Poland’s national football team suffered a significant setback in their Euro 2024 campaign, losing 1-3 to Austria in their second group match in Berlin. Despite the introduction of star striker Robert Lewandowski in the second half, the Polish team could not turn the tide. This defeat leaves Poland’s chances of advancing to the round of 16 in jeopardy, with the team now requiring a miracle to progress.
Pre-Match Stakes
Both Poland and Austria entered this match under pressure, having lost their opening fixtures. Poland was narrowly defeated by the Netherlands (1-2), while Austria fell to France (0-1). The importance of this match was clear, with both teams needing a victory to keep their tournament hopes alive.
Match Highlights
- 9′ (0-1): Austria took an early lead when Phillipp Mwene outmaneuvered Przemysław Frankowski and delivered a perfect cross to Gernot Trauner, who headed past Wojciech Szczęsny.
- 30′ (1-1): Poland equalized amidst chaos in Austria’s penalty area. Jan Bednarek’s initial attempt was blocked, but Krzysztof Piątek seized the rebound and scored.
- 67′ (1-2): Christoph Baumgartner exploited space outside Poland’s penalty box, driving in and finishing confidently to restore Austria’s lead.
- 77′ (1-3): Austria sealed the win with a swift counterattack. Paweł Dawidowicz’s error led to Marcel Sabitzer being fouled by Wojciech Szczęsny, and Marko Arnautović converted the resulting penalty.
With this loss, Poland’s path to the knockout stages is fraught with difficulty, requiring an extraordinary turnaround in their remaining group matches.
