Deni Alar returned for the first time to face his former employers and found himself in the starting 11, playing on the left wing in place of suspended Christopher Drazan as Peter Schöttel opted for 4-2-3-1 formation. Alar’s first action of game was to pick up a yellow card from referee Hameter for handball. Overzealous referee Hameter had brandished his card no less than 4 times in the opening 13 minutes. Newly appointed home trainer Thomas von Heesen, over-seeing his first game from the Kapfenberg dugout, had obviously managed to motivate his aggressive side, as they competed fiercely in the opening stages. Hofmann injuredSteffen Hofmann received a heavy blow to the head in a 50-50 with Gangert and was forced to leave the field. The Rapid captain’s eye was badly swollen as he headed to the treatment room, forward Rene Gartler took his place on the pitch. Königshofer denied Michael Gregoritsch in the 30th minute as the hosts manufactured the first clear opportunity of the afternoon. Rene Gartler then spurned a one on one opportunity for Rapid and the half time whistle went with the game still deadlocked. Constant pressure on Kapfenberg reargaurdThe second half got underway with Rapid pushing their lowly opponents onto the back foot and taking a stranglehold on the game. Just 18 seconds after the restart, Burgstaller found himself with a presentable opportunity but he was foiled by a last gasp clearance by Mavric. In the 50th minute Nuhiu and Prager combined beautifully to lay on a glorious opportunity for sub Gartler but his effort was repelled. Burgstaller again tried his luck just minutes later but his effort struck the outside of the post much to the frustration of the travelling band of supporters from Vienna. In the 68th minute, keeper Wolf somehow managed to deny first Gartler and then Alar as the Green-Whites really began to turn the screw. Salihi came on Nuhiu in the 70th minute and nearly had an immediate impact, but Gartler fired over following the Albanian’s lay off. Despite wave after wave of Rapid attacks, KSV nearly snatched the lead in the 84th minute through an Elsneg shot. In the 88th minute it looked like the pressure had finally told: Wolf was motionless as Salihi turned a Burgstaller cross onto the crossbar. The ball cannoned to safety and with it went Rapid’s hopes of securing the three points. Despite the failure to claim the victory, the match meant Rapid extended their unbeaten run to seven games - their sights now firmly fixed on a championship push. tipp3-Bundesliga, 17. Matchday:Kapfenberger SV - SK Rapid 0:0Franz-Fekete-Stadion, 3.500 Attendance, Referee HameterSV Kapfenberg: R. Wolf - Pitter, Mavric, Taboga, Prettenthaler - Elsneg, Spirk (72. Gucher), Erkinger, Felfernig (90. Sencar) - Tieber (46. Hüttenbrenner), GregoritschSK Rapid: Königshofer - Thonhofer, Sonnleitner, Pichler, Katzer - Kulovits, Prager - Burgstaller, Hofmann (28. Gartler), Alar - Nuhiu (71. Salihi)Yellow Cards: Taboga, Tieber, Erkinger, Spirk bzw. Alar, Kulovits, Thonhofer, Pichler, G. Burgstaller(gw)
15.12.2011