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Netherlands vs Austria facts: UEFA EURO 2020 match background, facts and stats

The Netherlands will go into their second Group C game in good heart having won their last six matches against Austria.

Netherlands' Georginio Wijnaldum in action against Austria during the teams' 2016 friendly
Netherlands' Georginio Wijnaldum in action against Austria during the teams' 2016 friendly VI-Images via Getty Images

The overall history between the Netherlands and Austria suggests a close contest in prospect in Amsterdam – although the Dutch have plenty of reasons for optimism having won all of the countries' last six matches.

• The teams are level on three points in Group C having both won their opening matches. Austria earned their first ever EURO finals win at the seventh attempt, beating North Macedonia 3-1 in Bucharest; Stefan Lainer's 18th-minute goal was cancelled out before late strikes from Michael Gregoritsch (78) and Marko Arnautović (89) sealed Austria's victory.

• The Netherlands also left it late before seeing off Ukraine 3-2 in Amsterdam. Goals early in the second half from Georginio Wijnaldum (52) and Wout Weghorst (59) were cancelled out by two Ukraine goals in five minutes, but Denzel Dumfries' first international goal five minutes from time finally earned the Oranje the points.

Previous meetings

• The most recent fixture between the sides was a friendly in Vienna on 4 June 2016, the Netherlands – then coached by Danny Blind – recording a 2-0 victory at at the Ernst Happel Stadion thanks to a goal in each half from Vincent Janssen and Wijnaldum against Marcel Koller's Austria.

• That was the 19th match between the teams, and a ninth Dutch victory. The Oranje have scored 18 goals in winning the last six such matches, an average of three per game.

• That six-match winning sequence includes the sides' only previous UEFA European Championship contests, in qualifying for UEFA EURO 2004. The Netherlands, managed by Dick Advocaat, won 3-0 against Hans Krankl's Austria in Vienna in October 2002 thanks to goals from Clarence Seedorf, Phillip Cocu and Roy Makaay, before a 3-1 home triumph in Rotterdam in which Rafael van der Vaart, Patrick Kluivert and Cocu got the Dutch goals, Austria's Emanuel Pogatetz having made the score 1-1. The Netherlands went on to finish second in the section behind the Czech Republic on 19 points and ultimately reached the final tournament in Portugal via the play-offs; Austria were third, ten points behind.

• The most recent encounter in the Netherlands, a friendly in Eindhoven on 9 February 2011, ended in a 3-1 home win, with substitute Luuk de Jong making his international debut for the Oranje. Austria's late consolation goal was scored from the penalty spot by Arnautović after Wesley Sneijder, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Dirk Kuyt (penalty) had put the home side 3-0 up.

• Austria's last victory against the Netherlands came in a Vienna friendly on 30 May 1990. Goals from Robert Pecl, Manfred Zsak and Anton Pfeffer gave the home side a three-goal lead at the Praterstadion, although strikes in the final half-hour from Ronald Koeman and Marco van Basten ensured a tense finale.

• This is only the sides' second fixture in a final tournament; the Netherlands were 5-1 winners in Córdoba in the second group stage of the 1978 FIFA World Cup, Johnny Rep scoring twice with Ernie Brandts, Rob Rensenbrink and Willy van der Kerkhof also on target.

• The teams have not met in Amsterdam since a 1-1 friendly draw at the Olympisch Stadion in April 1964. That preserved Austria's unbeaten record in the city, the visitors having also drawn 1-1 there in September 1957 after a 1-0 success in December 1933, both friendlies.

EURO facts: Netherlands

• The Netherlands have appeared in nine previous UEFA European Championship final tournaments; they missed out on UEFA EURO 2016, the first time they had not featured in a EURO since 1984.

• Champions in 1988 – their sole major international trophy – the Netherlands finished third at the 1976 UEFA European Championship and also reached the semi-finals in 1992, 2000 as co-hosts and 2004. Their most recent knockout appearance came in 2008, when they lost to Russia after extra time in the quarter-finals.

• On their last EURO appearance, in 2012, a team coached by Bert van Marwijk finished bottom of a group including Portugal, Germany and Denmark without a point; that made it four consecutive final tournament defeats – a run the Netherlands brought to a halt on Matchday 1.

• The Oranje finished fourth in their UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying group behind the Czech Republic, Iceland and Turkey.

