Netherlands 2-3 Austria: Marcel Sabitzer's winner sees Ralf Rangnick's side edge Euro 2024 five-goal thriller - with beaten Oranje now on a collision course with England in the last 16

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As the messy permutations for the round of 16 contorted and changed through this wild match, one thought crystalised in the madness: Austria are a side England should not wish to meet in a hurry.

If there was a second instinct, it was to wonder once again how the overseer of a shambles at Manchester United has led such compelling challenge at these championships. From those carthorses to these dark horses, Ralf Rangnick is writing a quietly surreal story.

Arriving in Germany, there was no guarantee Austria even would progress from a fiendish group containing France and the Netherlands. To top it? Well, that really is impressive and their elevation ought to be a source of relief for England, who as recently as Tuesday afternoon were trending towards that an encounter in the next round.

Austria blew that possibility away here, instead dropping the Netherlands into the third spot of Group D with the kind of performance that will demolish Dutch confidence and send a message further afield.

They pressed the orange into squash without the ball, they attacked with speed when they had it, but, more than that, they had the courage to respond after twice having leads cancelled out. 

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer was the match-winner in a pulsating clash in Berlin

Sabitzer managed to squeeze his shot in from a tight angle to give Austria their third lead of the afternoon

Netherlands will progress to the knockout stages as one of the best third-place teams

Indeed, for all the twists that saw the Dutch fight back from 1-0 and 2-1 before the gut punch from Marcel Sabitzer, Ronald Koeman’s side were only level for 22 minutes across the game and never comfortable for a second.

‘We were really very bad,’ Koeman said, which is true, but they were also not permitted to be good.

The Austrian way under Rangnick is an assault on the senses, with so much movement, energy and positional clarity in all parts of the pitch. They out-passed the Dutch, had more touches, more shots and twice as many dribbles, and all with a squad fronted by a 35-year-old Marko Arnautovic. 

It is quite something and by the close of the day Rangnick was fielding questions about winning the tournament.

‘I have already said months ago I don’t think it is probable to win the Euros,’ he said. ‘But would I rule it out? We have to go step by step.’

Koeman’s day faceplanted with the team sheets. He had elected to make three changes to the side that looked blunt against France, with Lutsharel Geertruida, Joey Veerman and Malen brought in and Xavi Simons among those dropped. 

To give some idea of how those alterations worked out, Veerman was hooked for Simons after 35 minutes and Malen had the first half from hell.

It was his own goal after six minutes that set the tone and he then scuffed his finish when gifted with a one-on-one to equalise. 

Donyell Malen (right) tried to get back and help his defence but ended up putting the ball past his own keeper

The Borussia Dortmund winger put through his own net to hand Austria an early lead against the Netherlands

Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo kept up his fine form at the tournament with an effort that brought the Netherlands back on level terms

Memphis Depay also went close with a header, so it wouldn’t be wise to create an impression of Austrian invincibility, though they were by far the better, more dynamic side. To illustrate, they had a sequence of passes in excess of 30 passes and a thumbs up from Rangnick.

Koeman? He was less happy. Before the half was done, he had changed his personnel and dumped his system for a 4-2-3-1, with the reward coming early in the second half. 

After a countering surge by Simons, it was Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo who added to the quality goals of this tournament by bending a finish around Patrick Pentz.

Romano Schmid headed home from close range to restore his side's lead against the Netherlands

Memphis Depay clawed his side back into the tie with a wonderfully-taken effort in the 75th minute

The Atletico Madrid striker's celebrations were caught short before VAR reinstated the strike

Austria qualified top of Group D thanks to their win and France's draw with Poland in the other tie

The Netherlands suddenly had some verve, but Austria only teetered with a loss of control before Patrick Wimmer and Florian Grillitsch dissected the Dutch line to tee up a Romano Schmid header for 2-1.

Once again, the Netherlands found their way back, when Depay volleyed for 2-2. It was initially disallowed by the referee for handball, only for the VAR to make a correct intervention.

The place erupted though that was a short-lived relief, with Sabitzer creeping behind Jerdy Schouten and receiving a blade sharp ball from Christoph Baumgartner. He drilled the winner into the tiny space between Verbruggen and his near post and rammed home a warning.