Before the final home game of the 2013/14 season against Wacker Innsbruck, the sold-out Hanappi bid a fond green & white farewell to a collection of loyal servants: Christopher Trimmel, Branko Boskovic, Stephan Palla, Samuel Radlinger and Lukas Königshofer (not present due to illness) all said an emotional goodbye, as did "Johnny" Ramhapp, and a huge thank you goes out to all of them from everyone at at Club!Terrance Boyd – flying Eagle!However all emotions were then pushed to one side and it was business as usual for Rapid as the game got under way. Visitors Innsbruck needed a win to keep their faint hopes of survival alive, and brought with them a hopeful band of travelling supporters. But Rapid had ambitions of their own, and with designs on second place the Hütteldorfers never gave Wacker a look in, clinically dispatching the Tiroleans and dominating from start to finish. Terrence Boyd fired off a couple of range finders early on (6., 12.), and it wouldn't be long before the American found target: Michael Schimpelsberger, earmarked as Christopher Trimmel's long term replacement, showed great endeavour down the right flank as he beat his marker and crossed to the near post for Boyd, who out-muscled his marker before slamming a bullet header in the back of the net from the edge of the six yard box - 1:0 (34.)! On the stroke of half time the dominant Green & Whites could have doubled their lead when Steffen Hofmann found Guido Burgstaller, who opened his body just a little to much, sending a delicate side footed effort just wide of the target (45.).  Green & Whites in complete commandThings didn't improve much in the second half for the beleaguered guests, for whom Bundesliga football was slipping further and further away. Marcel Sabitzer almost wrapped things up just minutes after the restart, but his goal-bound shot was blocked by a desperate Wacker rearguard (49.). A flicker of hope then sparkled but quickly faded for Innsbruck: substitute Edomwonyi did well to feed the ball along to Milosevic, who found himself one on one with Jan Novota, but the in form Rapid stopper showed all his class in denying the Innsbruck man with a great save - the only one he would be forced to make all afternoon (53). Rapid quickly regained their composure and again began bossing proceedings: Terrence Boyd nearly grabbed his third double in a row, but was denied by the outside of the post after being set up by Guido Burgstaller (59.). Our US striker was proving too hot for Wacker too handle his deft right foot curling effort went just inches wide of the far corner having been set up substitute Louis Schaub following some more flowing Green & White build up play (74.).Rapid young guns using the spaceInnsbruck were now desperately trying to stretch the game, but the Rapid defence, again expertly marshalled by Sonnleitner and Dibon, fended off their weak attacks with ease and it seemed simply a matter of time before the young Hütteldorfer forwards would capitalise on the increasingly wide gaps being presented by the Innsbruck defence. Finally the goal Rapid had been threatening the entire half arrived: the impressive Louis Schaub picked out Marcel Sabitzer on the left hand side of the Innsbruck box, who drove forwards before firing off a low near post shot that beat Wacker keeper Schober through his legs - 2:0 (84.) and game over! Rapid nearly added further goals through Wydra (86.) and Grozurek (88.) but were happy to settle for a convincing two - nil victory and sew up second place in the Bundesliga table - a feat not many had given them a chance of prior to the season...Trainer Zoran Barisic: "Second place was the best we could possibly achieve this season. Salzburg are on a different level and have tremendous potential that they pretty much fulfilled this year. Today was a great performance against an opponent who made our lives difficult. Personally I'm sad to see Innsbruck go down, but I hope they'll be back in the Bundesliga soon."tipp3-Bundesliga, Match Day 35:SK Rapid - Wacker Innsbruck 2:0 (1:0)G. Hanappi-Stadium, 17.200 Attendance (sold out), Ref OuschanGoals: 1:0 Boyd (34.), 2:0 Sabitzer (83.)SK Rapid: Novota - Schimpelsberger, Sonnleitner, Dibon, Schrammel - Behrendt, Wydra - Burgstaller, S. Hofmann (65. Schaub), Sabitzer (88.Grozurek) - Boyd (80. Alar)Wacker Innsbruck: Schober - M. Kofler (67. Schütz), Vucur, Djokic, Schilling - Milosevic, Hauser - Hinterseer (21. Edomwonyi), Jevtic, Wernitznig (80. Vuleta) - GründlerYellow Cards: Schimpelsberger Edomwonyi, Milosevic, Hauser(gw)
05.05.2014