Vincent Janssen, Georginio Wijnaldum help Netherlands beat Austria

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:58 am

Austria concluded their preparations for the European Championships with a 2-0 home defeat to Netherlands, who continue to show improvement after failing to reach the finals.

Vincent Janssen and Georginio Wijnaldum were on target for the Dutch as they claimed another scalp of a team who will be taking part in France, following recent victories against Wales, England and Poland.

Netherlands began the game at Vienna's Ernst-Happel Stadion with no player over the age of 27 in their starting XI for the first time since March 1929 -- a sign of the rebuilding taking place in light of their surprise absence from Euro 2016.

They were in front after nine minutes when Janssen added to the goal he scored against Poland on Wednesday by heading home Kevin Strootman's cross from the right.

It stirred Austria into life and they responded with efforts from Zlatko Junuzovic, who worked Jeroen Zoet in the Dutch goal, Marc Janko and Marcel Sabitzer -- whose headers went wide.

Quincy Promes sent a long-range shot narrowly over the crossbar just before half-time as the visitors looked to extend their lead while David Alaba's effort was also always rising just too much as Austria tried to get back on level terms shortly after the break.

HERBERT NEUBAUER/AFP/Getty Images

Netherlands celebrate after Georginio Wijnaldum scored.
HERBERT NEUBAUER/AFP/Getty Images

Netherlands lost Janssen to injury after 65 minutes but his replacement Luuk de Jong made an immediate impact, setting up Wijnaldum to score with a low right-foot shot inside the penalty area.

Zoet preserved the two-goal cushion with saves to deny Marcel Sabitzer and substitute Lukas Hinterseer, who then scooped another effort over the crossbar.

Marco van Ginkel should probably have made it 3-0 with seven minutes remaining but headed the ball wide from inside the six-yard box.

Alessandro Schopf had Austria's final chance to reduce their deficit in injury time but he too missed the target and Marcel Koller's team, who qualified so impressively for Euro 2016, will have to improve when they begin their campaign in France against Hungary on June 14.