Further blow for Austria as top scorer Janko to miss Ireland clash

Austria's preparations for Sunday's World Cup qualifier against Ireland at the Aviva Stadium have been knocked by the withdrawal of leading goalscorer Marc Janko through injury.

The Sparta Praha striker has been declared unfit to take part in Sunday's Group D match after falling ill with tonsillitis.

Janko famously had a penalty saved by Bohemians keeper Brian Murphy while playing for Red Bull Salzburg in a Champions League qualifier against Bohemians in 2009, a tie the Austrians went on to win 2-1 on aggregate.

He has been replaced in the squad by the uncapped Deni Alar of Sturm Graz, who joins Schalke 04's Guido Burgstaller and Michael Grigoritsch of Hamburg in the squad.

None of the three has scored for their country, although Burgstaller has been in fine form for Schalke with nine goals in 18 appearances since signing for the Bundesliga club in January.

Austria squad to face the Republic of Ireland:

Goalkeepers: Daniel Bachmann (Stoke City / ENG, 0 caps), Heinz Lindner (Eintracht Frankfurt / GER, 10), Markus Kuster (SV Bauwelt Koch Mattersburg, 0);
 

Defenders: Kevin Danso (FC Augsburg / GER, 0), Aleksandar Dragovic (Bayer 04 Leverkusen / GER, 56/1), Martin Hinteregger (FC Augsburg, GER, 24/1), Stefan Lainer (FC RB Salzburg, (FC RB Salzburg, 1/0), Valentino Lazaro (FC RB Salzburg, 7/0), Sebastian Prödl (FC Watford / ENG, 62/4), Kevin Wimmer (Tottenham Hotspur FC / ENG, 8/0);

Midfielders: David Alaba (Bayern Munich / GER, 56/11), Julian Baumgartlinger (Bayer 04 Leverkusen / GER, 53/1), Florian Grillitsch (SV Werder Bremen / GER, 1/0), Martin Harnik (Hannover 96 / GER, 65/15), Zlatko Junuzovic (SV Werder Bremen / GER, 54/7), Florian Kainz (SV Werder Bremen / GER, 1/0), Konrad Laimer (FC RB Salzburg, 0), Marcel Sabitzer (RB Leipzig) / GER, 27/4), Louis Schaub (SK Rapid, 2/0);

Forwards: Guido Burgstaller (FC Schalke 04 / GER, 10/0), Michael Gregoritsch (Hamburger SV / GER, 2/0), Deni Alar (Sturm Graz, 0).