Ahead of France !
Beats Netherlands.
In a match that defied imagination and showed the raw fearlessness and a good game-plan from the Red-White-Red boys, Austria ran out winners 2-1, in a face-off with Netherlands, who had come off their previous outing roaring and raring to go !!!
In the end, it was Salzburger-boy Sabitzer, son of former Austria international Herfried Sabitzer playing his 70th game & 3rd Euro for his country, scored a blinder from an angle that was almost impossible. His term in Dortmund has held him in good stead, although he wasn’t too visible in the previous 2 games.
Netherlands played a good game, missed many chances and looked out of sorts against a determined Austria team. Memphis put in a simple, sweet chance nicely. Gakpo came in smartly from the left and unleashed a pile-driver that found the top-right corner of the net, quite brilliant !! Netherlands scored 2 other goals, unfortunately self-goals of sorts !!! Which meant that Austria scored one goal to win by the odd goal in five !!! That’s the way the cookie crumbles. Netherlands have been eternal chokers an showed us exactly why today !!
Ragnick, a neighbour of Löw, at Baden-Wüttenburg, might possibly benefit from the Deutsce Mannschaft maestro coach ???!!!!
Whatever it might be, when I saw the Austrian boys put one over the mighty cousins Germany in the friendlies some months ago, I marked them out as a team on the rise. And they rose to the top of their tough group in fine style, despite their first-game loss to France. Austria play as a team, nothing flamboyant, nothing slick, but a solid togetherness and an element of bold fearlessness, never mind the status of their opponents. They play genuinely good football – passes that go to heel, speed and skill, and quality finishing.
Ralph shows grit and sharpness to bring his boys back from bad positions and situations, and motivate them in his quiet, simple manner.
Whatever happens in subsequent games, Austria has stamped itself on the European football map and is no longer the minnows they were earlier. In my mind, they can only go from force to greater force in the coming years.
For now, let it suffice to say ‘Hurrah Austria’ – they did all of Austria proud and wish the boys well.
Mitaroy Sport N' Style 