Austria edge Poland in Euro 2024 thriller

Rangnick's substitutions make the difference as Lewandowski returns to the starting lineup

Poland were left to rue missed opportunities as Austria came from behind to claim a hard-fought 2-1 victory in their Euro 2024 Group B clash on Saturday.

The scores were level at half-time but Austria manager Ralf Rangnicks clever substitutions turned the game on its head. Marcel Sabitzer and Marko Arnautovic came off the bench to score the goals that gave Austria their first win of the tournament.

Poland had taken the lead through Robert Lewandowski in the first half, but they were unable to hold on as Austria grew into the game. The defeat leaves Poland with just one point from their two games, while Austria move up to four points and are now in a strong position to qualify for the knockout stages.

Poland captain Robert Lewandowski started the game after recovering from a knock, but he was unable to add to his tally of 76 international goals. The Bayern Munich striker had a quiet game by his standards, but he did have a few chances to score.

Austria were the better team in the second half and they deserved their victory. They created a number of chances and they were clinical in front of goal. Sabitzer's goal was a stunning strike from outside the box, while Arnautovic's goal was a well-taken header.

Poland will be disappointed with their performance, but they can still qualify for the knockout stages if they beat Ukraine in their final group game. Austria, meanwhile, are now in a strong position to reach the last 16.