Austria are through to the next round of the UEFA Europa Conference League after winning a tense penalty shootout 4-2 against Beitar Jerusalem, overturning a 1-2 deficit that had stood for the entirety of extra time. Beitar arrived at the spot-kicks with the scoreboard in their favour and the upper hand in the tie, but Austria held their nerve completely — converting all four of their attempts while Beitar managed just two — to send FK Austria Wien advancing and the Israeli side packing.

Beitar had the better of the open play throughout, and Yarden Shua was the chief architect of their control. The forward contributed four key passes that repeatedly cut through Austria's defensive shape, helping construct and sustain the 2-1 lead Beitar carried into extra time. When Shua was finding pockets and threading the ball, Beitar looked the more dangerous side, and Austria spent long stretches defending rather than dictating.

Austria's attacking threat came largely through Johnbosco Samuel Kalu, who matched Shua's creative output with four key passes of his own. Kalu's ability to create from wide positions gave Austria a foothold in the tie and ensured that Beitar could never fully shut the game down. Without his persistence in keeping the ball moving forward, Austria's cause might have been extinguished well before the shootout arrived.

The midfield battle was fought with equal ferocity on both sides. Daniel Nnodim and Vasilije Markovic each completed seven tackles — a combined 14 interventions that reflected just how physically contested the middle of the park was. Their defensive work repeatedly disrupted Beitar's attempts to transition quickly and capitalise on their lead, keeping the one-goal margin from becoming something more damaging.

The performance of the night, however, belonged to goalkeeper Samuel Sahin-Radlinger. Seven saves across 120 minutes tells the story of a man who kept his team alive almost single-handedly. Beitar pressed their advantage relentlessly in open play, and Sahin-Radlinger answered every call — his shot-stopping the reason Austria still had a tie to contest when the final whistle blew. When the penalties came, Austria's composure was complete, and Sahin-Radlinger's presence between the posts proved the decisive factor. Beitar go home having controlled the match for two hours; Austria go through having found a way to win it when it mattered.