Kenny Shiels expects Northern Ireland’s fate in qualifying for the Women’s World Cup to be decided in Friday’s “pivotal” fixture away to Austria.
The two sides go into the match level on 13 points, three behind unbeaten leaders England in Group D, separated by only a single goal in goal difference.
And though each side will still have three games to play after this – with both still to face England once more – Shiels said Friday’s fixture feels like the finale of the qualifying campaign given it is likely to determine which side makes it into the play-offs.
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“This game is very much the pivotal point for us and for Austria,” he said.
“Both nations know that defeat would more or less put them out of the running for the runners-up spot and victory would put them on the verge of the play-offs. That’s how vital it is.
“We’re dead level, there’s one goal between us and that tells you it’s very, very tight within the group.”
After Friday’s match in Wiener Neustadt, Northern Ireland will head back to Belfast to play England at Windsor Park on Tuesday, with the final two qualifiers away to Luxembourg and Latvia scheduled for September after Euro 2022.
“I don’t want to be derogatory of the ones that are down the levels, but Latvia and Luxembourg, realistically without looking too far ahead we’ve a great chance of beating them,” Shiels said.
“If we can beat Austria it gives us that impetus to go into the final games and get a great reward.”
Goals from Demi Vance and Lauren Wade put Northern Ireland within seconds of beating Austria when they met at Seaview in October.
But a stoppage-time goal from Stefanie Enzinger snatched a crucial point for the visitors in a 2-2 draw.
As disappointing as the result was, Shiels said it gave his side confidence they could beat the Austrian team, who he was able to watch in action again during the recent multi-nation training camp Northern Ireland attended in Marbella in February.
“When we were in Spain they were remarkably good and that lets us realise how well we did do in that game at Seaview,” he said. “It definitely gives us some realism that we could cause a shock.”
With a squad full of Bundesliga regulars, Austria remain favourites on paper. That feeling has been echoed by their coach Irene Fuhrmann in recent days, though Shiels said he was happy to hear them talk up their own chances.
“Austria have shown a little bit of disrespect to us,” he said. “They’ve belittled us with some of the things they’ve said in the media, which is music to our ears.
"If they feel as if they can just turn up and get a result, that’s where we can try to be our best and prove them wrong.”
- Tonight's qualifier has a 7.30pm kick-off and is being streamed on the BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer
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