• This is the first time the Netherlands have featured in a European Championship or FIFA World Cup since finishing third at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

• The Dutch did, however, reach the final of the first UEFA Nations League in 2019, beating England 3-1 after extra time in the semi-finals only to lose 1-0 to hosts Portugal in the final.

• Ronald Koeman's side finished second behind Germany in UEFA EURO 2020 qualifying Group C, picking up 19 points from their eight matches (W6 D1 L1). Koeman was replaced as coach by Frank de Boer in September 2020.

Every Netherlands goal on the road to EURO 2020

• Memphis Depay provided eight assists in qualifying, more than any other player. Having scored six himself, he played a direct role in 58% of the Netherlands' 24 goals.

• Having managed ten goals in his first 53 international appearances, Wijnaldum hit eight in seven qualifying outings to finish as the Netherlands' top scorer.

• Their Matchday 1 win against Ukraine means the Netherlands' record in Amsterdam overall is now W57 D26 L34. At the Johan Cruijff ArenA, their record is W40 D19 L14, although they have won just eight of the last 20 matches in the stadium (D2 L10). In qualifying for UEFA EURO 2020, the Netherlands lost 3-2 to Germany in Amsterdam but beat Estonia 5-0 there.

EURO facts: Austria

• This is Austria's third EURO finals appearance, all in the last 12 years. Having appeared as co-hosts at UEFA EURO 2008 but failed to win in three games, they qualified for the tournament for the first time at UEFA EURO 2016 but again bowed out without recording a victory.

• The Matchday 1 defeat of North Macedonia means Austria's record in EURO final tournaments is now therefore W1 D2 L4 F5 A8. Their three goals in their opening UEFA EURO 2020 fixture were the first time they had scored more than once in a EURO finals match.

EURO 2016 highlights: Portugal 0-0 Austria

• At UEFA EURO 2016, Austria finished bottom of Group F, losing to Hungary (0-2) and Iceland (1-2) either side of a goalless draw against eventual champions Portugal.

• Austria's greatest achievement is a third-place finish at the 1954 World Cup in neighbouring Switzerland. They last qualified for a World Cup in 1998, when the tournament was staged in France.

• Matchday 1 was Austria's first victory at a major finals since a 2-1 defeat of the United States in the 1990 World Cup group stage.

• Franco Foda's side booked their place at UEFA EURO 2020 as Group G runners-up behind Poland, winning six of their ten qualifiers (D1 L3). They lost their first two matches and, with their finals place already secured, the last, 1-0 in Latvia.

Highlights: Austria 2-1 North Macedonia

• This is Austria's first game at the Johan Cruijff ArenA.

Links and trivia

• Netherlands coach De Boer enjoyed one of his greatest successes as a player on Austrian soil, as part of the Ajax team that beat AC Milan 1-0 in the 1995 UEFA Champions League final in Vienna.

• Has played in the Netherlands:
Marko Arnautović (Twente 2006–09)

• Have played together:
Wout Weghorst & Pavao Pervan (Wolfsburg 2018–)
Wout Weghorst & Xaver Schlager (Wolfsburg 2019–)
Davy Klaassen & Marco Friedl (Werder Bremen 2018–20)
Stefan de Vrij & Valentino Lazaro (Inter 2019)

• Wijnaldum was in the Liverpool team that defeated Andreas Ulmer's Salzburg 2-0 on Matchday 6 of the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League, a result that ended the Austrian side's hopes of reaching the knockout rounds.

• Opposing goalkeepers Tim Krul and Daniel Bechmann were both promoted to the Premier League at the end of the 2020/21 season with Norwich and Watford respectively.

Latest news

Netherlands

Star of the Match: Watch Dumfries highlights

• The Matchday 1 win against Ukraine was the Netherlands' sixth in their last eight matches, during which they have scored 24 goals – never less than two in any game.

• The Oranje needed a late free-kick equaliser from Memphis Depay – his second goal of the contest – to earn a 2-2 draw against Scotland in southern Portugal on 2 June, but their second pre-UEFA EURO 2020 friendly brought a 3-0 victory over Georgia in Enschede four days later, Depay scoring again, from the penalty spot, before victory was secured in the second half with first international goals from Wout Weghorst and Ryan Gravenberch.

