Austria dominate group of death to reshape the draw

If this was supposed to be the group of death, no one told Austria. Ralf Rangnick’s endearing underdogs have reshaped the draw, and perhaps the destiny, of Euro 2024 by topping it.

- RICHARD JOLLY

They beat the Netherlands. More than that, though, they blitzed them; fearless and ferocious, Austria recovered from conceding two equalisers to condemn the Dutch to defeat courtesy of Marcel Sabitzer’s terrific finish.

They head to Leipzig as group winners. The Netherlands, their qualification already assured, nonetheless stumbled from first to third on an eventful afternoon. It is Gelsenkirchen for them. If Rangnick’s men still needed France to slip up to leapfrog them, and they did, theirs is a historic feat. Not since the 1978 World Cup, when Hans Krankl’s goals ensured they finished above Brazil, have Austria won a group in tournament football.

Now players such as the superb Sabitzer and the unheralded Romano Schmid have a similar feat to their name. Rangnick has another triumph for his blueprint: all-action football has been allied with the ability to respond to setbacks. Austria were pegged back by Poland having led and recovered to beat them. Every time the Netherlands scored, they summoned a response.

It was Rangnick’s beloved 4-2-2-2 against the typically Dutch 43-3. The gegenpressing school of thought prevailed. Austria knocked the Dutch out of their rhythm. Amid the mayhem their frantic football engendered, they prospered.