Austria have qualified for the last 16 of Euro 2024 as Group D winners after beating Netherlands 3-2 in a thriller at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on Tuesday evening.
Ralf Rangnick’s side were handed a tricky draw alongside the Oranje and France, but they have impressed many at this summer’s tournament and have accumulated six points from a possible nine to upset the apple cart and finish top of the pile.
Austria have finished one point ahead of runners-up France, who were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw with already-eliminated Poland, while the Netherlands – who were sitting at the summit heading into matchday three – were already guaranteed a place in the last 16, but they must now settle for one of the best third-placed spots.
Das Team were deserved winners against the Dutch courtesy of a hugely impressive all-round performance and they entered half time ahead thanks to an early own goal from Donyell Malen.
The Netherlands responded just 71 seconds after the break through Cody Gakpo, but Austria weathered an early second-half storm from the Oranje and regained the lead through Romano Schmid’s powerful header.
Memphis Depay thought that he had rescued a point for Koeman’s side with a superb volley, but Marcel Sabitzer had the last laugh for Austria, firing into the roof of the net from a tight angle 10 minutes from time to seal a memorable win – their first over the Dutch since May 1990.
Malen was one of three changes made to Koeman’s starting lineup, with Joey Veerman and Lutsharel Geertruida also brought into the side as Denzel Dumfries, Jeremie Frimpong and Xavi Simons made way.
Koeman was hoping that Malen, in particular, would make an impact at the right end of the pitch, but the Borussia Dortmund man was instead the unfortunate one to divert the ball into his own net in the sixth minute.
Netherlands struggled to get going in the early exchanges and were carved wide open down the left flank where Austria’s Alexander Prass had plenty of joy throughout the contest.
Prass was in acres of space when he curled a dangerous low delivery into the penalty box; Malen tracked back well to meet the cross but he could only inadvertently slide the ball past a hapless Bart Verbruggen into his own net – the Oranje’s first-ever own goal conceded at the European Championship.
Austria continued to pose a threat in the final third, while the Netherlands surprisingly looked lethargic and disjointed, and Koeman had seen enough 10 minutes before the break, replacing a furious Veerman with Simons.
