"KRONE" COLUMN ON THE EM

Prohaska: A statue for “Baumi” and “Arnie”

(Bild: AP, krone.at-grafik)

Austria's national team has opened the door to the last sixteen of the European Championships wide open. The ÖFB team celebrated a 3:1 victory over Poland in front of 71,000 spectators in Berlin's Olympic Stadium on Friday. Read the analysis by "Krone" columnist Herbert Prohaska here.

I was surprised that team boss Ralf Rangnick replaced both central defender positions. But I see all four candidates, Danso, Wöber, Lienhart and Trauner, as being on the same level. Trauner promptly confirmed his nomination. I was wondering when he would finally score a headed goal again. That was a strength at LASK, but it didn't work out at Feyenoord in that respect. From that point of view, it was exactly the right time at the EURO.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

I was actually worried before the game that we might overpower and run into a counterattack. But no, we did a lot of things right. Unfortunately, mistakes crept in during a brief phase of the passing game, the Poland equalizer wasn't so well played, the ball bounced back and forth a few times.

Nevertheless, I had little doubt that we would win. Well deserved. Thanks to Baumgartner, I really appreciate people like that. One evening before the team got together, I had dinner with my wife in Vienna. Someone patted me on the back. It was Baumi, who introduced me to his wife. Very nice, I've appreciated him even more since then.

It's amazing what the lad does, now his club coach Marco Rose won't dare leave Baumi on the bench at Leipzig. I demand a statue of Baumgartner in front of the Happel Stadium - and a second one next to it for Marko Arnautovic, who redeemed us with the penalty to make it 3:1.