The game was brought to a standstill during the Austrian qualification for the 2026 World Cup against Cyprus after suddenly a dolin hole appeared on the field late in the second half.
The bizarre incident occurred in the 75th minute when the Danish referee Jakob Kehllet set the game after noticing the gaping hole near Austria keeper Alexander Schlagers Box in the Raiffeisen Arena in Linz.
The opening was wide enough to swallow a whole football, and prompted the soil staff to rush with sandmen to make it desperate.
After more than seven minutes of repair, Kehllet finally gave the green light to resume again, and Austria finally sealed a 1-0 win thanks to Marcel Sabitzer’s punishment in the second half-time target in front of the ground.
A section of the field has literally collapsed in the game between Austria and Cyprus. The floor staff runs up and down with shells of the floor to sort the situation. I can’t remember having seen something like that! pic.twitter.com/oecrf5jigk
– Harry Symmeou (@Harrysymou) September 6, 2025
The victory means that Austria H in Group H is now second after she has won all three games so far, behind the unbeaten Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Remarkably, this is not the first time that Austrian football flirts with earth. In 2022, a collision between Denmark against Denmark was interrupted in the Ernst Happel Stadium in 2022 by a large dolin hole that opened on the field.
At least this time Austria still managed to dig out the three points – although someone in a geologist should call before the next game.
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