Rubin Okotie scored the only goal of the game late on as Austria beat Russia 1-0 in Group G of the European qualifiers.
Despite a quick tempo start from the hosts backed by a fired up crowd, it was Russia who had the better chances of the first half. Their first chance was also their best as striker Alexander Kokorin won the ball high up the pitch and released a powerful right foot effort cutting across the ball from 25 yards out which had keeper Alder beat but flicked off the outside of his left post.
Austria's best chance of the first half came in similar circumstances. In the 26th minute midfielder Junuzovic won the ball deep in Russia's half and then quickly released Miles Harnik who right footed from right side of the box hit first time low across goal however Igor Akinfeev was able to tip it around the post.
The visitors managed to produce a save out of the Austrian keeper for the first time in the 35th minute when Ignashevich the central defender had a costless header from a left wing corner which he put fairly straight at Adler who beat the ball away to his right.
At the start of the second half things continued like they had in the first with Russia getting the better openings in front of goal. Such as the 50th minute where with a couple of passes they had winger Denis Cheryshev in behind down the left only for the Real Madrid man to lose control of the ball with the keeper bearing down on him, something he did a lot throughout the night.
Midway through the second half Austria decided to make a change up front, which would prove inspired as Okoite replaced Janko. In a crazy two minute spell with 20 minutes left the forward had thought he'd scored and then actually did. First the ghost goal occured when Russia did not deal with a right wing corner and Okoite from six yards turned the ball goalward where Akinfeev saved but fumbled behind him onto the line and dangerously close to going over it but no goal was given.
Just a minute later though and the substitiute had his second goal of the qualifying campaign as Denis Kombarov the Russia left back got caught up the field, which Harnik running in behind and delivering an early low cross for Okoite who had the simple task of turning it in left footed from six yards.