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Group D’s bottom sides are set to clash on Friday in a pivotal encounter at Berlin’s Olympiastadion, and our European football expert, Daniele Fisichella, has prepared Poland vs Austria prediction, team news, lineups and Euro 2024 preview.
Both teams have started their Euro 2024 campaign with a narrow defeat and know that only a positive result could significantly boost their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages.
Euro 2024, Friday, June 21st, 17:00 (UK)
In their opening fixtures, Poland and Austria faced strong opposition in the form of the Netherlands and France respectively.
Despite the Poles missing their talisman, Robert Lewandowski, they put in a spirited display against the Dutch, taking the lead through Adam Buksa before ultimately succumbing to a 2-1 defeat. Bart Verbruggen’s heroics in goal for the Netherlands thwarted several Polish opportunities, underlining the challenge Austria’s defence may face if Lewandowski returns.
Austria, meanwhile, endured a narrow 1-0 loss to France, with an unfortunate own goal from Maximilian Wober deciding the game.
Ralf Rangnick’s side showcased resilience against the tournament favourites, pressing energetically and limiting France’s scoring opportunities despite their star-studded attack. Their ability to disrupt and press high, as seen in their game against France, could prove crucial against Poland’s dynamic attacking threats.
Historically, Poland holds a significant edge over Austria, having not lost to them in the last 20 years. The psychological advantage combined with Poland’s strong support base in Berlin could tip the scales in their favor.
On the other hand, Austria has demonstrated, during the qualifying stage, that they’re hard to beat, suffering just one defeat as they secured second place behind Belgium in Group F.
The Austrian squad, dominated by Bundesliga talent, has struggled historically in major tournaments, but reaching the knockout stage as one of the best third-placed teams is still feasible.
Both teams are acutely aware of the stakes at play, with Group D finely poised after the first round of fixtures.
Poland’s resilience without Lewandowski and Austria’s defensive solidity against France suggest that this encounter promises to be a keenly contested affair.
A win for either side would not only breathe life into their Euro 2024 campaign but also set the tone for their remaining group matches.
In recent years Poland have underperformed but coach Michał Probierz steadied the ship in qualifying, guiding them through eight unbeaten games since taking over in September 2023.
Probierz, buoyed by their positive offensive display against the Netherlands, will likely emphasize maintaining defensive discipline while exploiting Austria’s vulnerabilities on the flanks.
For Austria, the return of key players like Marko Arnautovic could bolster their attacking options, while goalkeeper Patrick Pentz will look to build on his assured performance against France.
The midfield battle, highlighted by Marcel Sabitzer’s creativity and Christoph Baumgartner’s goal-scoring threat, will be pivotal in determining Austria’s chances of securing a vital victory.
With their tournament aspirations hanging in the balance, expect an enthralling battle between two determined sides eager to advance to the Last 16.
Despite missing Lewandowski in their debut against the Netherlands, Poland showed resilience and managed to score against a tough opponent.
If Lewandowski returns, Poland’s attacking threat will be significantly enhanced, making them strong contenders for at least a draw, if not a win.
The Poles conceded 21 shots against the Netherlands but only allowed two goals, indicating their ability to defend in numbers and limit clear-cut chances.
Austria, meanwhile, held France to just one goal through an own goal. With both teams prioritizing defensive solidity and potentially cautious approaches to avoid defeat, a low-scoring game seems likely.
Poland vs Austria Prediction odds via bet365 as at 12:10, June 18th, 2024. Odds may now differ.
Poland is pinning hopes on Robert Lewandowski’s recovery after his absence in their loss to the Netherlands.
In his place, Kacper Urbanski partnered Adam Buksa upfront, with the former likely to make way if Lewandowski returns. At the back, Bartosz Salamon might be replaced by Verona’s Pawel Dawidowicz in a central defensive role, while Romanczuk, Moder and Piotr Zieliński forming the midfield trio.
Patrick Pentz will be confirmed in goal for Austria, with no surprises in their lineup except Marko Arnautovic moving to the bench as Ralf Rangnick opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation. Marcel Sabitzer and Konrad Laimer will play in midfield, with Nicolas Seiwald and Florian Grillitsch deployed further up the pitch to support Gregoritsch.
Poland possible starting lineup:
Szczęsny; Bednarek, Dawidowicz, Kiwior; Frankowski, Moder, Romanczuk, Zieliński, Zalewski; Urbański; Lewandowski.
Austria possible starting lineup:
Pentz; Posch, Danso, Wöber, Mwene; Seiwald, Laimer; Wimmer, Sabitzer, Baumgartner; Gregoritsch.
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