ARNIE’S BACK …AND ANGRY!
AU STRIA’ S quality players came to the party in Bucharest, with former West Ham star Marko Arnautovic capping their maiden Euros win with a late strike.
North Macedonia, making their debut at a major tournament, went behind to Stefan Lainer’s classy finish but they equalised in the first half when 37- year- old striker Goran Pandev became the European Championship’s secondoldest goalscorer.
The Austrians then turned on the style thanks to efforts from second-half substitutes Michael Gregoritsch, after a peach of a pass from Real Madrid new boy David Alaba, and Arnautovic.
Arnautovic’s angry reaction to the goal appeared to be directed towards the Austria bench, where he’d started the game. But manager Franco Foda seemed happy enough.
‘The substitutes were important which is why you have players on the bench,’ he said. ‘A team consists of 26 players. With Marko, he didn’t train that much and that’s why I decided to bring him on later. I don’t know if we want to start him or play him for 60 or 70 minutes (in the next game against Holland). The players see it in a different way, but Marko is a key player in our team.’
Right back Lainer ghosted in at the back post and, having timed his run to perfection, volleyed home Marcel Sabitzer’s drilled cross on 18 minutes.
He dedicated the strike to Christian Eriksen — running to the dugout where he was handed a shirt bearing the message: ‘Eriksen, stay strong!’
Austria almost doubled their advantage soon after, but the unmarked Sasa Kalajdzic stabbed Sabitzer’s cross straight at Stole Dimitrievski.
North Macedonia hit back in the 27th minute through star man Pandev, who hit the playoff winner against Georgia.
The former Inter Milan player registered his 38th international goal — 20 years after making his debut — by tapping into an empty net after goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann had failed to gather.
Pandev sits behind only Austria’s Ivica Vastic, who was 38 when he netted against Poland at Euro 2008 to become the tournament’s oldest scorer.
Gregoritsch was not to be denied 12 minutes from time, nipping in ahead of Dimitrievski to prod home Alaba’s cross.
Austria sensed blood and Arnautovic got in behind the North Macedonia defence, then went past Dimitrievski before rolling the ball into the net.