Poland v Austria LIVE: Result and reaction as Marko Arnautovic scores penalty to seal key victory
Poland 1-3 Austria: Robert Lewandowski returned from the bench but his side’s hopes of reaching the last-16 suffered a major blow with defeat
Austria secured a 3-1 victory over Poland in their Euro 2024 Group D match to renew hopes of a top-two finish and a spot in the knockout stage while leaving their opponents in last place with no points and only a slim chance of advancing.
In a furious start, the Austrians, now on three points from two matches - as many as France and Netherlands who meet later on Friday - applied early pressure and it paid off in the ninth minute with Gernot Trauner’s powerful header at the near post.
Poland, who have now lost both of their matches, levelled through Krzysztof Piatek’s his second attempt in the box after his first effort was blocked on the half-hour mark.
Fit-again Poland striker Robert Lewandowski came on in the 60th minute but it was Austria who scored twice more, first with a flowing move and Christoph Baumgartner finish just inside the box in the 66th and a Marco Arnautovic penalty 12 minutes later.
Follow all the reaction to Poland v Austria below, and catch the latest updates from France vs Netherlands in Group D here
Slovakia 0-0 Ukraine
8 minutes: Slovakia have a cross, Haraslin puts the ball into the box, but there are no players in blue there and Trubin is able to gather.
Slovakia 0-0 Ukraine
6 minutes: Ukraine cannot get the ball under control in the Slovakia box, and Dovbyk is pulled up for a foul.
Slovakia 0-0 Ukraine
3 minutes: There has been a fair amount of wayward passing so no chances or real passages of play from either side so far.
Slovakia vs Ukraine
The players are just coming out of the tunnel onto the pitch in Dusseldorf.
Slovakia v Ukraine line-ups
Here’s a reminder of today’s starting XIs. Plenty of familiar names from the Premier League lining up for both sides with the likes of Illia Zabarnyi, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Mykhailo Mudryk and Martin Dubravka in action.
The biggest team news is probably Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin being dropped for Anatoliy Trubin.
Ukraine XI: Trubin; Tymchyk, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Zinchenko; Shaparenko, Brazhko; Yarmolenko, Sudakov, Mudryk; Dovbyk
Slovakia XI: Dúbravka, Pekarík, Vavro, Škriniar, Hancko, Kucka, Lobotka, Duda, Schranz, Boženík, Haraslin
Radu Dragusin, Romania’s defensive pillar at Euro 2024 - who Tottenham fans haven’t seen yet
Unbeaten in qualifying, perhaps there shouldn’t be quite so much surprise over Romania’s thumping victory over Ukraine.
The Tricolorii scored both well-worked and thunderously-hit strikes, claimed a 3-0 win in Group E and got themselves off to a magnificent start at Euro 2024, already a huge step towards the knockouts taken - something they’ve not managed since Euro 2000.
And yet for all the explosive nature of both goals and celebrations, Romania’s biggest strength in qualifying was one they showed again here in less obvious terms: their defensive resolve and organisation.
Edward Iordanescu’s side conceded just five times in ten matches during qualifying, and while none were against the absolute elite of European football, it’s still a record to be proud of and a base to build from.
Radu Dragusin, Romania’s defensive pillar - who Tottenham fans haven’t seen yet
The giant centre-back has hardly been seen at Spurs but played a big part in a Romania clean sheet
Euro 2024: Slovakia v Ukraine starting line-ups
Slovakia XI: Dúbravka, Pekarík, Vavro, Škriniar, Hancko, Kucka, Lobotka, Duda, Schranz, Boženík, Haraslin
Euro 2024: Slovakia v Ukraine starting line-ups
Ukraine make three changes: out come Tsyhankov, Lunin and Konoplya.
Trubin, Tymchyk and Yarmolenko all start with a big reaction needed after their thrashing to Romania.
Ukraine XI: Trubin; Tymchyk, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Zinchenko; Shaparenko, Brazhko; Yarmolenko, Sudakov, Mudryk; Dovbyk
🗒️ Starting XI pic.twitter.com/nhJyJZ2RBv
— Ukrainian Association of Football (@uafukraine) June 21, 2024
Why Ralf Rangnick’s Austria should still be your dark horses at Euro 2024
The Godfather of Gegenpressing, of all people, was made an offer he surely couldn’t refuse. And yet somehow, some way, he did.
As the European Championship approached, so did Bayern Munich, but Ralf Rangnick held firm. It is a quirk of Rangnick’s career, that Germany’s most influential coach has never worked with the nation’s preeminent football club. Instead, the highest-profile periods of the 65-year-old’s career have been spells at Schalke, Leipzig, Stuttgart, Hoffenheim, Hannover, and – more recently – Manchester United.
During his time as interim coach of United, the German accepted the Austria job and reneged on his decision to remain at the Premier League club in an advisory capacity. His arrival in England had stirred excitement in football purists, or nerds, yet his time there did not bring the desired results.
Why Ralf Rangnick’s Austria should still be your dark horses at Euro 2024
Austria 0-1 France: Rangnick’s team came up short in their Euro 2024 opener, but the Godfather of Gegenpressing has impressed since a difficult spell at Manchester United to transform Das Team
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