Euro 2024: Austria top Group D ahead of France and Netherlands after rollercoaster finale

Rangnick's team beat Dutch in Berlin while France are held by Poland despite Mbappe scoring on his return from injury

Austria's Marcel Sabitzer, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal in their 3-2 Euro 2024 Group D win over the Netherlands in Berlin on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. The victory meant that Austria topped the group ahead of France in second place. AP

Austria's Marcel Sabitzer scores their third goal past Micky van de Ven of the Netherlands. AP

Austria's Marcel Sabitzer scores their third against the Netherlands. AP

Memphis Depay of the Netherlands scores his team's second goal against Austria. Getty Images

Memphis Depay celebrates after scoring his team's second goal against Austria with Xavi Simons. Getty Images

Austria's Romano Schmid scores his team's second goal against the Netherlands. AFP

Austria's Romano Schmid celebrates scoring his team's second against the Netherlands. AFP

Netherlands forward Cody Gakpo celebrates after scoring his team's first goal against Austria. AFP

Cody Gakpo scores the Netherlands' first goal. AFP

Donyell Malen, right, of the Netherlands reacts after scoring an own goal to give Austria their first goal. EPA

France's Kylian Mbappe removes his protective mask as he celebrates scoring his team's first goal from the penalty spot in the 1-1 Euro 2024 Group D draw against Poland at the BVB Stadion in Dortmund on June 25, 2024. AFP

France's Kylian Mbappe scores from the penalty spot to put his side 1-0 up. AFP

Kylian Mbappe of France wearing a protective mask after he broke his nose in the opening game against Austria. EPA

Robert Lewandowski of Poland scores a penalty to earn his side a 1-1 draw. EPA

Robert Lewandowski of Poland with Kylian Mbappe of France after the match. Getty Images

Marcel Sabitzer scored a late winner for Austria to advance to the last 16 of the European Championship as Group D winners after a hectic 3-2 win over the Netherlands in Berlin on Tuesday.

Ralf Rangnick's side had been tipped as dark horses before the tournament, and they more than lived up to that billing as victories over Poland and the Dutch were enough to lift them to the head of the group.

The French, who beat Austria in their opening game, could have topped the table with a win over Poland in Dortmund, but were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by the already-eliminated Poles. Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty on his return to the side from a broken nose but Robert Lewandowski also struck from the spot to condemn the French to second place.

The reward for Austria is a last-16 tie with the runners-up from Group F – Turkey, the Czech Republic or Georgia.

France will take on the runners-up from a still wide-open Group E, with Romania, Belgium, Slovakia and Ukraine all still in the mix for qualification ahead of Wednesday night's finale. The Dutch, who finished with four points, will go through as a best third-placed team and will play a group winner.

Sabitzer was delighted to have scored what was a historic winner for his team, saying: "If you beat the Netherlands and win the group, then you can't be that bad. When you win like that, win the group, score the winning goal, it doesn't get any better than that."

The Austrians needed a point in Berlin to be sure of progress and got off to the perfect start when Dutch forward Donyell Malen scored an own goal in the sixth minute.

Xavi Simons, who had come on to replace the woeful Joey Veerman after 30 minutes, set up Cody Gapko to equalise two minutes after the break, but Romano Schmid swiftly headed Austria back in front.

Memphis Depay equalised with a brilliant finish in the 75th minute, but Sabitzer restored Austria’s lead two minutes later with a rasping strike from a tight angle.

Dutch skipper Virgil van Dijk was scathing in his assessment of their performance.

"We started weakly. We were too weak in the duels, I have no explanation for that at the moment," said the Liverpool defender.

"We talked about it at half-time, [playing like that] is not possible, we know that, it has to be much better.

"We are all responsible for this, there is not one or two guilty people ... if we want to achieve anything in this tournament, something has to change."

Meanwhile, in Dortmund, things were seemingly going to plan for Didier Deschamps and his France side when Mbappe scored from the penalty spot on his return after breaking his nose against Austria in their opening match.

Mbappe removed his protective mask to celebrate in front of the fans after converting his 56th-minute spot-kick – his first goal at a European Championship – awarded after Ousmane Dembele had been tripped in the box.

Playing for the first time with his mask, Mbappe avoided physical challenges and didn't compete for the ball in the air. The French are yet to score from open play after a deeply underwhelming group stage effort.

Lewandowski ensured it finished on a negative by scoring from the spot at the second attempt. His first effort was saved by France goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who was adjudged to have come off his line. The Poland striker found the bottom corner with his second attempt.

"We've achieved our first objective," said Les Bleus coach Deschamps. "Even if we don't have the spot we were aiming for because we are second. A new competition is about to start."