Match Prediction: Poland vs Austria UEFA European Championship 2024
Group D is one of the most competitive in the European Championships. All the teams in this group can beat each other. At the same time, every man and his dog predict a dominant French side to reach the last 16. This means for the other sides involved, there is added pressure to win their remaining games.
The outcome of this match will not merely count as a win or loss. It's a potential ticket to the latter stages of the tournament. The team that wins this match will likely stand a superb chance of reaching the latter stages, while the loser will have their work cut out, with destiny no longer being in their hands.
How did they qualify?
Poland's journey to the tournament was no cakewalk. They finished third in a challenging group, which meant they had to fight their way through the qualifiers. Their performances were also unconvincing during the playoffs, where they secured qualification by defeating an equally competitive Wales team on penalties.
Austria, in complete contrast, were one of the surprise packages in qualifying. Many presumed they would be involved in a tough battle to secure their place in the championship. Instead, they finished an incredible nine points ahead of third-placed Sweden, meaning that qualification was a doddle.
Team Analysis
On paper, these two teams appear evenly matched. Both boast top players from the best European leagues. However, their overall squads may be perceived as weaker than the European Championships 2024 powerhouses.
With this in mind, both teams will be set up similarly. Knowing they have players that can turn the game on its head, this will likely be a game of few chances.
Players to watch
This Austrian side has quality throughout the pitch, which helps explain why they have performed so well recently. We could highlight some of their mercurial players, but we have decided to highlight one player who often goes under the radar.
- Manuel Akanji: This man has been in sensational form for club and country. Since he joined Manchester City, his level of play has gone up through the gears. A calm, ball-playing centre-half, he is everything a modern centre-back should be.
Poland does have some top talent, playing for elite teams throughout Europe, but when we consider their chances in the tournament, we all know their hopes will be pinned on the performance of one football legend.
- Robert Lewandowski: This man has scored so many goals throughout his career that it is more of a surprise when he is not on the scoresheet than when he is.
Prediction
This game is too challenging to call. It is so tough, in fact, that we are proudly sitting on the fence and predicting a draw. Both teams are likely to play compact football, knowing that one piece of brilliance or one mistake might change the entire complexion of the game and their Euro 2024 chances. Austria were better in qualifying, so it would have to be them if we were to back either of these two teams.