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World Cup qualifying: Wales boss Chris Coleman dismisses Marcel Koller jibe

By Dafydd PritchardBBC Wales Sport in Vienna

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments192

Wales celebrate a goal during Euro 2016
Gareth Bale leads the celebrations as Wales reach the semi-finals of Euro 2016
World Cup qualifier: Austria v Wales
Venue: Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna Date: Thursday, 6 October Kick-off: 19:45 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio 5 live and the BBC Sport website and app.

Chris Coleman has dismissed claims by Austria manager Marcel Koller that Wales were "lucky" to reach the European Championship semi-finals.

The Wales boss said his side made the last four in France because they were "a good team".

He also had an apparent dig at Koller by claiming a lot of teams went into Euro 2016 with big reputations but "couldn't handle the pressure".

Wales and Austria meet in a 2018 World Cup qualifier in Vienna on Thursday.

Marcel Koller, Austria national coach, shouts instructions to his players
Marcel Koller guided Austria to Euro 2016

Wales beat Slovakia and Russia in the group stages of Euro 2016 to qualify ahead of England for the last 16.

They then beat Northern Ireland 1-0 and Belgium 3-1, before losing 2-0 to eventual winners Portugal.

In contrast, Austria suffered a disappointing tournament, going out in the group stages despite winning nine and drawing one of 10 qualifying games.

They lost to Hungary and Iceland as they finished bottom of their pool, though they managed a goalless draw with Portugal.

"Wales were very lucky sometimes," said Koller. "During the Euros, they were lucky that a match did not turn in another direction.

"I think that helped the Welsh team get a really good portion of self-confidence."

Wales, ranked 10th in the world by Fifa, are top seeds in their 2018 World Cup qualifying group, with Austria, ranked 26th, seeded second.

Coleman's side opened their Group D campaign with a 4-0 thrashing of Moldova, while Austria started with a 2-1 victory in Georgia.

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When the teams last met in 2013, Gareth Bale scored one goal and created another as Wales won 2-1 in a friendly at Swansea's Liberty Stadium.

The Real Madrid forward now has 24 goals in 62 appearances for his country - and Austria will be paying him special attention in Vienna.

"We saw during the Euros he can win games on his own," Koller said.

"We will not only have only one player chasing after him, we will have two or three players in close vicinity to disturb him as soon as possible."

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192 comments

  • Comment posted by Bill T, at 11:03 6 Oct 2016

    It pains me to say it but there's nothing "lucky" about beating Belgium in the QF of a major tournament.

  • Comment posted by Mike, at 11:04 6 Oct 2016

    Austria were unlucky that their players didn't play very well.

  • Comment posted by D1710713860590, at 11:13 6 Oct 2016

    Sorry as an English man I seem to remember you make your own luck and if the Welsh had any luck it was because they deserved it. Just a shame England never played well enough to deserve any luck.

  • Comment posted by User0837798784, at 10:52 6 Oct 2016

    Any team that makes it to the latter stages of a tournament need some luck don't they?

    Wales got as much luck as anyone else. And the Belgium game...3-1, nothing lucky about that.

  • Comment posted by wolf359, at 11:04 6 Oct 2016

    Sour grapes from Austria as they didn't do as well as they expected to.Wales deserved to get as far as they did in the Euros.

  • Comment posted by bkpaul, at 10:49 6 Oct 2016

    I thought wales played well in the euros, good luck to them!

  • Comment posted by Crosseyed and Painless, at 14:31 6 Oct 2016

    Wales were lucky...lucky they didn't have Roy as manager and a bunch of money grabbing wasters that couldn't even pass the ball.

  • Comment posted by Old Father Thames, at 11:07 6 Oct 2016

    I believe in luck.

    The harder you work, you more you will get.

  • Comment posted by unification, at 11:07 6 Oct 2016

    Every team has a little bit of luck in a tournament. Portugal won the whole 2016 tournament it when they could only draw their 3 group games! That's lucky.

    This is just gamesmanship from Koller. Coleman should and rightly has dismissed it and should change the subject back to the game in hand. It's nothing to get worked up about.

  • Comment posted by D1679206843599, at 11:09 6 Oct 2016

    Despite all the trolls on this thread (Wales is part of England, hurr hurr hurr) the fact is Wales did amazingly at the Euros and should be very proud. And I honestly don't think they're a one-man team. Aaron Ramsey and Joe Allen were often more influential in the games than Bale was. That Belgium performance was sublime.

  • Comment posted by chunky, at 10:49 6 Oct 2016

    Doesn't every team need a bit of luck in these tournaments to do well. There was no luck against Belgium though, what a performance that was.

  • Comment posted by Ledwulf, at 10:57 6 Oct 2016

    The rub of the green is part and parcel of all sports. The question is, when you get a break, are you good enough to take advantage ? Wales, good luck to them, if they DID get lucky, they capitalised on it, and reached a tournament stage they have never been before, so let's give them credit.

  • Comment posted by D1679588293280, at 14:23 6 Oct 2016

    I wish it was luck. Then perhaps next time our lacklustre team of English millionaires might strike lucky rather than failing us yet again.

    But it wasn't luck was it? It was patriotic footballers working hard and with pride for their country. Woefully absent in England.

  • Comment posted by mcgoverg, at 11:03 6 Oct 2016

    3. Shannon(the loose) Cannon.
    Do you think Scotland is also part of England?
    Love to understand the basis if you're thinking on this.

  • Comment posted by nic121, at 15:59 6 Oct 2016

    Lucky or not at the euros...you're only as good as your last performance.

    As an Englishman I'd advise extreme caution to Welsh fans...don't get drawn into the hype and just take one game at time, and let your team do their talking on the pitch.

    Best of luck.

  • Comment posted by Templar, at 11:07 6 Oct 2016

    Isn`t luck supposed to be an integral part of any game?

  • Comment posted by devonqprboy, at 11:21 6 Oct 2016

    I don't know if Shannon (3) is trying to be funny or just plain ignorant.

  • Comment posted by D1679371461098, at 15:03 6 Oct 2016

    107. Flash Light 9

    What's with the dragon on the Welsh flag? Erm, it's got something to do with passion - you know, that not unimportant ingredient necessary to the success of a football team?

    114. Flash Light 9

    So. What's with those three lions on the badge? Pride? Courage? Time for three £50 notes methinks. That's all that motivate your current motley crew

  • Comment posted by D1679497054384, at 15:23 6 Oct 2016

    As an Englishman i am in no position to criticise the Welsh side. Likewise neither is an Austrian !! Sour grapes or a pathetic attempt to unsettle the Welsh. I really hope the Welsh stuff them.

  • Comment posted by King Pug, at 14:38 6 Oct 2016

    Surely they weren't as lucky as the eventual winners Portugal....what was it, ONE match won in 90 minutes? Ridiculous.

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