The last two Derby's had both finished 0:0 and weren't classic performances by any stretch, but Sunday's display was immeasurably poorer. Rapid struggled to get any sort of foothold in the game from start to finish and were exposed by the efficient guests from Favoriten. Goals from Kienast (2) and Simkovic sealed a comfortable victory and a score line that few in the Green & White half of the city would deny was reflective of proceedings. Defensive problemsThe opening stages of the game were in keeping with what one might expect from a Derby: interrupted passages of passing, supplemented by ferocious tackles and full blooded 50-50's. In the blazing heat, the sell out crowd were given little to get excited about in the way of goalmouth action. A couple of speculative Drazan shots were the best either side could muster. A defensive blunder in the 39th minute handed the crucial breakthrough the visitors on a plate: Kulovits attempted to shepard the ball out for a goal kick in his own penalty area, but the ball never had enough momentum and was kept in play by the guests, an accurate low ball found Kienast who easily stabbed home from close range to give the Violets the lead. Kienast then doubled Austria's advantage not long after half time: unmarked about 5 yards from goal, the big forward had the freedom of the Hanappi as he headed home a gentle Vrsic cross for an extremely simple goal that virtually sealed the points in the 51st minute. Hit on the counterLukas Königshofer was all that was stopping Austria adding to their tally: the Rapid keeper pulled off an excellent from Vrsic in the 60th minute to keep the Hütteldorfers only two adrift. The Green & Whites were labouring, attempting to create chances to get back into the game, and were being easily picked off on the counter attack. Königshofer was having a busy afternoon as he was tested again by Kienast in the 70th minute, and then just two minutes later by a Suttner free kick. He was powerless though in the 82nd minute as the third finally arrived: Simkovic rounding off a swift counter attack after being set up by the impressive Kienast. Steffen Hofmann almost grabbed an 87th minute consolation but it was all academic. A painful, yet deserved 0:3 home defeat was confirmed as the referee put the suffering Hanappi crowd out of their misery with the full time whistle. Rapid will need to show a markedly improved performance if they have a chance of turning round Thursday's Europa League qualifier against Novi Sad: a similar performance will result in an early exit from the European arena. tipp3-Bundesliga, 3rd round:SK Rapid - FK Austria 0:3 (0:1)Gerhard Hanappi-Stadion, 17.000, Referee GrobelnikGoals: 0:1 Kienast (38.), 0:2 Kienast (52.), 0:3 Simkovic (83.)SK Rapid: Königshofer - Trimmel, Sonnleitner, Gerson, Katzer - Kulovits (61. Prager), Ildiz (73. Heikkinen) - Hofmann, Alar, Drazan (60. Burgstaller) - BoydAustria: Lindner - Dilaver, Rogulj, Ortlechner, Suttner - Vrsic (65. Mader), Holland, Simkovic - Gorgon (72. Stankovic), Kienast, Jun (85. Murg)Yellow Cards: Simkovic, Jun  (gw)
08.08.2012