Austria have notched up six wins in their last eight matches, suffering just a single defeat in that impressive stretch. Meanwhile, the ‘both teams to score’ market has paid out in five of Poland’s last seven games. Christoph Baumgartner, Austria’s attacking midfielder, has found the back of the net five times in his last six appearances for his country, demonstrating his scoring prowess.
A Class Apart
Both Poland and Austria put up strong fights in their initial matches at Euro 2024, but both succumbed to narrow losses against seasoned footballing nations. However, Austria’s performance was particularly commendable.
Poland initially took the lead against the Netherlands but soon lost their edge, conceding 21 shots and eventually the match 2-1 as the Dutch’s relentless pressure prevailed. Austria, on the other hand, played on par with their opponents and were only edged out due to an unfortunate own goal by Maximilian Wober. Despite this, they matched France with three shots on target each and even dominated possession.
These performances give a clear edge to Ralf Rangnick’s Austria, suggesting they are in a different league compared to Poland right now.
Poland’s Uphill Battle
Poland scraped into the finals via a penalty shootout against Wales in March, and even the potential comeback of star striker Robert Lewandowski may not be enough to turn the tide against Austria. Under Rangnick’s leadership, Austria has flourished, winning 14 out of 22 matches, including a 6-1 demolition of Turkey and victories against strong sides like Germany, Serbia, Sweden, and Slovakia.
Baumgartner’s Key Role – 5/2 to score anytime
Despite Austria’s unfortunate loss to France, Christoph Baumgartner’s form remains a significant factor. He has consistently scored leading up to the tournament, and his influence in the upcoming game against Poland in Berlin is anticipated to be substantial.
Although Austria is favoured to take all three points, the trend suggests Poland might find the net too, making ‘both teams to score’ a plausible bet, even if Poland ends up losing the match.
