Austria Stuns Netherlands in 3-2 Thriller to Top Group D

At the beginning of the competition, the Netherlands were tipped to finish in the top two of Group D, which includes France, Austria, and Poland. They held France to a goalless draw (0-0) and secured a 2-1 victory over Poland, leading Ronald Koeman’s squad to believe this would suffice for the second spot. 

However, yesterday’s match descended into chaos as Austria’s tactics outfoxed Oranje, culminating in a 3-2 triumph for Ralf Rangnick’s side.

France was expected to win against Poland, but a last-minute equalizer threw a spanner in the works, and France did not find the cracks in Poland’s nets. Therefore, Group D concludes with a surprising leader – Austria.

Own Goal Strikes Again

If the Netherlands aimed for victory, it seemed as if the Footballing Gods had other plans. Within the first ten minutes, Donyell Malen had the misfortune of scoring an own goal, gifting Lord Own Goal yet another tally to his tournament-leading count. 

This is not the first time Austria opened the score in the first quarter of the game, and this is one of the reasons why Ralf Rangnick’s team is first in the group. 

They relentlessly press, causing their opponents to panic, and the goals almost seem to create themselves. Dark horses often have a standout goal scorer, and for Austria,  it wasn’t initially clear who would fill that role. In Christian Baumgartner, Rangnick discovered his creative spirit. 

Rangnick’s Pressing Philosophy

Avid followers of Ralf Rangnick are not surprised by the team’s performance, as it is characteristic of his philosophy honed at RB Leipzig. This city is also where Austria will battle their next opponent, which will be the second from Group F, presumably either Czechia or Turkey. 

Rangnick made a name for himself in German football, with his teams using pressing as a major chance-creation mechanism. His approach involves pushing high with an intense brand of football until the opponent cracks under pressure. Once the goal is there, the focus shifts to defending the spaces. This strategy thrived in Germany, where the pressing philosophy was in vogue. 

Although his spell at Manchester United tarnished his reputation with Austria, Rangnick’s philosophy has worked wonders. Despite a 1-0 loss to France, attributed to an own goal, their overall results have been quite positive. 

Where Koeman Went Wrong

Playing without a solid midfield is the last mistake any manager should make, and the repercussions are tenfold against Rangnick’s Austria. This is a team that, regardless of the opponent, looks to overcrowd central areas until it seizes the opportunity to counterattack. 

Austria boasts one of the best counter-attacking teams in the tournament and one of the highest-scoring teams, especially following their 3-2 victory over the Netherlands. Most teams would not rotate in such a high-importance match. Still, Ralf Rangnick decided to bench Baumgartner, bringing him on as a substitute later in the game. This strategic move allowed Marcel Sabitzer to lead the team creatively, proving to be an excellent decision by Rangnick.

Koeman’s biggest setback was the absence of Frenkie de Jong, Marten de Roon and Teun Koopmeiners, all sidelined by injuries.

This left the Dutch manager with limited options, fielding Jerdy Schouten, Tijjani Reijnders, and Joey Veerman. 

To be honest, the Netherland’s performance was hard to decipher. Several times, the Austrians breached Koeman’s defensive block with ease, leaving questions about what the Dutch game plan truly was.

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When The Game Descended Into Chaos

In a post-match interview, Ronald Koeman admitted that his side “did not control the match.” Oranje thought they had levelled the game when left-winger Cody Gakpo worked his magic and scored at the beginning of the second half. 

However, the ecstasy led to a lapse in the Dutch defense, allowing Austria to score again just ten minutes later.

The highly-criticized Depay, particularly after the last game against France, also found himself on the scoresheet. 

Once again, Oranje believed they could hold off the Austrians with only fifteen minutes remaining. But within five minutes, Sabitzer was joined by Baumgartner, and the latter scored the final goal of the encounter.

 It’s rare to see such thrillers nowadays, but the Dutch camp’s lack of clarity met its match against Austria’s incisive pressing philosophy.

Sabitzer was undoubtedly one of the stars of the team. He consistently ran and connected with his teammates, while the Netherlands were grateful for Xavi Simons’ introduction. Despite this, the team lacked a solid defensive base, paying the price for their instability at the back while the forwards struggled to deliver.

The Netherlands did match the intensity in the final quarter of the game, but it was too late. Austria had already thrown the game into chaos, resulting in a victory for Rangnick’s side.

Ralf Rangnick described the performance as ‘energetic’ and now hopes to see his team become the potential dark horses of the tournament as they avoid the bracket that includes France, Germany, Spain and Portugal. 

The Aftermath for the Netherlands

On the other side of the pitch, the Dutch are almost certain to qualify but remain unsure of their next opponent. They will, however, face one of the group winners, which promises to be a tough challenge. 

With the group stages now concluded, the Netherlands still appears relatively clueless about their team’s core identity. In theory, Memphis Depay was supposed to be the star player, but despite his goal, his performance was rather muted, mirroring his displays in previous matches.

Competing in a tournament without a functioning midfield is difficult, and it becomes even more problematic when Wout Weghorst, a striker who isn’t even a regular starter, becomes the most reliable route to goal for the Dutch national team.

How much longer Koeman can persist with tactics that leave fans questioning the game plan is a question many are reluctant to ask. The sharp decline in the Dutch camp is evident – there’s no hiding it.