AUSTRIA brought Cymru’s UEFA Under-21 EURO qualifying campaign to a painful conclusion in Caernarfon, running out emphatic 7-1 winners at The Oval after a ruthless display in front of goal.

Fresh from its £1m-plus redevelopment and growing reputation as one of the leading football venues in north Wales, The Oval welcomed another prestigious international fixture on Tuesday evening as Cymru Under-21s hosted Austria in their final UEFA Under-21 EURO qualifier.

This was the first under-21 international to be held at the ground. However, despite the significance of the occasion and a bumper 1,360 crowd, Austria spoiled the night for the hosts with a ruthless 7-1 win in Caernarfon.

With suspended centre-backs Dan Cox and George Nevett unavailable following Friday’s narrow defeat to Belgium, head coach Matty Jones was forced into changes at the heart of his defence, while Austria arrived determined to finish their campaign on a high.

The visitors made their intentions clear from the outset and needed just three minutes to break the deadlock. Luca Weinhandl found space inside the area and fired beyond Joe Duncan, setting the tone for a difficult evening for the home side.

Austria’s physical presence and attacking movement continually stretched the Cymru backline, and their pressure paid off again midway through the first half when Jacob Hödl doubled the lead after being picked out by Nico Bajlicz. Duncan then produced an excellent save to deny Höd a second as Austria threatened to run away with the contest.

Despite spending long periods on the back foot, Cymru showed resilience and found a route back into the game on the half-hour mark. Tanatswa Nyakuhwa’s effort was parried by goalkeeper Lukas Jungwirth, but Callum Agius reacted quickest to slot home the rebound and give the hosts renewed hope.

Any momentum gained from the goal was short-lived. Just before the break, David Puczka rounded Duncan and calmly rolled the ball into an empty net to restore Austria’s two-goal cushion and leave Cymru facing a mountain to climb at 3-1.

The hosts started the second half brightly, with Agius forcing another save from Jungwirth, but Austria soon regained control. After a series of ricochets inside the penalty area, Oluwaseun Adewumi pounced on a loose ball to make it 4-1 and effectively put the result beyond doubt.

To their credit, Cymru continued to search for a response. Gabriele Biancheri, Oliver Bostock and Charlie Crew all tested Jungwirth as the match opened up, while 15-year-old Noah Anyadike etched his name into the history books by becoming the youngest player ever to represent Cymru at Under-21 level.

However, Austria’s relentless pressure continued to yield goals. Nikolaus Wurmbrand’s effort took a cruel deflection off Anyadike and looped over Duncan for the fifth, before Erik Kojzek finally got the goal his performance deserved.

Jannik Schuster’s late header was then diverted into the net by Archie Harris to complete a comprehensive 7-1 victory.

It was a difficult end to the campaign for Cymru, but amid the disappointment there was at least a memorable milestone for Anyadike, whose record-breaking debut offered a glimpse of the future on an otherwise chastening night in Caernarfon.