A Vienna brewery is promising a lifelong supply of free beer to any Austria player who scores a goal for the co-hosts in their remaining Euro 2008 group matches against Poland and Germany.

Austria, competing in the finals of the tournament for the first time, made a disappointing start with a 1-0 defeat against Croatia on Sunday.

“Maybe this is the kind of motivation that will give them the last kick our team needs to be successful,” Ottakringer Brauerei AG chief executive Sigi Menz said in a statement, adding he would personally deliver the brewers’s supply for the first year.

Austria is ranked 92nd in the world and “qualified” for the tournament because they’re one of the two host countries.

One of their better players, Paul Scharner (above) isn’t there because Austrian FA suits think he’s a disturbing influence.