What could be seen as the most important game of the year took place on Thursday in front of 21,000 fans in the Ernst-Happel-Stadium. The Green & White supporters created a hellish atmosphere for guests HJK Helsinki ahead of this decisive UEFA Europa League qualifier second leg, driving our team forwards for what we all hoped would be another glory night for the club.Dream startAn energised Rapid team flew out of the blocks at their Finnish opponents and set about levelling the aggregate score with the backing of the now famous vociferous Viennese support. Brian Behrendt fired off a couple of long range warning shots (3., 5.), and it didn't take long before the early pressure told: Florian Kainz gathered in a weak clearance from HJK keeper Doblas, before feeding the ball into Robert Beric inside the penalty. In turn Beric controlled the ball beautifully before picking out Louis Schaub who dispatched the ball into the net with a controlled left footed finish (10.). Rapid now led the tie on away goals. The goal celebrations ringing round the stadium had barely subsided before Doblas was again picking the ball out of the net: it was again Kainz who started the move with a powerful run to the edge of the penalty area before Stefan Schwab took over, laying the ball of to Schaub who found the top corer with a stunning strike - 2:0 and Rapid were powering away from their wobbling opponents (13.).Immediate response from the FinnsHowever in the middle of the celebrations, Helsinki hit back almost immediately: the Hütteldorfers failed to clear a header from a corner that fell perfectly to Kadji to stab home - 2:1 and the tie level (15.). Savage nearly put the Finns ahead in the tie and level on the night with a header that went just the wrong side of the post (24.), as HJK made it perfectly clear they were not here to make up the numbers and had their own designs on reaching the group stages. The rest of the half played out with Rapid in the ascendancy, but the half time whistle went with the score 2:1 on the night and 3:3 on aggregate. The tie was on a knife edge and another goal for the visitors would have dire consequences for Rapid.The Green & Whites emerged for the re-start without the services of the injured Brian Behrendt, who was replaced by Dominik Wydra during the interval. It was Wydra who had the first shot of the second half a long ranger that missed the far corner by a matter of inches (49.). Rapid then almost benefitted from a mix up in the opponents defence when a miscommunication between keeper Doblas and a team mate saw the ball almost creep across the line (52.). Soon afterwards Wydra again tried his luck with another shot, drawing a good save from Doblas (56.). Nerves appeared to be creeping into both teams, as the Rapid back line then almost gifted Helsinki a goal after a misjudged long ball sent Savage through on goal, luckily Jan Novota rescued the situation, turning the shot away with his foot (62.).Late goals seal Rapid's fateDespite the raucous support of the crowd going into the final fifteen minutes, it was HJK who dealt out a hammer blow: Alho bent a curling free kick from just outside the area over the wall and into the bottom left hand corner - 2:2 (76.) and suddenly Rapid were faced with the prospect of having to score twice in the last fifteen minutes as the Finns went a goal ahead on aggregate with their second away goal. With just two minutes remaining of the ninety, Pavelic and Demba Savage appeared to be tugging on each others shirts in the Hütteldorfer penalty area, the referee rather harshly awarded a penalty and Savage stepped up to convert the spot kick himself - 2:3 (3:5) and the dream was over. Dominik Wydra restored a little pride, scoring late on from distance to ensure the match finished 3:3 (93.), but it was scant consolation for Rapid, whose fate had long been sealed. The final word went to an opponent, Markus Heikinnen, who said: "I am also a bit sad, because I know what this exit means for Rapid."Trainer Zoran Barisic: "We're all bitterly disappointed as we haven't achieved our biggest target. I can't lay the blame at any individual's door. We executed our plan but we just weren't able to see it through. Unfortunately we conceded goals that at this level you cannot afford. All three goals came through set pieces and now we have to learn how to cope with this disappointment."UEFA Europa League, Play Off Second Leg:SK Rapid - HJK Helsinki 3:3 (2:1)Ernst-Happel-Stadion, 21.100 Attendance, Ref Lannoy (FRA)Goals: 1:0 Schaub (10.), 2:0 Schaub (13.), 2:1 Kandji (15.), 2:2 Alho (77.), 2:3 Savage (88./Pen), 3:3 Wydra (94.)SK Rapid: Novota - Pavelic, Sonnleitner, M. Hofmann, Schrammel - Schwab, Behrendt (46./Wydra) - Schaub, S. Hofmann (73./Pestos), F. Kainz (79./Starkl) - BericHelsinki: Doblas - Sorsa, Heikkinen, Moren, Lampi - Tainio, Schüller (68./Zeneli) - Alho, Lod, Savage - Kandji (88./Perovuo)Yellow Cards: Schwab, Pavelic Schüller, Doblas, Alho, Perovuo(gw)
01.09.2014