Our prediction for this World Cup 2026 match:
Thursday’s football game at Hampden Park pits together Scotland and Austria, the two teams who face each other in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The Scotts did well to beat Serbia in the Euro 2021 playoffs final, and they are now on a quest to qualify for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998. Kevin Nisbet has been handed his first Scotland call-up, but a man to watch in the home team will be Man Utd midfielder Scott McTominay.
The Austrians recorded five wins in the previous six games in all competitions, but beating Scotland in Glasgow is easier said than done. A close encounter is on the horizon, and we believe that punters can find value in betting on draw. Austria captain Julian Baumgartlinger misses the game through injury, but both David Alaba and Marcel Sabitzer will be available for the trip to Hampden after Germany has removed Great Britain from a list of countries that require a 14-day quarantine.
Highlighted Player (Jon McLaughlin):
Jon McLaughlin is a goalkeeper who plays for Sunderland. The 188-cm-tall shoot-stopper played for non-League sides Harrogate Railway Athletic and Harrogate Town in the past, but in 2008 he joined Bradford City. After spending six years at Valley Parade, McLaughlin signed a contract with Burton Albion and he has been playing for the Pirelli Stadium outfit ever since.
Jon McLaughlin made 45 appearances for Burton Albion in both 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons and he has established his self as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper. He was producing scintillating displays for Burton in the 2015/2016 League One campaign and, no doubt, he helped the team secure promotion to the Championship.
Jon McLaughlin was born on 9 September, 1987 in Edinburgh, but he has yet to make his debut for the Scotland national team. Speaking of his honours, the goalkeeper won the Football League Two play-offs with Bradford City in the 2012/2013 season.
Highlighted Team (Austria):
Austria is one of Europe’s oldest national football teams and they enjoyed plenty of success during the 1930’s, earning the nickname Wunderteam in the process. Das Team achieved a fourth-place finish at the second World Cup in 1934, before finishing in third place at the 1954 finals. However, Austria have since participated at another five World Cup finals, never getting past the first knockout stage.
Das Team were even more disappointing in the European Championship qualifying campaigns, failing to qualify for 12 straight tournaments before appearing at the 2008 finals as co-hosts. However, Austria made it to the Euro 2016 in style, winning nine of ten qualifiers to suggest the team may be on the path to return to old glory days.
Former Bayern Munich midfielder Andreas Herzog is the team’s most capped footballer with 103 appearances, whereas Toni Polster is the most prolific striker with 44 goals in 95 outings. Matthias Sinderlar, Ernst Ocwirk, Herbert Prohaska and Hans Krankl are some of the most notable players to have represented Austria over the years.