• Jurriën Timber, 19, made his senior debut for the Oranje against Scotland and also started against Georgia and Ukraine, while the game in Enschede brought a first appearance in the Netherlands goal since November 2016 for his Ajax team-mate, Maarten Stekelenburg, who in retaining his place against Ukraine became, at the age of 38 years and 264 days, the Netherlands' oldest ever tournament participant.

• Captain Georginio Wijnaldum's goal was his 23rd for the Netherlands, putting him one behind the legendary Marco van Basten, while Weghorst's was his second, in as many games, and Denzel Dumfries's match-winning header his first, on his 20th appearance.

Skill of the Day: Memphis Depay (Netherlands)

• Timber, Stekelenburg, Gravenberch, Daley Blind and Davy Klaassen are all appearing at their home stadium in the group stage of UEFA EURO 2020, having won the Dutch league and cup double with Ajax in 2020/21. Other major trophy winners this year in the Dutch squad are Stefan de Vrij, who won the Italian title with Internazionale, Nathan Aké, a Premier League champion with Manchester City, and ex-Ajax pair Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong, who were domestic cup winners with Juventus and Barcelona respectively.

• Stekelenburg is the only member of the Netherlands UEFA EURO 2020 squad with previous EURO final tournament experience. He made one appearance in 2008 – a 2-0 win against Romania – and was the Oranje's starting goalkeeper in all three of their matches – and defeats – at the 2012 tournament.

• Stekelenburg also kept goal for the Netherlands in all seven of their games at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, including the final. Four years later there were six other members of the Netherlands' UEFA EURO 2020 squad present at the finals in Brazil – fellow goalkeeper Tim Krul, defenders Blind, De Vrij and Joël Veltman, midfielder Wijnaldum and forward Depay. Veltman was the only one of those five outfield players not to score at the tournament.

• Wijnaldum has started all of the Oranje's last 15 games and is one game short of a 50th competitive appearance for his country. The Netherlands captain recently left Liverpool after five seasons to join Paris Saint-Germain.

• Donny van de Beek was a late withdrawal from the squad through injury. Coach Frank de Boer did not call up a replacement, leaving the Netherlands with 25 players.

Star of the Match: Watch Alaba's highlights

Austria

• Austria's win against North Macedonia on Matchday 1 was not only their first EURO finals victory but also the first time they had scored three goals in a major tournament encounter since a famous 3-2 victory over West Germany at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.

• Austria had failed to score in their last three matches before UEFA EURO 2020. They warmed up for the tournament with a 1-0 defeat by England in Middlesbrough on 2 June and a 0-0 draw against Slovakia in Vienna four days later. That clean sheet is their only one in eight matches.

• Stefan Lainer became the first player in an Austria starting XI to score at the EURO finals with his opening volley against North Macedonia. Four of the country's five goals at the tournament have now been scored by substitutes, Michael Gregoritsch and Marko Arnautović both subsequently finding the net on Matchday 1 after being introduced from the bench.

• Aleksandar Dragović, Austria's only ever-present in the UEFA EURO 2020 qualifiers, became just the fourth Austrian international to reach 90 caps when he played against England earlier this month. Only one, Andreas Herzog, has gone on to complete the century.

• Dragović is one of eight members of Austria's UEFA EURO 2020 squad who competed in France five years ago. The others are David Alaba, Arnautović, Julian Baumgartlinger, Martin Hinteregger, Stefan Ilsanker, Marcel Sabitzer and Alessandro Schöpf, who scored the team's only goal at those finals, against Iceland.

Star of the Match: Alaba on Austria win

• Arnautović holds the Austrian record for appearances in EURO matches, qualifiers included, of 30, and now needs one more goal to match Toni Polster's national high in the competition of 15.

• No fewer than 21 of the 26 players in Franco Foda's squad played for German Bundesliga clubs in 2020/21. The only one to win silverware was Alaba, who captured a ninth successive league title with Bayern München in his final season at the club before leaving for Real Madrid.

• One of the two home-based players in the squad, Andreas Ulmer, also enjoyed repeat domestic success by winning the Austrian Bundesliga title for the 11th time – and eighth in a row – with Salzburg, to which he added a third successive domestic cup triumph – and eighth in all.

• There was also club success elsewhere in 2020/21 for midfielder Louis Schaub, a Swiss Cup winner with Luzern, and goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann, who achieved promotion to the English Premier League with Watford. The latter made his debut for Austria in that pre-tournament friendly against England and kept his place for the EURO opener against North Macedonia.