02.03.2010, 10:23
Pacult brought the ever dependable Helge Payer back into the fold, while Trimmel partnered Gartler in attack at the expense of Salihi. Payer made his presence felt as he turned away a 6th minute effort from Grünwald with a minimum of fuss. Both sides wrestled with the difficult conditions during the early stages.
Rene Gartler mustered the first goal threat on 14 mins, his flashing drive tipped round the post for a corner. The diminutive hitman didn´t have to wait long for his next chance however, as he put Rapid 1:0 up only a minute later. A low cross from Katzer was well taken on the chest by Gartler, who displayed a cool head to calmly slot past the keeper and hand Rapid a deserved lead. The lead lasted barely five minutes though as Reitler caught the Rapid backline napping to steal in at the back post and restore parity. Steffen Hofmann created a couple of openings for Rapid as Fornezzi in the Neustadt goal denied first Gartler, then Pehlivan.
After a lull in goal mouth action, Rapid loanee Kayhan kept Payer on his toes with a testing drive in the 38th minute. Rapid enjoyed a slice of good fortunate on the stroke of halftime as Grünwald rattled the cross bar from 16 yards with Payer stranded.
A minute after the restart Rapids travelling fans were celebrating taking the lead once more. The move of the match saw Heikkinen play in Pehlivan, whose delicate pass set Gartler lose in the hosts' box. His cleverly chipped cross - cum - shot sat up beautifully for Trimmel to snatch a long overdue goal for the Green-Whites. On the hour mark Pacult brought on Drazan for Kavlak as the game got bogged down in the awful conditions. Five minutes after his introduction, Drazan made his presence felt. Gartler played a backheeled one two with the wideman, who in turn played a cracking pass forwards to Hofmann who was unfortunate to be denied by Fornezzi between the sticks.
Jelavic came back into the action in the 69th minute to a rapturous welcome from the travelling Green White army. The striker, back from his operation, had twenty minutes to get back on the score sheet. Incredibly and completly against the run of play, Aigner pulled the hosts level with a screamer from the edge of the box. With time running down, Pacult brought on the more attack minded Boskovic for Pehlivan as Rapid hunted a winner. Rapid´s final opening fell to Steffen Hofmann, who fired over after receiving the ball from Nikica Jelavic.
Battling against both the oppostion and the dreadful pitch, Rapid couldn´t find away through and had to settle for a hard earned point. Next up is the Marquee meeting with title rivals Red Bull at the Hanappi in a weeks time.
(gw)
