Dominant Austria earns win over Poland in Berlin
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Austria kept their UEFA Euro 2024 hopes alive with a deserved 3-1 win over Poland in Group D play from Berlin.
RB Leipzig's Christoph Baumgartner scored the winner midway through the second half, completing a fine team move.
With a second consecutive loss, Poland has been eliminated.
Austria started the match with a purpose after their Matchday 1 loss to France, knowing that a defeat on Friday would end their chances of advancing to the knockouts.
They were rewarded for their industry in the ninth. Sending everybody forward into the area in anticipation of a long Phillipp Mwene throw, the ball came to Gernot Trauner, who scored with a picture-perfect header.
Austria continued to dominate as the half progressed, but Poland managed to hit back with one of their only good chances of the first 45 minutes.
The Austria backline made a complete mess of a Poland move forward. Trauner dealt with the initial shot, but the ball continued to pinball around the box until it was fired home by Krzysztof Piatek to make it 1-1 in the 30th.
Austria would feel aggrieved not to lead at the half having enjoyed both the lion's share of possession and a number of fine chances.
With the second half starting to play out much like the first did, Poland tried to turn the tide with the introduction of their superstar, Robert Lewandowski in the 60th. The Barcelona striker had missed out on the Matchday 1 loss to the Netherlands with a thigh injury.
But it was Austria who would go back ahead with a terrific team goal.
Coming down the left, Alexander Prass used the run of Marko Arnautovic as a dummy to set up Baumgartner to tuck past Wojciech Szczesny in the 67th to complete a fantastic move up the field.
Any hope of a comeback for Poland would be snuffed out in the 78th. Marcel Sabitzer was played in alone on Szczesny after breaking through the Poland backline. The Juventus keeper came off of his line and clattered into the former Manchester United man and the referee pointed to the spot. Arnautovic stepped up to take and calmly slotted home for a 3-1 lead and send Poland crashing out of the Euro.
Group D wraps up play on Tuesday with Austria meeting the Netherlands and France taking on Poland.
France and the Oranje meet later on Friday for top spot in the group.