Austria beat the Netherlands 3-2 to finish top of UEFA EURO 2024 Group D.
Marcel Sabitzer celebrates his decisive goal for Austria
Austria edged the Netherlands in a five-goal thriller in Berlin to finish top of UEFA EURO 2024 Group D – but the Oranje also head through to the round of 16.
Key moments
6’: Malen turns into his own net
47′: Gakpo bends in fine equaliser
59′: Schmid heads 900th EURO goal
75′: Depay draws Dutch level again
80′: Sabitzer blasts past Verbruggen
Match in brief: Austria edge five-goal thriller
Ralf Rangnick has called for intensity but I’m not sure any of us could have bargained for this. His Austria team’s first goal may have had more than a whiff of fortune – Donyell Malen inadvertently turning Alexander Prass’s firm cross-shot into his own net – but their opening salvo merited reward. It was just the start of the roller coaster.
The Dutch had completed only two passes by the time they fell behind. They found some fluidity for a period thereafter, Tijjani Reijnders and Malen both miscuing presentable opportunities, but Ronald Koeman’s decision to withdraw Joey Veerman for Xavi Simons after just 35 minutes was indicative of their struggle to gain control.
Things nearly got worse before they got better, however, Bart Verbruggen parrying Marcel Sabitzer’s shot one minute before thwarting Marko Arnautović the next.
Even after all that, the Oranje were so nearly level through Memphis Depay’s header moments before half-time.
The Netherlands did then get their equaliser two minutes into the second period, Simons marauding forward before playing in Gakpo who picked out the far corner with aplomb.
Austria were not to be cowed. Storm tossed, they were back in front before the hour when Romano Schmid met Florian Grillitsch’s cross with a firm header. EURO tournament goal No900.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Wout Weghorst clambered off the bench on 72 minutes and on 75 the Dutch were level, his knock-down picking out Depay who controlled with one touch and finished with the next. The goal was awarded following a VAR check for handball.
Rangnick’s team appeared affronted to have been hauled back once more. They dusted themselves down and took the lead for the third time, Sabitzer blasting past Verbruggen following Christoph Baumgartner’s neat pass. It was to be third time lucky, even if Weghorst did so nearly head the Dutch level yet again.
Vivo Player of the Match: Marcel Sabitzer (Austria)
Midfielder Sabitzer was active across all phases of the game throughout the match. He was a threat when in possession, receiving in between the lines as well as challenging the opposition back line with his movement in behind. He worked hard defensively and make a difference in the end with the winning goal.
Derek Brookman, Netherlands reporter
The Dutch will evidently be hurting from the defeat, but you have to give full credit to Austria. Twice the Dutch came back into the match, and on both occasions Rangnick’s men roared ahead again. The performance will provide Koeman with more questions than answers, not least because his much-lauded defence was breached three times, and his midfield failed to impose itself.
James Thorogood, Austria reporter
Drawn in arguably the toughest group possible, Austria have not only stunned the tournament to finish top, but they’ve done so in style to win fans and plaudits along the way. With a desire to play attractive, attacking football, Rangnick has fashioned a team that fear no one and are living up to their status as dark horses. They now have an incredible shot at going deep at EURO 2024.
Key stats
- Austria have reached a second successive EURO knockout stage having never done so prior to EURO 2020.
- Schmid’s goal was the 900th in EURO final tournament history; Michael Gregoritsch, a substitute in this game, scored the 700th at UEFA EURO 2020.
- Austria’s opening goal was their fastest-ever at a EURO, beating Gernot Trauner’s ninth-minute effort against Poland on Matchday 2.
- Austria’s last victory against the Netherlands came in a Vienna friendly on 30 May 1990.
- Leopold Querfeld (20 years, 353 days) became Austria’s youngest-ever player to appear at a EURO.
Starting line-ups
Netherlands: Verbruggen; Geertruida, De Vrij, Van Dijk, Aké (Van de Ven 65); Reijnders (Wijnaldum 65), Schouten, Veerman (Xavi Simons 35); Malen (Weghorst 72), Depay, Gakpo
Austria: Pentz; Posch, Wöber, Lienhart (Querfeld 62), Prass; Seiwald, Grillitsch (Laimer 62); Wimmer (Baumgartner 62), Sabitzer, Schmid (Weimann 90+2); Arnautović (Gregoritsch 78)