A second-half double from top scorer Johannes Moser propelled Hermann Stadler’s boys into the final despite the Italians dominating the majority of the ball possession at Al Rayyan’s Aspire Zone.
Prior to this competition, the Austrians had crashed out of the group stage in their two outings (Egypt 1997 and United Arab Emirates 2013).
As things stand, they have surpassed their personal best in the history of the cadet championship. However, the 1860 Munich midfielder, who was a second-half replacement for Jakob Werner, feels his team can go a bit further to claim the elusive title.
"It was a great match. Italy are a very great opponent, but we played very well and in the end, (we got) a good result," a delighted Husic told Flashscore.
"We are ready for the final, and we want to win this competition so badly."
Austria topped a challenging group containing Mali, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia, winning all three matches while scoring eight goals and conceding only once against the Junior All Whites.
They carried their momentum into the knockout rounds, where they dispatched Tunisia, England, and Japan to set up a clash with pre-tournament favourites Italy, who had remained unbeaten until the semi-final.
Husic expressed pride in his country’s historic run while talking up Moser’s impact and the team’s depth even in the absence of key defender Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who missed the semi-final due to a card suspension.
According to him, the squad’s collective strength has been crucial in driving them to their first-ever World Cup final.
"I am proud of myself and the whole group," he continued.
"It’s an exciting feeling, you know, and I am so proud of everyone, and I’m so happy. Moser has been incredible and has been so good in the group.
On Ndukwe’s absence, he added: "Yes (we missed him against Italy), but we have other players in the squad who can always step in case anyone gets injured.
"We always have someone who can step in at any given time. We beat Italy and Japan, and other teams, and I feel we can win the title."
Austria will now face Brazil-slaying Portugal in Thursday’s final at Khalifa Stadium, ensuring the tournament will crown a first-time champion.
Italy captain rues missed chances
On the other hand, Luca Reggiani attributed Italy’s defeat to their failure to convert begging opportunities.
Despite dominating possession with 67% and creating two big chances, the Azzurrini were punished for their wastefulness in front of goal.
The Borussia Dortmund wonderkid admitted the loss was difficult to accept and his team will now channel their energy into securing a positive result in the third-place match against Brazil.
"We didn’t expect this, but this is football, and anything can happen. We will try to keep pushing," Reggiani told Flashscore.
"We played a very good game, but missed some chances. But we are still happy with the way we played.
"We are still expected to play with our heads up because we know we are a good team, and so we will try to win the third-place game."
The Portugal versus Austria clash on Thursday marks only the third all-European final in the tournament’s history. England and Spain played the first in 2017, while Germany and France met in the second just two years ago in Indonesia.
