UEL: Job done in Dublin! Three points on the road

Our away game against Dundalk FC took place in Dublin's Aviva Stadium, and the aim of our trip was clear: to come back from Ireland with three points. In reality, it’s the only result that would do if we wanted to stay in with a realistic shout of getting through Europa League Group B. The line up was attack minded, with a focus on preventing the unexpected drama of the home game which had finished 4-3 in Hütteldorf. Marcel Ritzmaier missed out with a knock, so in came Kelvin Arase with Taxi Fountas joining him in attack, and Filip Stojkovic starting further back. The major surprise though, was that Melih Ibrahimoglu began on the left side of Rapid’s 3-5-2.

If we wanted to avoid any nasty surprises we would need an accomplished performance, and that’s exactly what our boys brought to the field. The dream start was ensured when Christoph Knasmüllner had the time to take aim from 30 yards out, lashing the ball into the top corner for a stunning opener, and consolidating his good run of scoring form: 1-0 (11’)! That tactic appeared to be our best weapon against the combative Dundalk, for the first half at least. Fountas also had a good go from range but saw his shot parried (18’), before Ercan Kara fired a free kick from 35 yards which took a wicked deflection and asked a lot of Rogers in the Dundalk goal (29’). 

Our dominance did pay off again before the break though, as a Thorsten Schick cross was right on point for Kara's towering header to extend the lead (37’). It was a 2-0 advantage that we fully deserved at half time, after allowing the hosts virtually no attacking opportunities in the first 45.

In the second half Dundalk received a rather strange lifeline in the game when some deep defensive passing went astray from Rapid, resulting in a collision and a soft penalty for the hosts out of nothing. Oduwa stepped up, and luckily for us, put the spot kick wide (49’). A Dundalk goal would have made it well and truly “game on”, yet instead a counter attack saw Schick feeding a low ball across to Kara, who turned back in the D and launched a beautiful curling strike into the top corner to give us a three goal cushion (58’).

In a manner reminiscent of the home leg against Dundalk, the Irish side then had a second penalty awarded just five minutes later. This time, Shields did find the net to reduce the deficit (63’), but in truth, a comeback never looked likely. Our boys saw out the game solidly, allowing little at the back, and almost adding to the scoreline. Schick had a shot blocked and Koya Kitagawa's follow-up effort was also blocked, but the deflection forced a good save (77’). Knasmüllner attempted to add his second with a set piece, but his shot was too central (79’), and so 3-1 it remained: a result that kept us in the race, and notched up the confidence ahead of Sunday's Vienna Derby! 

Photos: GEPA Pictures.

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