A new look Scotland could not shake off old habits as Mick McArdle’s interim reign got off to a losing start.
A first-half goal from Lilli Purtscheller gave Austria a win on a night when the hosts were the more dominant team throughout.
Gallingly for Scotland will be the cheapness with which they conceded the opener – a familiar failing throughout the Euro 2025 campaign. With the Nations League campaign underpinning the World Cup qualification campaign it will be imperative that Scotland find solutions to old problems as quickly as they possibly can.
In fairness to McArdle, he made the changes in personnel with a host of introductions. Emma Lawton could have had a debut to remember when she had a header repelled by Austrian goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger but it was one of few positive notes in a game where Scotland still looked to be carrying a hangover from the doomed European Championships campaign.
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The challenge for McArdle now is how to lift Scotland ahead of the game at Hampden on Tuesday night against The Netherlands. On papers the game against Austria in a group that also contains Germany was regarded as the most plausible for picking up points.
Ironically, Scotland had started the game on the frontfoot but having conceded the opener - in shambolic fashion – all belief seemed to evaporate.
Sophie Howard allowed Austria to cut the ball back and, as Jenna Clark dithered, the ball bobbled around the box with no Scotland player able to show any defensive conviction and clear their line.
Purtscheller made them pay as she charged onto it before drilling past Lee Gibson.
Any conviction that Scotland had melted away as Austria took charge of the game.
There was Lawton’s header from a corner while Kirsty Hanson could have done better with one opportunity when she burst forward but by and large it was the hosts who looked the more menacing of the two teams.
A head injury for Howard added to Scotland’s woes with the defender forced to make way as Leah Eddie came off the bench to make her full international debut.
It gave Scotland’s backline a distinct lack of experience which Austria looked keen to manipulate.
Lauren Davidson and Freya Gregory were introduced after the break as McArdle rang the changes as Scotland looked to get back into the game.
The switch was not met with universal approval with Martha Thomas clearly irked as she made way.
Ultimately, it made little difference as Scotland had to settle for the defeat on a night that posed as many questions as answers.
