Match Preview: Austria vs Poland

Both Poland and Austria were defeated in their opening games with this match being decleared a do-or-die game for both nations.

Here is a bit from both teams before the match:

Austria: “It will be an all-or-nothing match,” he said. “The loser will be out. Anything less than a win will leave us virtually without any chance of getting through the group stage.” – Austrian coach.

“I think this match is going to be even harder than Sunday’s. I expect Poland to be more battlesome, they have great physical strengths,” he said. “They surely have some weaknesses, too. We analyzed them, but I won’t speak about it. I know they are plagued by several injuries. Of course, their line-up interests me, but I’m more interested in our own. – Austria’s captain Andreas Ivanschitz.

Poland: “We simply have to go out now and win our last two games,” he said in the immediate aftermath of the Germany defeat. “We have to play Austria next and we must win that one if we are to have any chance and then we also have to beat Croatia and that won’t be easy.

“The Germany game is gone now and we have to put it behind us. We will think about the game, we have a two-hour drive home so we have time to think and talk. We will wake up on Monday morning and talk again, but then we have to forget about this game and move on.”- Polish striker Euzebiusz Smolarek.

Line Ups:
Austria:Macho(gk), Pogatetz, Prodl, Stranzl, Standfest, Säumel, Ivanschitz(c), Gercaliu, Aufhauser, Harnik, Linz.

Poland:Boruc(gk), Zewlakow, Golanski, Bak(c), Wasilewski, Krzynowek, Lewandowski,Guerreiro, Dudka, Lobodzinski, Smolarek.

Players to watch:

Middlesbrough defender Emanuel Pogatetz is the Austrian player to watch. A bit out of control in the opening game will need to contain his anger against Poland after giving away the penalty in the opening few minutes of the first game. He is one of Austria’s big league players and needs to show that he is in this game.

Striker Ebi Smolarek is Polands player to watch. Poland have yet to score a goal and with Zurwaski out Smolarek will need to provide for the Poles. Top scoring in the qualifiers he needs to prove he can play on the big stage.

Head to Head:
7 games played Poland 4 wins Austria 3 wins

Go Poland in this game their Euro hangs on it.