Zoran Barisic turned to experience for the do or die Europa League showdown in Kiev. With Trimmel once more available the back four of Schrammel, Dibon, Sonnleitner and Trimmel had a familiar and solid look about it. In midfield Branko Boskovic and Thanos Petsos formed the anchor for the creative trio of Steffen Hofmann, Marcel Sabitzer and Guido Burgstaller. Europa League hot shot Terrence Boyd was up front in the lone striker role.A dream startA confident and stylish Rapid took to the field and their early fluidity lead to the dream start: Sabitzer picked up a loose ball in midfield after a Kiev move broke down, drove forward and sent Guido Burgstaller into the left hand side of the penalty area with a clever reverse pass. Burgstaller looked up and picked out a great front post run by Terrence Boyd, the American turned the ball into the net at the near post with a calm side footed finish - 0:1 Rapid and the dream was on!The goal aside it was a great start from the Hütteldorfers who were showing plenty of menace on their forward forays, with Guido Burgstaller in particular looking to have the measure of the Kiev right back. But as one would expect from an opposition including names such as Gusiev, Belhanda and Veloso, Dynamo also looked threatening going forwards. Vukojevic missed a great chance for the Ukrainians, their first clear sight of goal of the evening, shooting over from about 8 yards (15.). The chance signalled a change in momentum with Rapid dropping deeper into their own defensive third and conceding the first 10-15 yards of their own half. The period of pressure paid off handsomely for the hosts as they drew level with a goal that will have disappointed Zoki Barisic: a inconspicuous looking cross drifted into the box, Mario Sonnleitner couldn't get anything onto it as it came to Lens at the back post who easily beat off Trimmel's weak challenge before beating Jan Novota with a simple finish - 1:1 and Rapid's good early work undone (22.). Matters got worse for the Green & Whites just minutes later when a chipped ball played Brown into the left hand side of the penalty area where he got the better of Dibon, crossed to the back post to Gusiev who swept home a volley to put Dynamo ahead on the night - 2:1 and Rapid now in need of two goals. Another goal would surely put the Ukrainians out of reach and but for excellent last ditch defending from Sonnleitner against Belhanda they might well have found it (32.).Chances for HofmannDespite the home side applying serious pressure to the Rapid goal there was definitely still something in the game for the Hütteldorfers, and this point was in evidence as Steffen Hofmann passed up a fantastic opportunity to equalise. Another smart move involving Sabitzer and Burgstaller saw the ball arrive with the Rapid Captain with space well inside the box. Hofmann struck a well hit shot low and hard across the keeper who managed to keep the ball out with his feet (35.). It was a sign, if one was needed, that Rapid had the quality to trouble the Kiev defence and were very much still in with a shout. More chances came the way of the hosts but luckily Jan Novota was alert and denied the on rushing Gusiev (37.), before Brown fired over from a good position whilst one on one with Mario Sonnleitner (40). But the last word of the half went to the intrepid Green & Whites as a huge chance again fell to Steffen Hofmann. A pin point ball out wide from Boskovic found the impressive Burgstaller, who, with a cool head, looked up and picked out Hofmann on the edge of the box. With what seemed all the time in the world Hofmann steadied himself and struck a true ball that went too central and was again denied by Shovkovskiy (41.). The half time whistle went with the score at 2:1 but in an end to end game all was still to play for. It seemed that the next goal could prove crucial: with Rapid's promising football and creative attacking play a second could really fire up the Austrian record champions but a goal for Kiev could well put them out of sight - and the danger was ever present that they might be able to exploit gaps at the back as Rapid would inevitably have to risk more and more as the game went on.Battling Rapid succumb to the thirdThe dreaded third goal nearly arrived for Kiev directly following the re-start: a poor touch from Sonnleitner conceded possession to Belhanda, who weaved past Jan Novota before cutting the ball back to Yarmolenko who somehow put the ball wide with the goal at his mercy (47.). A narrow escape for the Green & Whites. Rapid found life much tougher going in the second half, which largely failed to provide the drama and excitement of the first. Now with the lead the Ukrainians seemed much more confident, compact and in control, with Rapid struggling to impose themselves on Kiev with Terrance Boyd attempting to feed off scraps. Having brought on Dominik Starkl for Sabitzer at half time, Barisic had his last throw of the dice in the 70th minute when he made a double sub, bringing on Behrendt for Boskovic and Schaub for Hofmann in the hope that youth could stem the tide. Unfortunately the youngsters had barely taken their place on the pitch when Kiev struck the killer third: a free kick on the edge of the Rapid penalty area was taken by Portuguese ace Miguel Veloso, who floated a perfect curling free kick beyond Jan Novota and into the back of the net - 3:1 and the dream over. Predictably the third goal for Dynamo knocked the stuffing out of Rapid who but for a great save by Novota from a curling Belhanda effort (78.) could have fallen further behind. With their opponents on the ropes and out of breath Kiev substitute Dudu missed yet another glorious chance to add some gloss to the scoreline but by that point it had become somewhat immaterial (87.).Brave effort in front of incredible fansIt was a brave effort from the Green & Whites, who spurred on by the incredible support of over 1,100 travelling Viennese gave Kiev a real scare in the first half and deserved better than the 2:1 half time scoreline. The second half proved a bridge too far and the European adventure for 2013/14 was finally extinguished. Few will point to tonight as the deciding day in Group G in the two games against Genk Rapid proved that they can compete at this level and those games could quite easily of yielded two victories. The opening day set back in Thun made life difficult for the Huetteldorfers, who were always playing catch up against some quality teams from that point.This season's Euro campaign has been littered with great moments for this young squad and will have brought the them further along in their long term development. The team can now focus their attentions on the Bundesliga, having given the amazing Green & White fans yet more reasons to be proud of the club.UEFA Europa League:Gruppe G, Matchday 6Dynamo Kiew - Rapid Wien 3:1 (2:1)Olympiastadion, 18.750 Attendance, Referee Kuipers (NED)Goals: 0:1 Boyd (6.), 1:1 Lens (22.), 2:1 Gusew (28.), 3:1 Veloso (70.)Dynamo Kiew: Schowkowski - Gusew, Chatscheridi, Dragovic, Makarenko - Vukojevic, Veloso - Jarmolenko, Belhanda (83./Bezus), Lens (71./Dudu) - IdeyeSK Rapid: Novota - Trimmel, Sonnleitner, Dibon, Schrammel - Petsos, Boskovic (68./Behrendt) - Hofmann (69./Schaub), Burgstaller, Sabitzer (46./Starkl) - BoydYellow Cards: Jarmolenko bzw. Trimmel, Boyd (gw)
13.12.2013