Das Team have never reached the last eight at any European Championship finals, so Ralf Rangnick's selection will be one of the most important in a long coaching career.
Ahead of his return to Leipzig, scene of several successes at club level, Rangnick must again decide who will lead the line in his compact and high-pressing side.
Once more, Inter Milan striker Marko Arnautovic is set to scrap it out with Michael Gregoritsch - who scored a hat-trick against Turkey earlier this year - to start up front.
There will be at least one change to the XI that started an impressive 3-2 win over Netherlands last time out, as Wolfsburg winger Patrick Wimmer serves a one-match ban for accumulated bookings.
Therefore, either the versatile Konrad Laimer or RB Leipzig midfielder Christoph Baumgartner - the latter of whom was named 'Man of the Match' versus Poland - should come in; it remains to be seen whether Romano Schmid will keep his place.
Having shuffled his pack throughout the group phase, no fewer than four men are contending to be paired at the heart of Rangnick's rearguard: Max Wober, Kevin Danso, Gernot Trauner and Philipp Lienhart.
Austria possible starting lineup: Pentz; Posch, Danso, Lienhart, Mwene; Seiwald, Grillitsch; Schmid, Baumgartner, Sabitzer; Arnautovic