Sunday's draw against Wiener Neustadt had already sealed second place in the Bundesliga for the Hütteldorfers who could approach the game in Grödig in a relatively relaxed mood. The Green & Whites went into the match looking to right one of the remaining wrongs: in the games this season against Grödig victory had proved elusive, with the three matches producing two draws and one defeat. Much-changed Rapid elevenRapid Trainer Zoran Barisic and his staff decided to make a swathe of changes for the game: Marko Maric returned in goal Grahovac came into defensive midfield and Deni Alar and Louis Schaub in attack just behind Prosenik in the lone striker role. It was the re-jigged Hütteldorfers who created the early chances in the game, the first of which fell to Louis Schaub, who, after receiving a pass in the penalty area from Kainz, created some space for a shot with a cute drag back that beat his marker, but he pushed his effort the wrong side of the near post (8.). Venuto had the first effort for the hosts, but Maric was left untroubled as the ball sailed harmlessly wide (21.). Those chances were about as good as it got for either side during the remainder of a largely uneventful first half. The teams returned to the dressing room with the deadlock still intact and in the knowledge that there was plenty of room for improvement in the second forty-five. Second half improvementRapid took a little while to get going in the second half, and gave up a couple of chances to the hosts: Nutz, who will wear the Green & White of Rapid as of next season, tried his luck with a long range shot (59.), just a minute before Maak got an effort in Maric’s goal as the Salzburg side looked to force the issue (60.). However, Rapid weathered the mini-storm and as they found their rhythm began quickly taking the game away from Grödig. Prosenik thought he had given Rapid the lead with a bullet header from a Schrammel cross, but Grödig keeper Stankovic pulled off a tremendous stop to keep his side on level pegging (64.). Stankovic was then forced into a dramatic double save, denying Prosenik again in the first instance, who had dangerously turned the ball goalwards after getting on the end of a low cross from Pavelic. The ball rebounded to Stefan Schwab, who hit a shot into the ground that was clawed away by the now repositioned Stankovic (73.). Rapid continued to press, with freshly introduced substitutes Steffen Hofmann and Philipp Schobesberger helping the Green & Whites build up a head of steam. Constant pressure yields rewardsA beautiful, incisive pass from Hofmann found Alar as the game passed the eighty minute mark, who volleyed a superb effort goalwards, only for a flying Stankovic to again get his fingertips to the ball and keep his side in the game (80.). But there was nothing the Grödig keeper could do as Rapid finally forged ahead from the penalty spot. A clear foul on Schwab in the penalty area handed Beric the chance to win the game for Rapid, which he duly did, comfortably beating Stankovic with a cool spot kick low in to the right hand corner - 1:0 (82.). The goal broke Grödig’s stout resistance and a second penalty followed soon after: Maak earned himself a red card by hacking down Schobesberger as he bore down on goal the resulting penalty was converted with ease by Alar, who again sent Stankovic the wrong way - 2:0 (90.). The goal capped off a decent second half performance and finally secured a long awaited victory against plucky opponents. We now travel to Wolfsberg on the final day of the season, looking to bring the curtain down on an excellent 2014/15 campaign in style. tipico Bundesliga, Nachtragsspiel Match Day 34SV Grödig - SK Rapid 0:2 (0:0)Das.Goldberg-Stadium, Ref DintarGoals: 0:1 Beric (82./Penalty), 0:2 Alar (92./Penalty)SV Grödig: C. Stankovic - Schütz, Strauss, Maak, Strobl (46./Martschinko) - Völkl (58./Brauer), Nutz - Huspek (68./Goiginger), Tomi, Venuto - EmmanuelSK Rapid: Maric - Pavelic, Sonnleitner, Dibon, Schrammel - Grahovac, Schwab - Schaub (68. S./Hofmann), Alar, F. Kainz (68./Schobesberger) - Prosenik (80./Beric)Yellow Card: BrauerRed Card: Maak (91./Denying a clear goal scoring opportunity)(gw)
29.05.2015