Crowds flooded back into the stands in the Hanappi Stadium for the encounter with SV Ried following the game behind closed doors against Admira. The Hütteldorfers looked to pick up where they left off against Spaniards Valencia and got straight on the front foot. Ried keeper Gebauer was called into action early doors as Rapid threatened to run riot. Ried represented the toughest challenge of the season so far for the Green & Whites and began living up to their billing after being on the back foot for the opening 15 minutes. Nacho fired a warning shot for the visitors before after Payer was on top form to deny the visitors an opening goal. Nuhiu tried to hit back for the hosts, while Steffen Hofmann also threatened from long range. Rapid wrestled back the initiative and all that was required to cap a fine passage of play was the vital break through goal. All square at half timeThe visitors survived the Rapid barrage and came more and more into the game into the lead up to half time. Half chances came and went for both teams, who returned to the dressing room following a goalless 45 minutes. Rapid again flew out of the blocks at the start of the second half: Salihi just failed to get the necessary purchase on a header from a Steffen Hofmann cross. The impressive Gebauer then foiled a classy Nuhiu solo run as the Upper Austrians backline again began to creak under intense Rapid pressure. On the hour mark Schöttel sent on young forward Deni Alar in place of Salihi. Just a minute after the change Helge Payer was on top form to deny a goal bound effort from Casanova. The longer the score line remained goalless, the more the visitors grew in confidence. The illusive goal would surely have opened the floodgates, but by contrast the lack of an opener saw Ried grow ever more dangerous. Drazan entered the fray with a little over 15 minutes to play as the tension grew around the Stadium. With the game firmly in the balance just two minutes from time, Alar appeared to be hauled to the floor in the penalty area. Referee Einnwaller remained unmoved and the breakthrough goal and subsequent three points eluded the Green & Whites. Results elsewhere mean that Rapid keep their early lead at the top of the Bundesliga despite coach Peter Schöttel’s 100% start coming to a premature end. Tipp3-Bundesliga, 3rd round:SK Rapid - SV Ried 0:0Hanappi-Stadion, 13.000, Referee EinwallerSK Rapid: Payer - Sonnleitner, Pichler, Soma, Schrammel - Heikkinen - Trimmel (74. Drazan), Hofmann (79. Prager), Prokopic - Nuhiu, Salihi (61. Alar)SV Ried: Gebauer - Reifeltshammer, Glasner (25. Karner), Riegler - Hadzic, Mader, Basala-Mazana - Nacho, Carril (73. Lexa), Royer - Guillem (55. Casanova)Yellow Cards: Nuhiu, Drazan bzw. Royer (gw)
02.08.2011