This Friday, the Austrian team achieved its first victory in the German Euro 2024 by beating Poland (1-3) on the second day of Group D, a result that allows it to remain in the fight to qualify for the playoffs and that complicates the situation for Barcelona’s team Robert Lewandowski, who started from the bench.
The Austrians, who started the tournament with a narrow defeat against France, managed to take the lead very early thanks to a header from Gernot Trauner, but Poland – who lost in their debut against the Netherlands – neutralized the goal in a confusing play resolved by Krzysztof Piatek. Already in the second half, Christoph Baumgartner and Marko Arnautovic, with a penalty, tied the victory for Ralf Rangnick’s team.
A long shot from Stefan Posch into the hands of Wojciech Szczesny opened the festival of occasions at the Berlin Olympic Stadium, which took very little time to celebrate the first goal of the afternoon. In the 9th minute, Phillipp Mwene’s throw-in into the area was cleared by the Polish defense; The Mainz defender himself collected the rebound and reached the end line to put in a cross that Trauner headed into the back of the net at the near post.
They were the best minutes of a Central European offensive team, although Michal Probierz’s men did not succumb to the blow and searched for the rival area. Nicola Zalewski, in the 18th minute, tried his luck with a shot looking for the top corner that went over the Austrian goal, and, just after half an hour of play, the tie came.
It all started with a corner kick in which Poland did not give up on the second play. In a confusing action, the Austrian defense repelled a first shot by Jan Bednarek at the penalty spot, but could do nothing against an attentive Krzysztof Piatek, who adjusted his second shot to the post to make it 1-1.
Ralf Rangnick’s men responded with a double chance from Marcel Sabitzer, whose first attempt was blocked by Bednarek and who three minutes later touched the post after trying from the edge of the area. The reply, already in extra time, was offered by Piotr Zielinski, who forced Pentz to take a saving hand to prevent the comeback.
After the break, Austria reinforced its offensive commitment by bringing on winger Patrick Wimmer, who in the 50th minute placed a cross that reached Posch and that Szczesny managed to stop. But it was another newcomer to the field, Alexander Prass, who allowed Rangnick’s team to take the lead again.
In the 67th minute, in a play on the left wing, the Sturm Graz midfielder assisted Christoph Baumgartner, who from the front adjusted the ball to the long post and beat the Polish goalkeeper. The goal finally sank Poland, already mortally wounded after Szczesny, who minutes before had a good hand on Wimmer’s shot, knocked down Sabitzer inside the area.
From the penalty spot, Marko Arnautovic did not fail and condemned Michal Probierz’s men, who were still able to fit in an action by Posch that was repelled by the Polish goalkeeper and in a cross shot by Laimer that licked the post. In this way, Austria, which will close the group against the Netherlands, is equal on three points with France and the Dutch, while Poland still has no points.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: POLAND, 1 – AUSTRIA, 3 (1-1, at halftime).
–ALIGNMENTS.
POLONIA: Szczesny; Frankowski, Bednarek, Dawidowicz, Kiwior, Zalewski; Slisz (Grosicki, min.75), Piotrowski (Moder, min.46), Zielinski (Urbanski, min.87); Buksa (Lewandowski, min.60) and Piatek (Swiderski, min.60).
AUSTRIA: Pentz; Posch, Lienhart, Trauner (Danso, min.59), Mwene (Prass, min.63); Seiwald, Grillitsch (Wimmer, min.46); Laimer, Baumgartner (Schmid, min.81), Sabitzer; y Arnautovic (Gregoritsch, min.81).
–GOALS:
0-1, min.9: Trauner.
1-1, min.30: Piatek.
1-2, min.67: Baumgartner.
1-3, min. 78: Arnautovic, penalty kick.
–REFEREE: Umut Meler (TUR). He cautioned Slisz (min.53), Moder (min.62), Lewandowski (min.64) and Szczesny (min.77) for Poland and Wimmer (min.56) and Arnautovic (min.70) by Austria.
–STADIUM: Berlin Olympic.