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
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Squad number9Player nameSabitzer
Average rating7.22
-
Squad number8Player nameAlaba
Average rating7.15
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Squad number7Player nameArnautovic
Average rating6.84
-
Squad number21Player nameLainer
Average rating6.77
-
Squad number24Player nameLaimer
Average rating6.52
-
Squad number11Player nameGregoritsch
Average rating6.35
-
Squad number14Player nameBaumgartlinger
Average rating6.21
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Squad number4Player nameHinteregger
Average rating6.08
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Squad number3Player nameDragovic
Average rating5.99
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Squad number13Player nameBachmann
Average rating5.97
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Squad number23Player nameSchlager
Average rating5.97
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Squad number6Player nameIlsanker
Average rating5.85
-
Squad number19Player nameBaumgartner
Average rating5.83
-
Squad number2Player nameUlmer
Average rating5.80
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Squad number15Player nameLienhart
Average rating5.64
-
Squad number25Player nameKalajdzic
Average rating5.56
North Macedonia
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Squad number8Player nameAlioski
Average rating8.47
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Squad number10Player namePandev
Average rating8.13
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Squad number1Player nameDimitrievski
Average rating7.40
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Squad number21Player nameElmas
Average rating7.36
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Squad number17Player nameBardhi
Average rating7.27
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Squad number9Player nameTrajkovski
Average rating7.26
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Squad number13Player nameRistovski
Average rating7.24
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Squad number16Player nameNikolov
Average rating7.11
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Squad number6Player nameMusliu
Average rating7.10
-
Squad number14Player nameVelkovski
Average rating7.09
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Squad number5Player nameAdemi
Average rating7.05
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Squad number2Player nameBejtulai
Average rating6.89
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Squad number15Player nameKostadinov
Average rating6.83
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Squad number7Player nameTrichkovski
Average rating6.72
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Squad number26Player nameRistovski
Average rating6.25
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
Match ends, Austria 3, North Macedonia 1.
Full Time