UEL: Early goal goes unrewarded in Zagreb

On matchday 4 of the UEFA Europa League, we traveled away to Zagreb to face GNK Dinamo in the Maksimir Stadium. After winning the home fixture against the record Croatian champions, we aimed to take the three points back home with us this time, too. Unfortunately we had to make the trip without the faithful following of the Green & White fans, but we carried that support with us in spirit, and with that in all our minds, we went for the win!

The starting line-up for Thursday’s game included a few surprises given our injury situation, which was worsened by the fact that Kevin Wimmer & Taxi Fountas weren’t fit in time for the start, and Filip Stojkovic had to miss out with a muscular problem. That meant that Martin Moormann made his debut in the starting XI, in a European game no less! Paul Gartler was in goal, with Maxi Ullmann (on his 100th Rapid appearance), Moormann, Maxi Hofmann and Emanuel Aiwu in defence. Robert Ljubicic and Srdjan Grahovac began in defensive midfield. Marco Grüll, Christoph Knasmüllner and Kelvin Arase were further up, supporting lone-striker Ercan Kara.

On this Europa League evening, our team made just the start that we were looking for. Ljubicic slipped a perfect pass through the defence in to Knasmüllner, who won the foot race before clipping the ball coolly past the home keeper and in off the post! 1-0 (8’)! The hosts weren’t happy, and just four minutes later, a chipped cross from the left teed up an easy header, and Gartler in goal had no chance of the save. 1-1 (12’). Moments later, a clash of heads between Moormann and Aiwu led to a period of treatment, and with the former suffering a nasty cut, he had to be replaced. His starting debut was sadly short-lived, but youngster Leo Querfeld came on to celebrate his own debut on the European stage (21’).

The next phase of the game was tense and evenly matched, until out of nowhere our opponents grabbed a goal, when a pass across the box was tapped in for 2-1 (34’). We had to stay focused and keep pushing on. Shortly before the interval our chance for the equaliser came along; Grüll played a nice free kick in towards Kara, who was agonisingly just millimetres away from getting the vital touch (44’), meaning that we headed for the changing rooms trailing by a goal.

Thorsten Schick came out for the second half in place of Arase, and just five minutes after the restart we had our next chance to level up, alas Kara’s control just deserted him at the last moment (51’). With those two goals to their name, the Croatians held the better cards; the woodwork came to our rescue (63’) before Kara had a go from long range (64’) but ultimately the shot posed little danger. Head Coach Didi Kühbauer looked for some new impetus from the bench, bringing on Thierno Ballo for Grüll, and Koya Kitagawa for Kara (70’).

Ten minutes later, the Japanese striker managed to get across a defender and shoot from a tight angle, yet the keeper was able to keep the ball out at his near post (80’). The next change in Green & White saw yet another debutant enter the fray, as Denis Bosnjak made his first senior appearance when he replaced Grahovac (81’). Our opponents’ next set piece all but sealed the result though, as they swung a ball in which was headed home for 3-1 (84’). We never truly threatened after that point, and therefore that was how the score line looked at the final whistle.

Despite taking an early lead and putting up a brave showing, our boys couldn’t bring home any points from Zagreb, but there’s not much time to dwell on that, as we face form team WAC in the Bundesliga on Sunday. Heads up lads, let’s stick together and keep going!

Fotos: GEPA