With the traveling support of 2,100 Rapid fans our side headed westwards for the first fixture of the new tipico Bundesliga season, away to reigning champions and Champions League hopefuls Red Bull Salzburg. Despite losing trainer Roger Schmidt to Bayer Leverkusen, Salzburg had the luxury of fielding the same 11 that had proved so successful last season. Rapid, by contrast, went into the game with a new look starting 11 with new signings on the bench that have had little time to adjust to their new surroundings. What looked a difficult assignment on paper proved to be just that.Rapid hold their own for the first half hourThe opening minutes saw Salzburg pepper Jan Novota's goal, with the big Rapid keeper needing to be on top of his game to keep the hosts at bay. He was first called into action to repel a Soriano free kick (4.), before dashing out to whip the ball off Sadio Mane's foot as the Red Bull man bore own on goal (9.). After seeing off the early wave of attacks, the Hütteldorfers got their foot on the ball and started playing some football of their own, utilising space down the flanks. On the half hour mark Rapid fashioned their first good opportunity when Steffen Hofmann, capitalising on a loose pass, played a swift on-two with Louis Schaub who fired just wide of the target from an inviting position (28.). Lukas Grozurek had a clear sight of goal, but fired over from close range when he could could of put the Green & Whites one up (29.). If Rapid were lacking a ruthless streak in front of goal, the same couldn't be said of Salzburg who quickly punished the Hütteldorfer's profligacy: Ulmer broke forwards into the penalty area and beat Jan Novota at the first time of asking - 1:0 (30.). Things got worse for Barisic's side shortly before the break when Alan tapped in a sitter having been set up by Ulmer - 2:0 (40.). Thanos Petsos tested Red Bull keeper Gulacsi with a wicked free kick on the stroke of half time, but the scoreline remained 2:0 to Salzburg giving Rapid a mountain to climb in the second half.Second half capitulationSteffen Hofmann had the chance to reduce the arrears shortly after the break when he was picked out by a pin point cross from Thomas Schrammel, but with the ball bouncing at an awkward height the Rapid skipper fired narrowly over the cross bar (48.). With the chance went Rapid's faint hopes of getting back into the game as Salzburg stepped up a gear and began to pull the Viennese defence all over the place. The third goal arrived in the 69th minute as the impressive Kampl crossed for the unmarked Mane to head the ball home from close range. With little over 15 minutes to go the game took on a farcical look with every Salzburg foray into Rapid territory looking likely to yield a goal. Soriano bagged goal number four when he curled a stylish low shot past Novota from long range (77.) the same player made it five just two minutes later with a free kick. The rout was complete in the 84th minute as Salzburg added a 6th goal that summer up Rapid's capitulation at the back as Kampl jinked past a weak attempt at tackling from the weary Max Hofmann before curling a sublime finish beyond the reach of Novota into the top right hand corner. Steffen Hofmann scored an injury time penalty after substitute Philipp Schobesberger was felled by Ankersen, but the consolation strike did little to mask the gulf in class between the teams.Trainer Zoran Barisic: "During half time we decided to press on with our attacking football in search of a goal to get us back in the game. But after the 3:0 Salzburg really hit their stride. We have to accept the defeat and simply play better in the future. The defeat didn't need to be so heavy. We had chances of our own which we simply had to make use of.“tipico Bundesliga, Matchday 1RB Salzburg - SK Rapid 6:1 (2:0)Red-Bull-Arena, 19.801 Attendance, Ref HarkamGoals: 1:0 Ulmer (30.), 2:0 Alan (40.), 3:0 Mane (69.), 4:0 Soriano (77.), 5:0 Soriano (79.), 6:0 Kampl (84.), 6:1 S. Hofmann (92./Pen)RB Salzburg: Gulacsi - Schwegler (75./Ankersen), Schiemer (55./Ramalho), Hinteregger, Ulmer - Kampl, Leitgeb, Ilsanker (65./Sabitzer), Mane - Alan, SorianoSK Rapid: Novota - M. Hofmann, Sonnleitner, Dibon, Schrammel - Petsos, Schwab (57./Wydra) - S. Hofmann, Schaub (75./Beric), Grozurek (67./Schobesberger) - AlarYellow Cards: Schwegler, Kampl, Ankersen M. Hofmann, Schwab, Schrammel(gw)
21.07.2014