When is it? How can you watch it? What are the possible line-ups?
Poland and Austria meet in their Second Group D match at UEFA EURO 2024.
Poland and Austria at a glance
When: Saturday 22 June (00:00 GMT+8 kick-off)
Where: Olympiastadion, Berlin
What: UEFA EURO 2024 Group D Matchday 2
What do you need to know?
Some friendships may be put on hold in Berlin when these sides scrap for their first points in a challenging Group D. Poland’s Przemysław Frankowski and Austria’s Kevin Danso are team-mates at Lens, while Polish goalkeeper Łukasz Skorupski and Austria defender Stefan Posch helped Bologna earn a 2024/25 UEFA Champions League place this past season. However, none can afford to go easy on their club-mates.
Poland will hope to call on talismanic forward Robert Lewandowski, their captain and all-time top scorer having missed the 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands through injury. An own goal cost Austria in the 1-0 loss to France, but Ralf Rangnick can take solace in the fact that his team didn’t merely keep the goal-count down, but came close to achieving parity with one of the sides regarded as tournament favourites.
Possible line-ups
Poland: Szczęsny; Bednarek, Dawidowicz, Kiwior; Frankowski, Moder, Romanczuk, Zieliński, Zalewski; Urbański; Lewandowski
Austria: Pentz; Posch, Danso, Wöber, Mwene; Seiwald, Laimer; Wimmer, Sabitzer, Baumgartner; Gregoritsch
Form guide
Poland:
Form (all competitions, most recent first): LWWDWW
Austria:
Form (all competitions, most recent first): LDWWWW
Expert predictions
Piotr Koźmiński, Poland reporter
Although Poland did not get any points from the Netherlands game, they were praised by their fans for playing good courageous football. It gave the players confidence and they have stressed that the team will continue this way. On the other hand, they are aware that it is now or never. Considering the difficulty of their Matchday 3 game against France, Poland will aim for all three points in Berlin. Lewandowski’s possible return should also boost hopes in the Polish camp.
James Thorogood, Austria reporter
Talking to Austria fans before the tournament, the oft-quoted route to a second successive knockout berth was “beat Poland and take something off either France or the Netherlands”. While Rangnick’s charges were disappointed not to snatch a share of the spoils against tournament favourites France, their opening fixture was never going to define their group campaign. However, Friday’s encounter will, and the France result only magnifies the fact that this is a must-win game.
What the coaches say
Michał Probierz, Poland coach: “We don’t give up. I think we can get stronger and stronger during this tournament. The Netherlands game had different moments – good ones for us when we kept the ball and moved smartly, and more difficult ones when we lost it too easily which caused danger in front of our goal. What I liked was that we played aggressively, pressing the Dutch high and trying to recover the ball quickly. We didn’t get any points but we keep our heads high. The aim is to win our two remaining games.”
Ralf Rangnick, Austria coach: “The meaning of the game is clear. It has the character of a knockoutmatch. Both teams have a good chance to go through with a win, a draw doesn’t really help either of us. How it will ultimately play out is up to how we perform, and that’s what we’re focused on.I have some good memories [of the Olympiastadion], mostly thanks to some big wins against Hertha. If this place is packed out, it’s an amazing stadium that can create a special atmosphere. The pitch is in fantastic condition. The weather is meant to be good. Everything’s set up for a great game of football.”