Austria drop in FIFA ranking
Austria suffered four places in the FIFA world ranking released today (Weds).The team, which has been coached by former Mainz 05 manager Dietmar Constantini for around one year, fell from 64th to 68th place.Brazil lead the ranking ahead of Euro2008 winners Spain who will arrive in the western Austrian province of Vorarlberg for a training camp at the weekend and Portugal.Holland is in fourth, with 2006 world champions Italy in fifth while North Korea is the worst-placed World Cup nation in 105th.Austria failed to qualify for this summers event. The team suffered a bitter 0-1 home defeat against Croatia in Klagenfurt last Wednesday. It was the fifth loss against the star-studded side in as many matches.Austria, who beat World Cup starters Denmark 2-1 in Vienna in March, are set to meet Euro2008 co-hosts Switzerland in a friendly on 11 August.Euro2012 qualification action starts on 7 September when Austria clash with Kazakhstan. Germany, Belgium and Turkey are other group stage opponents for the team captained by Red Bull Salzburg striker Marc Janko.