Two teams battling it out for European football took to the pitch on Sunday as second placed Rapid pitted their wits against fourth placed Altach. With a crucial three points at stake both teams began the game full of attacking intent and went in search of the early breakthrough. Steffen Hofmann whipped an early free kick into the hosts’ penalty area, but the Altach rear-guard were on the toes and stood strong early doors (1.). Just minutes later at the other end of the pitch Ngwat-Mahop had a clear cut chance, latching onto to a loose ball after a Prokopic shot had been blocked, but he fired well over the bar from a great position with only Marko Maric to beat (3.). Maric was then called into action for the first time by a header from Roth our keeper comfortably gathering in the Altach man’s header from the penalty spot (7.). It wasn’t long before the in-form Philipp Schobesberger began to impact the game, and his first major contribution nearly lead to the first goal: the Rapid pace-merchant got the better of his marker down the right flank, crossing the ball into the middle towards Robert Beric, who headed the ball into the ground and onto the crossbar (11.). The end to end action continued as an attractive match full of attacking football entertained a healthy crowd in the Cashpoint-Arena. Route one pays off for AltachDespite all the free-flowing football on show, when a goal did arrive it was via an old fashioned route: a long throw on from Zech was flung into the Rapid penalty area, where it was met with perfect timing by the onrushing Roth, who guided an impressively powerful header from distance beyond Maric to give the hosts the lead - 0:1 (25.). Having taken the lead, Altach looked to take some pace out of the match and dropped a few meters deeper into their own half. The Hütteldorfers tried to keep pressing, but a couple of long range efforts from Brian Behrendt (37., 39.) was as good as it got for the Green & Whites in the remainder of the half. Beric frustrated again…At the start of the second half it was evident how each side were going to approach the game: Altach were sitting compact and deep, allowing Rapid to come onto them in the hope of launching a decisive counter attack. If Zoran Barisic's side were going to get back into the match it would be up to them to open up a defensively sound and canny opponent. This they almost achieved just minutes after the restart as the Schobesberger-Beric combination again came close to yielding results: a cross from the Rapid winger again picked out Beric, who this time got a bit too much elevation on his effort, as it agonisingly clipped the top of the bar - much to Beric’s frustration (51.). After the chance went, the game slipped into a pattern of Rapid probing a well organised Altach side, who were managed the game well and kept the Hüttedorfers at arm’s length. The majority of the half passed by with little goal mouth incident: it was in the closing stages that the drama would unfold. ….but comes up with the goodsWith little over ten minutes to play, Schobesberger again worked space for a cross, again finding Robert Beric, who controlled the ball on his chest with his back to goal, swivelled and as he fell away this time made no mistake, guiding the ball past Altach keeper Kobras to level proceedings - 1:1 (79.) and momentum now with a buoyant Green & White side! Having fought their way back into contention , Rapid now stole ahead as Kobras failed to deal with a shot from Deni Alar, presenting Robert Beric with a gift which he gleefully accepted, tapping into an empty net and turning the game on its head - 2:1 (86.)! With the clock running down there was still time enough for Philipp Schobesberger to net in a sixth consecutive Bundesliga match. In the best move of the game Schobesberger played a one-two with Philipp Prosenik that set him clear through on goal, where he coolly rounded Kobras and slid the ball home to seal a superb come from behind victory - 3:1 (90.). tipico Bundesliga, Match Day 32:SCR Altach - SK Rapid 1:3 (1:0)Cashpoint-Arena, 7.104 Attendance, Ref DrachtaGoals: 1:0 Roth (25.), 1:1 Beric (79.), 1:2 Berich (86.), 1:3 Schobesberger (90.)SCR Altach: Kobras Zech, Zwischenbrugger, Ortiz (82. Gercaliu), Lienhart Schreiner (46. Tajouri), Roth, Prokopic, Salomon Aigner (78. Bodul), Ngwat-MahopSK Rapid: Maric Pavelic, Sonnleitner, M. Hofmann, Schrammel Behrendt (66. Prosenik), Schwab Schobesberger, S. Hofmann (86. Grahovac), Kainz (86. Alar) BericYellow Cards: Zech, Aigner, Prokopic, Ngwat-Mahop Schrammel, M. Hofmann, Pavelic    (gw)
11.05.2015