League Restart ends with Disappointment

The floodlights were back on in Hütteldorf: For the spring kick-off in the ADMIRAL Bundesliga, we welcomed RB Salzburg to the Allianz Stadium on match day 19. Unfortunately, we were only able to host 2,000 Rapid fans due to spectator restrictions, but we’re looking ahead to the upcoming UECL duel against Vitesse Arnhem, where we can once again count on a full house of fans! Regardless of the situation for Friday’s game, our goal was clear: to get points on the board in the spring restart. The line-up for this game included a special debutant: Youngster Moritz Oswald was in the Green & White starting XI for the first time!

Perhaps understandably after a long break, both teams were keen to get at it from the off. We made the best of a high tempo start to the match, and the first chance fell to our side. Marco Grüll won the ball in the box, took aim at goal, and saw his shot deflected away over the crossbar (8’). Just three minutes later, the visitors had their first sight of goal. An effort from Kristensen ended up in the back of the Rapid net, but it was ruled out after an offside decision (12’).

Not long afterwards, the 2,000 Rapid fans in attendance could cheer for the first Green & White goal of 2022! Jonas Auer’s free kick delivery swung into the penalty area, where Filip Stojkovic rose highest and headed the ball confidently into the goal for 1-0 (18’)! Salzburg immediately went about looking for a leveller, but Coach Ferdinand Feldhofer had the team well-organised, and although Salzburg had a glimpse of goal (38’) there was never any danger for Rapid keeper Paul Gartler. Just before the interval, the ball did fly narrowly past the goal, but it was off target, and the score remained 1-0 at the break as the teams headed to the changing rooms. 

Our team came out unchanged for the second half, and the game continued as the first 45 minutes had ended. Salzburg pressed for the equaliser, but there was no way through - but Rapid were not making inroads into the Salzburg defence either. In the 62nd minute, however, Marco Grüll came out on top in a foot race, but in the end the Salzburg keeper was able to smother any danger. Only two minutes later, out of nowhere, the visitors struck back. It was a painful blow as we’d been well in the game in the moments beforehand. 1-1 (64’).

Our head coach reacted with a double substitution: Kelvin Arase and Robert Ljubicic came on for Kohya Kitagawa and Moritz Oswald (67’). Soon after, Jonas Auer again played a free kick into the penalty area, our captain Srdjan Grahovac took a shot, but a defender made the block at the last moment (69’). With the Rapid quarter-hour the next change followed, Ferdy Druijf bolstered the offensive line, Dejan Petrovic went off (75’). After the change things turned out quite differently to how we imagined it, the ball ended up in the Rapid goal once more. 2-1 to Salzburg (77’). In the final phase, Yusuf Demir took over from Filip Stojkovic (85’). But even our number 10 could not put his stamp on the game, and after 93 minutes the defeat was confirmed.

After a good initial phase, we had to accept defeat in the restart of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga spring season. Even though it hurts, we now have to analyse the game, move on, and look ahead, because on Thursday we will continue on the European stage with a clash against Vitesse Arnhem. Together, we can do it! Come on, Rapid!

Fotos: GEPA

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SK Rapid vs. RB Salzburg 1:2 (1:0)

19. Runde ADMIRAL Bundesliga, Allianz Stadion

Tore: Stojkovic (18.); Aaronson (64.), Okafor (77.)

Rapid-11: Gartler; Auer Moormann, Stojkovic (85. Demir), Schick; Aiwu; Petrovic (75. Druijf), Grahovac (C); Oswald (67. Ljubicic); Grüll, Kitagawa (67. Arase);

Ersatz: Hedl, Ljubicic, Wimmer, Knasmüllner, Demir, Arase, Druijf