Austria cemented their status as the surprise package of Euro 2024 this evening, defeating the Netherlands to secure their place in the last-16 and the top spot in Group D. However, it was not a good day for France, who fell to second in the group after a shock draw with Poland.
It was an excellent performance from the Austrians, who were full value for their victory against a more fancied Dutch side. They would take the lead on three separate occasions in the game, ultimately running out as a 3-2 winners thanks to this goal from Marcel Sabitzer.
🇳🇱 2-3 🇦🇹
What a second half here. Marcel Sabitzer blasts home the lead goal for Austria#Euro2024
📺@rte2 & @RTEplayer https://t.co/b2OI4OoWVJ
📱 Live updates https://t.co/QbbSRljeA0 pic.twitter.com/DOvuB276mK— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 25, 2024
In contrast, France were quite poor in their game against Poland.
Their only goal of the game came via a penalty from Kylian Mbappe, going on to miss a number of other chances over the course of the 90 minutes. They would be ahead going into the closing stages of the contest, only for a penalty from Robert Lewandowski to draw the Poles level.
While this result condemns France to second place in their Euro 2024 group, there was a hint of controversy about the goal they conceded in the game.
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Euro 2024: Hamann Slams 'Nonsense' Rule That Led To Poland Goal Vs France
Robert Lewandowski scored his penalty against France at the second attempt, being allowed to retake the spot kick after his first effort was saved by Mike Maignan. VAR adjudged that the Frenchman had come off his line to save the penalty.
🇫🇷 1-1 🇵🇱
VAR drama all over the shop. Lewandowski gets second bite at peno and makes no mistake to get Poland level#Euro2024
📺@rte2 & @RTEplayer https://t.co/58N1nTXdAZ
📱 Live updates https://t.co/QbbSRljeA0 pic.twitter.com/6iWLzxREFV— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) June 25, 2024
While Maignan was slightly off his line, he was not helped by the run-up of Lewandowski. The striker stuttered during the run and perhaps even stopped on one occasion.
He may have just about stayed within the rules during his run-up, but some have slammed the decision to retake the penalty.
Speaking on RTÉ, Didi Hamann slammed the rule that allowed penalty takers to stutter and potentially gain an advantage from it if a penalty is retaken.
I think it's absolute nonsense. They have got to give goalkeepers a chance.
They changed the rule a few years ago to say they can't come off the line, so one part of the foot has to be on the line.
The first penalty that is retaken, Lewandowski stops twice. I think the rule is that you have to keep going forward...
He stops twice and then he misses. What is the keeper meant to do? The keeper has to come forward. His foot is off the line and the first thing Lewandowski does is say 'the keeper off his line'.
He knows if he does a delay enough for the keeper to come forward and the keeper saves it, he gets another go. The rule is absolute nonsense!
They've got to do something, because as it is now we don't give the goalkeeper enough of a chance...
It's not a skill to stop your run, even I can do that. It's not a skill to run and pause, it's not a skill and it's not a mistake from the keeper...
It's impossible for the keeper. The rule says you have to have motion forward, which [Lewandowski] might have had. I think they've got to cut all that nonsense out now.
Hamann has a point.
The stuttered penalty run is something that has frustrated supporters in recent years, with goalkeepers given very little opportunity to save such attempts. It is something that the authorities may look at going forward, although that will come too late for France in this Euro 2024 fixture.
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