Following on from their quarter-final shoot-out win over Spain, we briefly spoke to Austrian attacker Laura Feiersinger about her breathless two-hour performance in Tilburg.
Exhausting
Always expecting to be under the cosh against Spain, Austria went back to their defensive roots against the Iberians, a little off-colour but ultimately resolute against La Roja. After two long hours that saw Feiersinger perpetually brining the ball clear of her own half in attempt to strike a counter-attack, the entire team looked spent before lining-up on the half-way line and making the long walk to the penalty spot,
“It was super tough, it was very exhausting, we were fighting and we’re just happy we won.”
As the seconds ticked by at the Willem II Stadion with neither team able to break the deadlock, the prospect of penalties loomed ever nearer, the 24-year-old becoming more and more aware that the two sides would be settling the match from twelve yards. Although the Sand woman, who like the rest of her Austrian teammates does extensive work with a mental coach, never wavered in her belief that the team would reach the semi-finals.
“I was thinking about it during the second-half of extra-time. I was thinking like, “Oh my god, we won’t score so we’ll have to go to a penalty shoot-out!” but I was always convinced that we’d win today.”
Voted as player of the match, Feiersinger was electric throughout the two hours and when asked how she managed to dig in and keep making her tireless runs as the match grew old, the midfielder laughed, more than happy to do whatever it takes for the team and her mates,
“I don’t know, I just like running for the team, I just like doing it for them because they give me so much back and we’re just fighting… and somehow I enjoy it.”