European Championship gets ever closer

ÖFB: Between penalty goals, life support and Häfn

Lebenshilfe made the Innviertel Arena fit for international matches (small picture). Sarah Puntigam (number 17) scored to make it 1:0 and 2:0.(Bild: GEPA)

Even if it was expected by everyone after the 3:0 away win: Austria's women's soccer team took the next step towards the European Championship in the second leg against Slovenia in Ried, advancing to the qualifying play-off final with a 2:1 win.

Poland awaits - and hopefully Austria won't have to face a goalkeeper as hard to beat as Zala Meršnik was this time. She kept and kept and kept.

Zala Meršnik (right) annoyed the ÖFB women for a long time.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Three times against Sarah Puntigam alone before the captain, in her 150th international match, converted a penalty taken by Purtscheller for the overdue 1:0 (62'). Sarah Puntigam scored twice on her anniversary Twelve minutes later, the jubilarian scored again from the spot to make it 2-0.

Despite a rather bumpy first half and the 2-1 scoreline (95'), Austria had delivered a clean performance. Just like Lebenshilfe and Ried Prison did. As with all home games of second division team Ried, both institutions were involved in the ÖFB international match. Lebenshilfe has been cleaning the Innviertel-Arena before every game for two years at its own request. And the multi-purpose cups used by the stadium catering service are taken to the prison for cleaning after every game. "It works perfectly," says stadium manager Leo Kiesenhofer. Just like Sarah Puntigam from the penalty spot.