Republic of Ireland have extended their unbeaten start to their World Cup qualifying campaign to four games with an excellent 1-0 win in Austria.
After a goalless first half, James McClean opened the scoring just three minutes after the restart and it proved to be enough to give Martin O'Neill's men a priceless win away from home.
Austria had their chances in the closing stages but a second defeat in four games has left them off the pace in fourth spot with just six games left.
Read below to see how the action unfolded in Vienna.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match between Austria and Republic of Ireland!
With a draw away in Serbia and victories and both Georgia and Moldova, Martin O'Neill will be the first to admit that he is delighted with his team's start to the campaign but he will also be aware that their bid to make the 2018 World Cup will suffer a huge blow if they don't get something from their trip to Vienna.
Austria have only registered one win from their first three fixtures, but victory this evening will take them level with the Republic of Ireland.
Let's have a look at the team news...
AUSTRIA STARTING XI: Ozcan, Klein, Dragovic, Hinteregger, Wimmer, Baumgartlinger, Alaba, Sabitzer, Schopf, Arnautovic, Janko
AUSTRIA SUBS: Ilsanker, Lazaro, Madl, Onisiwo, Lukse, Stangl, Gregoritsch, Hinterseer, Harnik, Lindner, Suttner, Schaub
REP IRELAND STARTING XI: Randolph, Coleman, Duffy, Clark, Brady, Whelan, Arter, Hendrick, Hoolahan, McClean, Walters
REP IRELAND SUBS: Westwood, C. Doyle, O'Shea, Keogh, McGeady, McGoldrick, Horgan, K. Doyle, Meyler, McShane, O'Dowda, Pearce
O'Neill makes three changes from the team which won in Moldova last time out as Harry Arter, Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick come in.
HEAD TO HEAD! It has been 53 years since Republic of Ireland last defeated Austria - sorry for the lack of optimism! Ireland have won just two of their 14 meetings with Austria but in the two most recent fixtures in 2013, each match was closely-contested. After a 2-2 draw in Dublin, Austria ran out 1-0 winners in front of their own supporters six months later.
Shortly after the conclusion of this match, Wales host Serbia in Cardiff in what is likely to prove another pivotal fixture in Group D. If Austria and Wales both win their home fixtures, we will be left with Wales topping the group on eight points and Serbia, Republic of Ireland and Austria all in a share of second place on seven points. It really is so tight!
It's time for the two teams to make their way out at the Ernst-Happel Stadion in Vienna. There's a large Irish contingent in attendance but can they make the difference? We are about to find out. We will be underway very shortly.
It's been all Austria in these opening seven minutes. Sabitzer has already fired wide and and Janko has had an effort well saved by Randolph. Ireland need to get into this game.
CHANCE! Big chance for the Republic of Ireland! It came out of nothing with McClean controlling a high ball before getting a shot away but his effort was deflected marginally wide of the post.
SUBSTITUTION! This is a blow for Ireland. Whelan has gone down with an injury and he is having to be replaced by David Meyler. A like-for-like replacement but that's one of O'Neill's substitutions used up.
We are through the opening half-hour in Vienna and Ireland will be pleased to have reached this stage without conceding a goal. They are going to have to improve further forward but for now, this is good enough.
CHANCE! Should Walters be doing better there? An inswinging free kick from Brady finds the head of the Stoke City forward but his glancing header went wide of the far post.
Meyler is lucky to avoid a booking for a late challenge on the left touchline but Austria have a set piece in a threatening position. It's a shocking effort from Alaba, however, as his cross hits the first man and Ireland are able to clear.
SHOT! That's a rather ambitious effort from Schopf but that's what they have been reduced to by Ireland. Randolph is able to make a comfortable save from the midfielder's 30-yard strike.
CHANCE! How have Ireland survived here?! A neat pass finds Sabitzer, who chips the ball against the woodwork before Wimmer's ball back across the box is cleared off the line by Clark. Outstanding defending from the Newcastle player.
CHANCE! This is turning into a fine game and Ireland really should be ahead. A pin-point cross from Brady finds the run of Walters but despite being under no pressure from a defender, he fired over from six yards. He had to slide in but still, he should be hitting the target.
There will be one minute of added-on time.
HALF TIME: Austria 1-1 Republic of Ireland
The half-time whistle has gone in Vienna and we remain goalless. I'm not sure how though! Parts of the game have been uneventful to say the least but other parts have created numerous clear-cut opportunities. We expect more of the same in the second half...
The two teams are back out for the second half. There doesn't appear to be any changes for either side. Big 45 minutes coming up...
We are back underway.
GOAL! Austria 0-1 Republic of Ireland (McClean)
Republic of Ireland take the lead! It's a cracking goal too. After Ireland won the ball back in the far corner of the pitch, they worked the ball to Hoolahan on the halfway line. The man over was McClean and after an excellent through-ball from the midfielder from his teammate, McClean took one touch before firing through the legs of the goalkeeper from an acute angle.
Walters has the ball in the back of the net after meeting a cross but he was clearly in an offside position. Amateur stuff from the Irish frontline there. They didn't need to go so early.
CHANCE! Ireland are dominating this game right now. Austria look all at sea at the back and they are there for the taking. After threatening from a couple of corners, the ball ended up with McClean but he tried to do too much and he sliced wide of the post.
Clark has had a tame header cleared off the line by a defender but aside from that, it's been all Austria over the last six minutes. They need to improve if they are to get back on level terms.
SHOT! Alaba isn't the crowd's favourite player right now but he comes close to an equaliser with a free kick from 25 yards.
SHOT! Alaba is growing in confidence and he's almost netted a wonder goal from 30 yards. Randolph is getting nowhere near it but the ball hits the roof of the net. Ireland are sitting too deep.
Ireland are starting to have a little more joy on the break and Hendrick does well to win a corner. It's a decent cross from the left-fotter but Clark fouls the goalkeeper. Twenty minutes left in Vienna. Can Ireland hang on?
SUBSTITUTION! This is a strange one. Sabitzer has been one of Austria's best players but he has been withdrawn for Harnik.
Austria are having plenty of the ball in the final third but Ireland are throwing men at the ball to prevent any clear-cut chances being created. It's been a big effort from O'Neill's men but they still have some time to see out.
SUBSTITUTION! O'Neill has decided to bring on David McGoldrick for Hoolahan. Interesting alteration, I'm guessing they are looking for the attacker to hold the ball up for Walters.
CHANCE! That's a very clever effort from Harnik. He ran onto a long ball behind the defence before trying to flick the ball over an unsuspecting Randolph. However, he put it too close to the goalkeeper.
SUBSTITUTION! McClean has picked up a knock so McGeady is being introduced onto the left flank.
CHANCE! HUGE opportunity for Austria. A cross to the far post finds the lanky figure of Janko but despite having a free header, he directed well wide of the far post.
SHOT! Austria are really pressing and a long-range shot from Dragovic is deflected into the hands of Randolph. It could have gone anywhere. There will be four minutes of added-on time.
CHANCE! Unbelievable miss from Janko! A volley across goal from the striker but he has headed wide from inside the six-yard box!
FULL TIME: Austria 0-1 Republic of Ireland
The full-time whistle goes in Austria and Republic of Ireland have held on for a huge win in Vienna! McClean's goal has proven to be the difference and O'Neill's men move to the top of the group with 10 points from four games. This could be a massive result on the road to Russia.
That will be all from Sports Mole for this game. Thank you for joining us this evening and we hope that you can stick around for the game involving Wales and Serbia. Goodbye for now.
Written by
Darren Plant
Darren Plant
