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Austria 0 Netherlands 2: Janssen and Wijnaldum silence vociferous Vienna crowd

SoccerNews in General Soccer News 4 Jun 2016

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Goals either side of half-time from Vincent Janssen and Georginio Wijnaldum ensured Austria rounded off their Euro 2016 preparations with a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Netherlands.

The boisterous home fans at Vienna’s Ernst-Happel-Stadion did their best to rouse Austria by creating an atmosphere that belied the fact this was only a friendly, but the hosts’ defensive frailties let them down.

Marcel Koller’s team looked dangerous going forward, but they lacked the ruthlessness of Netherlands – whose performance made further mockery of their inexplicable failure to qualify for the European Championship.

AZ striker Janssen, the Eredivisie’s top scorer in 2015-16, headed the visitors in front in the ninth minute after taking advantage of some lax marking from Sebastian Prodl and Aleksandar Dragovic.

Austria pressed for an equaliser before and after the break, but were caught cold in the 66th minute when Wijnaldum rounded off an excellent team move with an inch-perfect finish.

The Newcastle United man’s strike took the wind out of the home support’s sails, and Koller must now lift his side ahead of their Euro 2016 opener against Hungary on June 14.

Marko Arnautovic fashioned the first attempt on goal out of nothing, the mercurial Stoke City forward producing an outrageous overhead kick that had Jeroen Zoet scrambling to tip wide.

But Janssen silenced the home fans by grabbing the opening goal against the run of play.

The home defence inexplicably froze after a Steven Berghuis cross from the right deflected high into the air, and Netherlands’ number nine ghosted in behind a static backline before nodding past Robert Almer from close range.

Austria should have been level three minutes later. Zoet produced a fine reaction save low to his right after David Alaba teed up Zlatko Junuzovic, before Marc Janko sliced his follow-up into the side netting from no more than five yards.

The hosts continued to push forward, but were nearly undone by another deflection 10 minutes before the break when a long-range effort from Wijnaldum struck Dragovic and looped over the helpless Almer, only to be denied by the post.

Janssen could have doubled his tally for the evening early in the second half but he volleyed Berghuis’ whipped cross over the bar before Alaba fired off-target at the other end a little more than 60 seconds later.

Netherlands were happy to absorb pressure and counter, and Quincy Promes should have increased their lead on the hour when he scuffed a tame effort wide after good work down the left from Patrick van Aanholt.

Janssen was then withdrawn having seemingly picked up a knock, but his replacement Luuk de Jong had an immediate impact, cushioning Promes’ cross into the path of the onrushing Wijnaldum, who curled expertly beyond Almer.

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