VIENNA (Reuters) -Austria qualified for the 2026 World Cup after snatching a 77th-minute equaliser through Michael Gregoritsch against visitors Bosnia on Tuesday to earn a 1-1 draw and top Group H.
It will be Austria's first appearance at a World Cup since 1998.
Bosnia finished second in the group, two points behind on 17, and go into a playoff in March for a spot at next year's tournament, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.
Needing a win to top the group and secure automatic qualification
to their second World Cup after their maiden appearance in 2014, Bosnia stunned the home crowd when Haris Tabakovic headed in from close range to give them a 12th-minute lead.
The forward has now scored in each of their last three qualifiers, including in Saturday's 3-1 win over Romania.
Ralf Rangnick's Austria bounced back, retook control and put the ball in the net on the stroke of halftime but Konrad Laimer's effort was overruled for a foul after a lengthy VAR review.
The visitors were content to sit back and soak up the pressure in the second half, hoping to catch Austria on the break.
But the hosts' pressure eventually paid off when Gregoritsch saw Marcel Sabitzer's cross sail past the Bosnian keeper before bouncing off the post and into his path for a powerful finish and his 23rd and most memorable international goal.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)
