With only two points collected from the previous two encounters against Admira, the Hütteldorfers set about looking to rectify the recent poor run against their southern neighbours right from the kick off. An expectant 16,000 strong crowd was in attendance for the game, which represented the club's 150th appearance as the home side at the Ernst-Happel-Stadium, as a Rapid side minus the services of the injured Dominik Wydra looked to get on the front foot. With the Green & Whites so much in the ascendancy it appeared to be only a matter of time until the breakthrough arrived.Lacking the clinical touch in front of goalThe first efforts from of the afternoon came in the form of shots from Thanos Petsos (5.) and Mario Sonnleitner (8.) as Rapid applied early pressure on the Mödling back line. A string of corners resulted from a continuous wave of attacks, but somehow the Admira goal continued to lead a charmed life. One sweeping attacking move culminated in a searching effort from Steffen Hofmann that crept just wide of the far upright, whilst just minutes after Florian Kainz lashed the ball into the side netting (17.). The chances continued to flow thick and fast: Louis Schaub nearly found the crucial break through when he met a bouncing ball with a header (19.), before Steffen Hofmann again fired off a shot from distance (21.). Incredibly the deadlock remained in tact going into half time, despite further efforts from Petsos, Stefan Schwab and Christopher Dibon adding to a shot count of 12:0 in Rapid's favour.A different game unfolds in the second halfThe second half began in similar fashion to the first, and it looked like a helping hand from Admira might finally yield the deserved breakthrough: Mödling man Windbichler nearly put through his own net with a mis-cued back pass that nearly deceived the Admira keeper (54.). However, as the half wore on the one sided nature of the contest began to dissipate as the visitors finally established a foot hold in the game.Incredibly Admira nearly snatched all three points in what would have been a classic smash and grab, when Stephan Auer headed a cross from Bajrami, on loan from Rapid, onto the cross bar (79.). Zoran Barisic threw caution to the wind with a late triple substitution, introducing Starkl, Grozurek and Schobesberger, but the game remained goalless and Rapid were left wondering how victory had eluded them.Trainer Zoran Barisic: "We saw two different halves. We were good in the first half, put a lot in, but unfortunately didn't make use of our openings. In the second half we struggled to hit our stride and Admira managed to stabilise themselves and became more dangerous as a result. Therefore 0:0 seems ok. That we couldn't get in front was decisive."tipico Bundesliga, Match Day 12:SK Rapid - Admira Wacker 0:0Ernst-Happel-Stadium, 15.200 Attendance, Ref OuschanSK Rapid: Novota - Pavelic, Sonnleitner, Dibon, Schrammel - Petsos, Schwab (86./Schobesberger) - Schaub (68./Starkl), S. Hofmann, F. Kainz (76./Grozurek) - BericAdmira: Leitner - Zwierschitz, Windbichler, Schößwendter, Katzer (46./Bajrami), Wessely - Lackner (81./Ouedraogo), Auer, Knasmüllner (66./R. Schicker), Ebner - SulimaniYellow Cards: Kainz, Petsos Ebner, Katzer, Bajrami, Schicker(gw)
21.10.2014