The Rangnick method boosts Austria and condemns Poland

Austria confirmed against Poland the positive feelings it had already left in its debut in the European Championship against France. Against Mbappé and company, Ralf Rangnick’s team was not accompanied by a positive result that at times it deserved, but its reaction against an orphaned rival without the best Lewandowski keeps its options intact before the decisive duel against the Netherlands on the last day.

It was an Austrian victory built from the very beginning, when the incisive Mwene served from the left for Trauner to finish head-on at the near post. The early advantage rewarded the dominance of Austria, led by Borussier Sabitzer, in the team much closer to the rival area than in Dortmund.

Poland, very close to being knocked out at the first opportunity, resorted to pride. His obvious step forward led to Piatek’s goal, in the purest style of a classic striker. Shaken by the blow, Austria once again resorted to the Rangnick method, based on suffocating pressure that allowed it to recover quickly and quickly stop the Polish progression.

Still without any sign of Lewandowski, whose physical problems have hampered Poland’s chances in the tournament, Austria took over the ball after the break. The appearance of the great Polish leader at game time seemed to encourage his team, aware of the power of intimidation that the Barça forward still displays, but Di Stéfano already said it, no player is as good as all of them together.

The Austrian machine, tuned by Rangnick, circulated with speed and precision until finding Baumgartner unmarked on the front, elegant in the definition against Szczesny. It was the coup de grace for this cold Poland, opened wide by the counterattack that led to Szczesny’s penalty on Sabitzer. The cyclothymic Arnautovic boosted his morale with an impeccable execution, which marked the definitive Polish capitulation. Austria, a team with a signature stamp, will play against the Netherlands for the option of repeating in the round of 16 for the second consecutive European Championship.