Saturday's game was a clash between the sides currently occupying third and second place in the Bundesliga respectively. Rapid went into the game looking to cut the Salzburg side's narrow advantage as the race for European football enters the final stretch. Experienced duo Steffen Hofmann and Branko Boskovic missed out through suspension, so it was a youthful Green & White eleven that took to the field for the crunch encounter.Period of sustained pressureThe early phase of the game was a stop-start affair as a string of free kicks interrupted the flow and the tempo. Most of the set pieces were conceded by a Grödig side looking to assert a physical presence, and despite good quality deliveries from Thanos Petsos, the early dead ball situations failed to yield a clear sight of goal. Rapid finally settled into a rhythm and shots on goal began to flow. The influential Guido Burgstaller, deployed in the right forward position, received the ball, drove into the Grödig box and displaying great vision cut the ball back for Marcel Sabitzer whose low show went just the wrong side of the near post (15.). Burgstaller was the architect of Rapid's next effort on goal: on receiving a deep free kick from Petsos on the right of the penalty box he drove forwards, beating three Grödig defenders with a combination of determination and skill before shot just wide of the near upright (22.).The next opportunity was fashioned for Burgstaller by Marcel Sabitzer, who picked out his forward partner with a delicate ball with the outside of the boot. Burgstaller took the shot on early, pulling his effort across the keeper from the edge of the box, getting too much on it and missing the target by two or three yards (25.). Next up was Christopher Trimmel who burst forward and fired of a rasping drive from Burgstaller's cut back that fully extended visiting goalkeeper Stankovic, who did well to turn the ball behind for a corner (27.). Rapid didn't manage to capitalise on an excellent period of pressure and Groedig, who failed to trouble Novota at all in the first half, rode out the storm. No further chances followed and the half time whistle went with the dead lock still in tact.  Glorious chance in the dying embersThe second half was a similar story to the first, and although Rapid didn't manage to find the tempo they had displayed in the midway point of the first period, chances continued to come - and go. A weak left footed effort from a great position inside the penalty area from Louis Schaub represented the first opportunity of the second half (52.), while Burgstaller blazed wide minutes later (56.). A deflected shot from Terrence Boyd then caused a goal mouth scramble, with the ball inches from the line Sabitzer was unable to force it home (62.). The Hütteldorfers were again well on top but couldn't find the crucial breakthrough.  After withstanding another period of Rapid pressure, Grödig finally managed to fashion a chance of their own: Dieter Elsneg jostled for a high cross with Mario Sonnleitner, the ball dropped back onto the penalty spot and with the goal at his mercy Taxiarchis Fountas lost all composure and blazed well over Jan Novota's crossbar (65.). That was good as it got for the guests as Rapid again camped out in the attacking third. With the minutes ticking away it looked like the Green & Whites would snatch a deserved victory: from close range and from a tight angle, Burgstaller lashed a left footed effort against the inside of the near post, the ball found its way across the six yard box to Boyd who couldn't guide the ball into the unprotected net but agonisingly hit the outside of the other post (87.). With the chance went Rapid's hopes of reeling in Grödig and second place in the Bundesliga table.tipp3-Bundesliga, Match Day 24:SK Rapid - SV Grödig 0:0G. Hanappi-Stadium, 11.200 Attendance, Ref EisnerSK Rapid: Novota - Trimmel, Sonnleitner, Dibon, Schrammel - Petsos, Wydra (89./Pavelic) - Burgstaller, Schaub (69./Alar), Sabitzer (78./Starkl) - BoydGrödig: C. Stankovic - Hart, Karner, Maak, Martschinko (63./Strobl) - Nutz (67./Tschernegg), Perchtold - Fountas, Tomi, Boller (21./Huspek) - Elsneg(gw)
25.02.2014