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Austria's Sabitzer was his nation's match winner in Berlin. - © RONNY HARTMANN
Austria's Sabitzer was his nation's match winner in Berlin. - © RONNY HARTMANN
bundesliga

Marcel Sabitzer settles Berlin classic as Austria see off Netherlands

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A superb battle at Berlin's Olympiastadion ended in Austria's favour as Marcel Sabitzer netted the game's winning goal to send Ralf Rangnick's men through to the Euro 2024 Round of 16 as section winners, the Netherlands having to settle for third spot behind France.

Netherlands 2-3 Austria
Goals: 0-1 Malen o.g. 6’, 1-1 Gakpo 47’ (assist: Xavi) , 1-2 Schmid 59' (assist: Grillitsch), 2-2 Depay 75' (assist: Weghorst), 2-3 Sabitzer 80' (assist: Baumgartner)   

Despite the Netherlands sharing top spot with France going into Group D's final round of games, Ronald Koeman's side were well aware that Austria had been receiving plaudits from far and wide for their showing at Euro 2024. Indeed, it was Rangnick's third-placed outfit who started this encounter with far more energy to the team kitted out all in orange and they hit the front early on. Sturm Graz's Alexander Prass repaid his coach's faith when delivering a tricky pass into the Dutch danger zone but there was surprise all around when Dortmund's Donyell Malen slid in to fire into his own net. Koeman introduced Leipzig's on-loan schemer Xavi thereafter and the PSG man changed the Netherlands' fortunes. A slaloming run after the break led to a pass that put Cody Gakpo into space, and the striker took full advantage by curling a shot past Patrick Pentz fir 1-1. Dutch celebrations were short lived, however. Werder Bremen's Romano Schmid linked up with Florian Grillitsch of Hoffenheim, the former slamming an effort in off Stefan de Vrij. The action quickly flowed back up the other end, and the Netherlands equalised again when Memphis Depay expertly converted Wout Weghorst's knock down. As the evening wore on in the German capital, the pace was unrelenting. Austria continued to probe and they threaded the needle with Leipzig midfielder Christoph Baumgartner finding Marcel Sabitzer who lifted home a finish at the near post. The result sent Austria through as section winners, with the Netherlands awaiting their fate as the group's third-best team.

Watch: the best of Austria's match-winner, Sabitzer

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