Barbara Dunst: "I'm convinced we can do more"

The Austrian women's national team celebrated a 2-1 away win in Kosovo last Friday evening.

Despite a difficult match, the team thus secured a good starting position for the return leg on Tuesday in Vienna.

However, midfielder Barbara Dunst was self-critical afterwards. "Honestly, I do believe we can do more," said the Styrian in an interview with the "Kick it like Women" podcast.

The 29-year-old was particularly annoyed by the conceded goal after a counter-attack. "The three points are important – the result is, let's say, alright," Dunst summarized. Nevertheless, her conclusion was clear: "There's still room for improvement!"

"They Made it Difficult for Us"

Dunst was not surprised by the difficult course of the match. "We knew it would be a tough game – I personally expected it to be exactly like that," explained the ÖFB player.

Especially the compact defense of the Kosovars posed challenges for Austria: "They made it really difficult for us and defended superbly."

In the return leg on Tuesday at 6:00 PM at Wiener Sport-Club Platz, head coach Lars Söndergaard's team aims to secure their spot in the playoff final for participation in the 2027 World Cup in Brazil. Switzerland, who won their first leg against Israel 7-3, is likely awaiting them as a potential opponent.

Dunst Nearing 100-Cap Mark

For FC Bayern player Barbara Dunst, the match in Kosovo was already her 96th appearance for the senior national team. The fact that she is getting closer to her 100th international cap fills the 29-year-old with pride: "It's truly special. Time has flown by so quickly!"

However, Dunst still has a major goal in mind with the national team: participation in a World Cup. Her motivation to fulfill this dream is correspondingly high.

"Such a major event is simply incredible! I would wish for so many players to experience something like that," she said, reflecting on her experiences at the 2022 European Championship in England.