BBC Sport football_euro08

By Jonathan Stevenson

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Austria earn a dramatic 1-1 draw against Poland after an injury-time penalty

Co-hosts Austria were given a Euro 2008 lifeline when Ivica Vastic scored a stoppage-time penalty against Poland.

English referee Howard Webb ruled that Mariusz Lewandowski hauled down Sebastian Proedl and substitute Vastic slammed the penalty past Artur Boruc.

Boruc had earlier made a string of stunning saves to deny Austria, with Martin Harnik wasting two fine chances.

Poland's goal came when Roger Guerreiro converted a first-half cross from an offside position three yards out.

It was a dramatic end in Vienna and both sides' chances of qualifying for the quarter-finals remain slim, though Vastic's goal does send Croatia through to the last eight.

Austria probably deserved a point for their dominance in the first half an hour, but until Webb pointed to the spot two minutes into injury time it looked as though their chance had gone.

606: DEBATE Could it be that Switzerland and Austria would never have made it had they needed to qualify? ShelfsideN17OAP

In truth, the game should have already been dead and buried in the Austrians' favour.

The home side made a sensational start to the game and they could - and should - have been 3-0 up with only 15 minutes on the clock.

First Harnik took advantage of Mariusz Jop's hesitancy to surge through on goal only to see Boruc deflect his shot inches wide of the target.

Moments later, Unit Korkmaz used his explosive pace to waltz past two men down the left and cross for Harnik, eight yards out, to shoot straight at Boruc.

When Poland's flimsy offside trap was breached once more for Christoph Leitgeb to run in unchallenged on goal it seemed as though Austria had to score, but again the heroic Boruc spread himself and the shot cannoned into his midriff.

Roger's first-half goal was not enough to earn Poland victory

Having been so profligate, Austria were punished in devastating fashion by the Poles on the half-hour mark.

Ebi Smolarek crossed to the far side of the penalty box from the left wing, Marek Saganowski turned inside Emanuel Pogatetz and his cross-shot was poked home by Roger from close range.

It was doubly harsh on the Austrians because Roger was clearly standing in an offside position when the ball left Southampton striker Saganowski's foot.

Poland took Jop off at half-time and within seconds of the restart his replacement Pawel Golanski was a little lucky not to concede a penalty, as the defender's hands were all over Andreas Ivanschitz with the Austrian captain moving in on goal.

But the Poles had largely sorted out their defensive problems from the first half and were enjoying more possession, with the skilful Roger central to their attacking ambitions.

He floated over a cross from the right that Jacek Bak chested down and fired in, Jurgen Macho making an impressive save with his right leg to keep Austria in it.

Macho produced more heroics when he arched his back to tip over Jacek Krzynowek's sizzling 35-yard left-foot free-kick but the co-hosts, weary and still reeling from Roger's sucker-punch, were hanging on.

But with the clock running down and Austria's chances hanging by a thread, Webb stunned the Poles by pointing to the spot and 38-year-old Vastic rifled in to become the oldest scorer in European Championship history.

Austria: Macho, Garics, Prodl, Stranzl, Pogatetz, Leitgeb, Aufhauser (Saumel 74), Ivanschitz (Vastic 64), Korkmaz, Harnik, Linz (Kienast 64).
Subs Not Used: Manninger, Ozcan, Standfest, Fuchs, Gercaliu, Katzer, Patocka, Hiden, Hoffer.

Booked: Korkmaz, Prodl.

Goals: Vastic 90 pen.

Poland: Boruc, Wasilewski, Jop (Golanski 46), Bak, Zewlakow, Dudka, Lewandowski, Krzynowek, Roger (Murawski 85), Saganowski (Lobodzinski 83), Smolarek.
Subs Not Used: Kowalewski, Fabianski, Wawrzyniak, Gargula, Pazdan, Zahorski, Kokoszka.

Booked: Wasilewski, Krzynowek, Bak.

Goals: Roger 30.

Att: 51,428.

Ref: Howard Webb (England).

BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Poland's Artur Boruc on 8.99 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

Following the 1-1 draw between Poland and Austria, Croatia have qualified for the next round as group winners. The three other teams can still finish second in group B. Austria and Poland need to win their final match to have a chance to progress. Germany will progress with a draw.

Austrian Ivica Vastic became the oldest goalscorer in the history of this tournament when he converted from the spot in injury time. At 38 years and 257 days, he is more than four years older than the previous record holder Nene (Portugal).

Poland and Austria could become the eighth nation to progress from the group phase despite suffering a defeat in their opening match.

Veteran Poland coach Leo Beenhakker has yet to win a match at a World Cup or European Championship in nine tries. This is the longest active winless streak in both tournaments combined.

Sebastian Prodl (Austria) received his second caution of the tournament and is suspended for the final group match.

Trivia stats source: Infostrada Sports