Austria earn first European Championship winon June 13, 2021 at 7:16 pm

- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -

Substitutes Marko Arnautovic and Michael Gregoritsch earn Austria their first ever victory at a European Championship against tournament debutants North Macedonia.

Gregoritsch met captain David Alaba’s sublime cross with 12 minutes remaining to end North Macedonia’s resistance, before Arnautovic put the result beyond doubt after rounding goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.

Veteran Macedonian striker Goran Pandev looked to have earned a memorable point for Euro 2020’s lowest-ranked side on his 120th appearance, 20 years on from his international debut.

The 37-year-old Genoa forward, part of Jose Mourinho’s treble-winning Inter Milan side of 2009-10, pounced on a defensive mix-up and slotted in to an open goal after 28 minutes to cancel out out Stefan Lainer’s strike.

Borussia Monchengladbach right-back Lainer had produced a fine finish to give an uninspiring Austria the lead 10 minutes earlier, leaping to volley in Marcel Sabitzer’s excellent pass.

Lainer held up a shirt reading “Eriksen stay strong” following his goal, after the Denmark midfielder collapsed in his side’s Euro 2020 match against Finland on Saturday.

With the Netherlands and Ukraine to come, both sides played with greater urgency in a fiery second half and Austria manager Franco Foda called on ex-West Ham forward Arnautovic and Gregoritsch to bolster the attack.

Dimitrievski was at full stretch to keep out Gregoritsch’s glanced header, before the Augsburg player made the breakthrough and Arnautovic – Austria’s top scorer in qualifying – grabbed his first international goal in two years.

The Macedonian supporters created a festival atmosphere – despite the rain at Romania’s National Arena – but despite a promising showing it was not to be in their first match at a major tournament in their 27-year history.

What’s next?

North Macedonia face Ukraine on Thursday at 14:00 BST and Austria meet the Netherlands on the same day at 20:00.

Austria

  1. Squad number9Player nameSabitzer

    Average rating

    7.22

  2. Squad number8Player nameAlaba

    Average rating

    7.15

  3. Squad number7Player nameArnautovic

    Average rating

    6.84

  4. Squad number21Player nameLainer

    Average rating

    6.77

  5. Squad number24Player nameLaimer

    Average rating

    6.52

  6. Squad number11Player nameGregoritsch

    Average rating

    6.35

  7. Squad number14Player nameBaumgartlinger

    Average rating

    6.21

  8. Squad number4Player nameHinteregger

    Average rating

    6.08

  9. Squad number3Player nameDragovic

    Average rating

    5.99

  10. Squad number13Player nameBachmann

    Average rating

    5.97

  11. Squad number23Player nameSchlager

    Average rating

    5.97

  12. Squad number6Player nameIlsanker

    Average rating

    5.85

  13. Squad number19Player nameBaumgartner

    Average rating

    5.83

  14. Squad number2Player nameUlmer

    Average rating

    5.80

  15. Squad number15Player nameLienhart

    Average rating

    5.64

  16. Squad number25Player nameKalajdzic

    Average rating

    5.56

North Macedonia

  1. Squad number8Player nameAlioski

    Average rating

    8.47

  2. Squad number10Player namePandev

    Average rating

    8.13

  3. Squad number1Player nameDimitrievski

    Average rating

    7.40

  4. Squad number21Player nameElmas

    Average rating

    7.36

  5. Squad number17Player nameBardhi

    Average rating

    7.27

  6. Squad number9Player nameTrajkovski

    Average rating

    7.26

  7. Squad number13Player nameRistovski

    Average rating

    7.24

  8. Squad number16Player nameNikolov

    Average rating

    7.11

  9. Squad number6Player nameMusliu

    Average rating

    7.10

  10. Squad number14Player nameVelkovski

    Average rating

    7.09

  11. Squad number5Player nameAdemi

    Average rating

    7.05

  12. Squad number2Player nameBejtulai

    Average rating

    6.89

  13. Squad number15Player nameKostadinov

    Average rating

    6.83

  14. Squad number7Player nameTrichkovski

    Average rating

    6.72

  15. Squad number26Player nameRistovski

    Average rating

    6.25

Line-ups

Austria

Formation 3-1-4-2

  • 13Bachmann
  • 3DragovicSubstituted forLienhartat 45’minutes
  • 8Alaba
  • 4Hinteregger
  • 23SchlagerSubstituted forIlsankerat 90+4’minutes
  • 21LainerBooked at 85mins
  • 24LaimerSubstituted forBaumgartlingerat 90+3’minutes
  • 9Sabitzer
  • 2Ulmer
  • 25KalajdzicSubstituted forArnautovicat 59’minutes
  • 19BaumgartnerSubstituted forGregoritschat 58’minutes

Substitutes

  • 1Schlager
  • 6Ilsanker
  • 7Arnautovic
  • 10Grillitsch
  • 11Gregoritsch
  • 12Pervan
  • 14Baumgartlinger
  • 15Lienhart
  • 16Trimmel
  • 17Schaub
  • 18Schöpf
  • 22Lazaro

North Macedonia

Formation 5-3-2

  • 1Dimitrievski
  • 16NikolovSubstituted forBejtulaiat 63’minutes
  • 13Ristovski
  • 14Velkovski
  • 6MusliuSubstituted forRistovskiat 86’minutes
  • 8AlioskiBooked at 52mins
  • 17BardhiSubstituted forTrichkovskiat 82’minutes
  • 5Ademi
  • 21Elmas
  • 10Pandev
  • 9TrajkovskiBooked at 42minsSubstituted forKostadinovat 63’minutes

Substitutes

  • 2Bejtulai
  • 4Ristevski
  • 7Trichkovski
  • 11Hasani
  • 12Jankov
  • 15Kostadinov
  • 19Velkoski
  • 20Spirovski
  • 22Siskovski
  • 24Avramovski
  • 25Churlinov
  • 26Ristovski
Referee:
Andreas Ekberg
Attendance:
9,082

Live Text

Post update

Match ends, Austria 3, North Macedonia 1.

Full Time

- Advertisement -

Discover

Sponsor

Latest

Everything we know about the search for the Clapham attackeron February 2, 2024 at 4:42 am

Police have warned Abdul Shokoor Ezedi should not be approached as the search for him continues.This video can not be playedTo play this video...

Student loan interest rate capped at 6.3%on August 10, 2022 at 7:45 am

The new cap applies to England and Wales, but analysts say it won't help students with rising costs.Image source, Getty ImagesThe interest rate on...

British Airways to cut 10,000 Heathrow flightson August 22, 2022 at 3:31 pm

The cancellations are aimed at minimising disruption to flights over the winter.Image source, Getty ImagesBritish Airways will cut roughly 10,000 short-haul flights to and...

Kardashian fined over crypto ‘pump and dump’on October 3, 2022 at 1:27 pm

Kim Kardashian agrees to pay $1.26m after regulators charge her in EthereumMax case.Kim Kardashian agrees to pay $1.26m after regulators charge her in EthereumMax...

US winter storm death toll rises as bad weather drags onon December 28, 2022 at 5:17 pm

Clean-up is underway in Erie County, which was one of the hardest hit regions in the US.Image source, Getty ImagesBy Madeline HalpertBBC News, New...