Competitive football got under way at the Hannapi on thursday evening in the shape of a Europa League qualifier agianst Lithuanian side FK Suduva. The green whites were looking to finish the job after a solid 2 – 0 victory in the first leg.Captain Steffen Hofmann missed out through injury as Pacult opted for a 4-5-1 formation, with Christopher Drazan coming into the starting line up. Hannes Eder and Jurgen Patocka continued their partnership in the heart of the defence with Mario Sonnleitner not recovering in time following his head injury in Innsbruck. New signing Saurer again took his place on the bench.Rapid were forced into an early change as Veli Kavlak went down under a heavy challenge from Kozyuberda who earned a yellow card for his troubles. Kavlak returned gingerly to the fray after receiving treatment for an extended period but only lasted a matter of minutes before being replaced by new boy Saurer. Despite receiving a mixed reception due to his „previous ties“ Saurer started a free flowing move and nearly converted after getting on the end of a Trimmel cross on 12 minutes.  Suduva keeper Valincius made a complete howler on 20 minutes from a routine back pass and Jelavic stole in to make it 1 – 0 on the night and virtually kill the tie as a contest. The gloveman failed to clear the ball and fell over allowing Jelavic to round him and tap into an empty net. It was a real blow to the spritely visitors who had made a positive start in the opening period.The visitors mustered their first goal threat on 26 minutes as a low left foot shot from Grigaitis tested Hedl in the Rapid goal. Nikica Jelavic had a penalty shout turned down on 32 minutes. The forward showed quick feet to beat his man with a silky turn before driving into the box and being upended by a tough challenge. Referee Simunovic waived appeals away and signalled a corner.It proved to the last meaningful action of the first half as Rapid saw the remaining time out with a minum of fuss. The green whites, marshalled superbly by stand in skipper Heikinnen, looked in complete control and very comfortable sat on a three goal lead.Rapid were quick out of the blocks in the second half. Saurer fed the ball into Jelavic on the edge of the box who in turn laid it off to the lurking Heikinnen. The finn´s powerful drive just cleared the bar with only two second half minutes played.The visitors picked up their second booking of the evening on 51 mins as Skroblas went through the back of Chrisotpher Drazan rather unceremoniously. Pacult introduced Thomas Hinum on the hour mark in place of Yasin Pehlivan. The popular combative midfielder left to generous applause from the 11,800 onlookers in the Hannapi stadium. Tanju Kayhan picked up a yellow card for a late challenge in the 67th minute. Suduva grabbed a lifeline in the 70th minute. A would be Rapid counter attack broke down and Chao swung a long ball out to the right flank for Grigaitis. The Suduva man drove forwards and his deflected shot beat Hedl high in the roof of the net to give the visitors renewed hope.Rapid´s task was made a bit easier in the 77th mniute as Skroblas picked up a second yellow for a lunge on Katzer and the visitors were reduced to 10 men.It was the visitors who posed the next threat however, the newly introduced Beniusis nearly forced a shooting chance in the Rapid box before Eder interviened to clear the ball for a corner. The plucky visitors agian proved a threat again with 10 minutes to play as a long range Grande effort had Hedl worried but just went past the upright. Pacult responded to the dip in Rapid momentum by introducing Gartler for Drazan as the team shifted to a 4-4-2 formation. The unthinkable became a distinct possibility in the 85th minute when the hosts snatched an unlikely second. Substitute Beniusis broke clear of a static backline and calmly lifted the ball over Hedl to set up a potentially nervy last five minutes. The visiotrs now lead 2 – 1 on the night and trailed by a single goal on aggregate.Any thoughts of a potential upset were extinguised just a minute later as Gartler sealed the aggreagte victory, getting on the end of a Trimmel cross and finishing from close range. It was Rene Gartler again who seized the moment to wrap things up with a fine solo effort. The young forward beat the last defender in a 1 on 1 situation before firing a powerful drive low into the net. The battered visitors were all at sea as Hinum then picked up the ball and drove at the beleagured defence. He sucked in the last man expertly and laid off to Jelavic to add some gloss to a slightly lopsided scoreline.In the end Rapid secured safe passage through to the next round. Pacults side were made to work harder than the tactician would have liked and were pushed all the way by the plucky minnows from Lithuania. Next up is Wiener Neustadt at home on saturday and a different challenge all together. The Hütteldorfers will be looking to bounce back from last weekends disappointment in Tirol and get their Bundesliga campaign up and running. Rapid - Suduva Marijampole 4:2 (1:0)Hanappi-Stadium, 11.800, SR Ante Vucemilovic-Simunovic (CRO)Goals: 1:0 Jelavic (20.), 1:1 Grigaitis (70.), 1:2 Beniusis (85.), 2:2 Gartler (86.), 3:2 Gartler (89.), 4:2 Jelavic (90.)Rapid: Hedl - Kayhan, Eder, Patocka, Katzer - Heikkinen, Pehlivan (60./Hinum) - Trimmel, Kavlak (9./Saurer), Drazan (82./Gartler) - Jelavic Marijampole: Valincius - Skroblas, Radzius, Leimonas, Valaitis - Urbsys (55./Luksys), Kosjuberda, Grande, Slavickas (66./Liu Chao) - Gogberaschwili - Grigaitis (73./Beniusis) (gw)
31.08.2015