides drew 2-2 in Vienna last October when West Ham forward Marko Arnautovic equalised twice for Austria. Wales troubled Austria at set-pieces — from free-kicks, corners and Gareth Bale’s long throws — and Koller admits dealing with those situations has formed part of his pre-game planning.

“We’ve looked at that,” he said.

“Obviously we have a defensive concept to cope, but the best thing is to avoid set-pieces happening from the start.

“We’ve spent time watching videos of Wales and I’m going to have a few individual chats with some players about situations that could happen in the game.

“We can still qualify for the World Cup and everything is still possible, so I am just concentrated on this game and focused on winning it.”

Austria captain Julian Baumgartlinger predicted that the game would be like their 1-1 draw against the Republic in June.

“It’s going to be a very physical game, similar to what it was in Dublin,” said Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Baumgartlinger.

“It will 90 minutes of all-out football. We are both in a situation where we are chasing other teams, but whoever wins has it in their own hands and the other team doesn’t.”

Chris Coleman remains undaunted by the size of Wales’ World Cup task and admits he would not be bothered if they had to beat “Brazil, Spain and Germany” to reach next summer’s finals in Russia.

Coleman’s side have Austria and Ireland at home and Moldova and Georgia away but the Wales manager is confident that can be done, although maximum points might be needed to finish top or even claim a play-off spot.

“We can do it [win the last four games] and that’s no disrespect to Austria, Moldova, Georgia and the Republic of Ireland,” said Coleman.

“It could be Brazil, Spain and Germany. I have that much confidence in our players and in our team, especially here in this [Cardiff City] stadium when it’s full. If we get it right then there’s nobody we need to fear. That’s a definite.”