Euro-2021: the Macedonian Petit Poucet resists but finally gives in to Austria

Published on : 06/13/2021 – 20:01

No feat for a first. North Macedonia conceded a defeat against Austria (3-1), Sunday, June 13 in Bucharest, for their first match in Euro-2021.

From the first minutes, the two teams put intensity in this match, with also a certain technical imprecision. Despite an unsuccessful Austrian attempt (9th), where Baumgartner seeks the head of Kalajdzic on a long center that is ultimately harmless, the teams lack offensive movement. Logically, the first quarter of an hour is played especially in the midfield in a relatively balanced match.

And on the first opportunity of the match, Austria opened the scoring (1-0, 18th). Lainer, receiving a taut cross from Sabitzer, gives the Macedonian goalkeeper a volley with a flat foot. He celebrates his goal by brandishing a jersey on which is inscribed “stay strong” (“be strong”), in tribute to the Danish Christian Eriksen victim, Saturday, of a heart attack. Austria created a new opportunity shortly after (21st): on a new center from Sabitzer, Kalajdzic made a throw-in in the opposing cage which lacks precision, and goalkeeper Dimitrievski manages to capture it.

North Macedonia, which had not created an opportunity until then, equalizes thanks to the experienced Pandev who takes advantage of a disagreement between the Austrian goalkeeper and one of his central defenders (1-1, 28th ). The 38-year-old Macedonian, in ambush near the scramble, slips his foot over the ball which he sends into the empty goal.

The last quarter of an hour of the first half resembles the start of the match: the Austrian selection turns the ball without making a difference in the game, in a match where duels are still contested. The two teams return to the locker room with a draw (1-1).

The magical center of Alaba and Macedonian fatigue

The second half starts again at the same pace as the first, with a Macedonian defensive block holding up against mainly Austrian ball circulation. There are also contacts, as in the first act, and Macedonia comes close to continuing the match at 10 on a brutal intervention by Alioski (52nd), but the referee only brandishes a yellow card.

The match continues at a pace choppy by small faults and imprecise passes, until a Macedonian foray into the Austrian defense (62nd). Bachmann, the Austrian goalkeeper, comes out well in the feet of the Macedonian player launched in depth, the latter then not having enough time to prick his ball enough. In the process, it is the turn of the Macedonian goalkeeper Dimitrievski to illustrate (64th) with a beautiful horizontal to deflect the head of Arnautovic. A few minutes later, Schlager had the opportunity to strike in the axis at the entrance to the Macedonian surface, but he completely unscrewed (69th).

As the match progresses, the Macedonians come under Austrian domination and only occasionally attempt forays – when they are in a counter position. But the two teams are too imprecise to hope to endanger their opponents … until this flash of Alaba: the Austrian defender delivers a millimeter center to Gregoritsch who cuts the ball with his right foot at the near post, ahead of the goalkeeper Macedonian (2-1, 77th).

In the last minutes, the Macedonians committed their last forces without being dangerous on the Austrian goal … unlike their opponent. Arnautovic scored the knockout goal by bypassing a Macedonian defender and goalkeeper (3-1, 89th) to strike into the empty goal. Dimitrievski then made a well-inspired exit (91st) to prevent the score from turning to correction. North Macedonia resisted for a long time, but it finally broke up in the last quarter of an hour.