Trainer Zoran Barisic sprung a couple of surprises with the Rapid starting eleven for Sunday's crunch game with table topping Red Bull Salzburg. Dominik Wydra came back in from the cold to take his place in a three man midfield, alongside Stefan Schwab and fellow surprise selection Brian Behrendt. The game marked Behrendt's first appearance in Green & White since autumn. Steffen Hofmann and Flo Kainz lined up in front of the midfield three as Barisic abandoned his normally favoured 4231 in favour of a 4321. If the plan was to add more steel and defensive solidity against a free scoring opponent, the plan lay in tatters just three minutes into the game: nice passing football from Salzburg pulled Rapid across the pitch to the right hand flank, before the ball was switched to Berisha on the left, who found himself in acres of space but still took the shot early, easily beating Novota with a curling right footed finish into the far corner - 0:1 (3.). The goal visibly shook the Hütteldorfers, who seemed to be lacking the fluidity and confidence evident in recent Bundesliga fixtures. Rapid had been struggling to break out of their own half when Salzburg capitalised on another stray pass to add a second: a poor defensive clearance from Schrammel was recycled by the guests and moved quickly forwards to Sabitzer, who slipped Soriano in on Novota with a defence splitting pass inside the channel between left back and centre back. The Salzburg captain made no mistake, drilling a no frills finish low and hard past Novota - 0:2 and a mountain to climb for Rapid (18.). Rapid's first sight of goal came shortly afterwards when Kainz drew a foul from Schmitz on the edge of the Salzburg box, but the resulting free kick came to nothing (22). It was the visitors who continued to boss the game and create chances, with Soriano putting the ball over from close range after more good football (25.). Soriano then tested Novota from a free kick which nearly wrong footed the Rapid goalie (30.), but it wasn't long until the guests added a third following another mistake from Rapid: Mario Pavelic was dispossessed in a dangerous area by Ulmer, who drove forwards before delivering a low cross into the box, a dummy from Soriano out foxed the Rapid defence as the ball found its way to Sabitzer with his back to goal, who spun and hammered a low shot past Novota who barely had time to move - 0:3 (32.). Surely there would be no way back for Rapid from this…Five minutes later Rapid managed their first shot on target, but Wydra's decent left footed shot was dealt with by Salzburg keeper Gulasci at his near post (37.). Then, just minutes before half time, Ulmer dangerously upended Max Hofmann with an outstretched leg and received a red card from referee Eisner. With Ulmer's departure a flicker of hope was reignited, but clawing back a three goal deficit remained an unlikely event - even with a man advantage. Beric grabs crucial early repsonseThe introduction of Philipp Schobesberger at the start of the second period merely confirmed what the 26,800 strong crowd already knew: it was now going to be all or nothing for Rapid. It looked like two different teams had come out for the second period, with the Green & Whites flying out of the traps, their opponents beginning to look unsure and nervous. The early signs were promising as Robert Beric crossed a low ball into the penalty area for the freshly introduced Schobesberger, who just failed to make contact with the goal gaping (50.). But with their next attack the Hütteldrofers grabbed the crucial early goal they were going to need to stand any chance of getting back into the match: after being found by an incisive pass from Stefan Schwab, great work from Flo Kainz saw him skip past two Salzburg defenders and lay the ball off to the unmarked Beric, who characteristically made no mistake, curling a composed right footed shot past Gulasci and inside the right hand post - 1:3 and a feverish reaction from the Rapid fans round around the stadium, as it was becoming clear there was life left in this game yet (51.). With the Schobesberger substitution clearly having the desired effect against a rattled Salzburg side, just minutes after the first goal the Ernst-Happel-Stadium was sent into a frenzy as Rapid added a second: an intricate passing move on the edge of the Red Bull box saw the ball quickly moved from Schwab to Beric and finally Steffen Hofmann the Rapid Captain played the ball along once more to Schobesberger, who smashed a low shot past a helpless Gulasci at his near post - 2:3 and the Rapid fans had the stadium rocking (59.). With the momentum fully behind Rapid two incidents came to pass that suggested that they might not complete the incredible turn around: firstly, a guilt edged chance fell to Max Hofmann when a Steffen Hofmann was only partially cleared before falling to Schobesberger, who crossed to the back post and Max Hofmann, who tried a spectacular volley but failed to get a proper connection (68.). It was a case of the wrong player in the right position from a Rapid perspective. Then in the eightieth minute parity in terms of numbers was restored as Mario Pavelic picked up a second yellow card and departed proceedings. The young right back was caught on the wrong side of Quaschner and was forced into committing a tactical foul (79.). Just as it appeared the comeback may have been in vain, an almighty injury time scramble ensued in the Salzburg penalty area: Flo Kainz cut into the box where his shot was blocked by two Red Bull defenders, the ball pinged around and further shots from Schobesberger and Beric were blocked, before the ball finally fell to substitute Philipp Prosenik, whose shot hit the ground, before looping up over the despairing dive of Gulasci and into the roof of the net – 3:3 and scenes of wild celebration engulfed the Ernst-Happel-Stadium as players and fans alike saluted a truly historic come back (92.)! Trainer Zoran Barisic: "In the first half we were completely out of the game, we played into Salzburg’s hands. We did better in the second and I have to give the team a huge compliment. We managed to get on the front foot, which is our strength. The 1:3 gave as more energy and belief. We needed Schobesberger as an extra attacker on the pitch. He was heavily involved in us turning the game round. To come back from three nil down against a team like Salzburg is not easy."Philipp Prosenik: "We could have got more from the game had we not been sleeping during the first half. Salzburg capitalised on our mistakes in the first half, we did the same in the second."tipico Bundesliga, 28. RundeSK Rapid - Red Bull Salzburg 3:3 (0:3)Ernst-Happel-Stadion, 26.800 Attendance, Ref EisnerGoals: 0:1 Berisha (3.), 0:2 Soriano (18.), 0:3 Sabitzer (32.), 1:3 Beric (51.), 2:3 Schobesberger (59.), 3:3 Prosenik (92.)SK Rapid: Novota - Pavelic, Sonnleitner, M. Hofmann, Schrammel - Wydra (46./Schobesberger), Behrendt, Schwab - S. Hofmann (84./Prosenik), F. Kainz (93./Alar) - BericRB Salzburg: Gulacsi - Schmitz, Ilsanker (66./Gugganig), Caleta-Car, Ulmer - Lazaro, Ch. Leitgeb, Keita, Berisha (72./Bruno) - Soriano (76./Quaschner), SabitzerYellow Cards: Sabitzer, Lazaro, KeitaRed Cards: Ulmer (43./dangerous play) Pavelic (80./second yellow)(gw)
14.04.2015