Rapid score three to secure top-six spot in style!

The final round of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga’s regular season was sure to be a big occasion in Hütteldorf on Sunday evening. Five simultaneous fixtures from around the country would decide which teams made it into the top six Championship Group for the remainder of the season, and who would miss out. After last weekend’s precious win, the Rapid players had their fate in their own hands, but another three points would be needed to guarantee qualification, and there were likely to be some nervous glances at the scores elsewhere from the 20,400 fans in attendance, if not from the players themselves.

Sunday’s opponents were Austria Klagenfurt, the league’s surprise package, who themselves needed just a point to secure a place in the top six. Despite the fact that they had only won once here over the years, the 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture was enough to prove that the game wouldn’t be an easy one, if a look at the league table hadn’t proven that already. In the away dugout was coach Peter Pacult, the man who brought the last Bundesliga title to Hütteldorf, but there would be no room for sentiment with so much at stake. Rapid coach Ferdinand Feldhofer started with youngsters throughout the team; Niki Hedl in goal, Martin Moormann in defence, and Bernhard Zimmermann alongside Yusuf Demir in behind striker Ferdy Druijf.

The game itself got the breathless beginning that the occasion deserved. After throwing players forward from the off, Rapid had to defend a dangerous counter in just the second minute, thankfully Emanuel Aiwu was up to the task. The early efforts from the Green & Whites resulted in several chances; firstly, Marco Grüll played a delightful through ball to the left of the area where Robert Ljubicic was waiting, but he fired his angled shot over Phillip Menzel’s goal (6’). Seconds later, Druijf had a go with a daisy-cutter from outside the box, but the Klagenfurt keeper got down to it (7’). Our loan striker had the next chance too, as he hung in the air to meet a cross from Filip Stojkovic, but saw his header fly over the bar (14’).

The home crowd were roaring their approval at every foray forward, and when Zimmermann calmly fired home from a long, bouncing ball into the area, the noise in the stadium reached a volume which we’ve not experienced enough since the pandemic began! It was a well-taken finish, and a brilliant time for the 20-year-old to score his first goal of the season. 1-0 (15’)! Rapid nearly doubled their advantage three minutes later, but Demir was somehow denied from inside the six yard box, before a looping effort from Grüll was acrobatically pushed away by the league’s most frequent shot-stopper Menzel (21’).

After that, the game’s initial energy began to dissipate somewhat, and whilst Rapid were comfortable defending a number of free-kicks floated into the area, the amount of chances created at the other end reduced. With the interval approaching, there was another flash of quality in the final third though; Grüll masterfully brought down a searching pass on the left of the area, skipped past his defenders and fired towards goal. It would have been a stunning second, but having beaten the keeper, the shot couldn’t beat the base of the near post (40’), and so the lead remained 1-0 at half time. 

The guests started the day in fourth place, and keen to hold on to that position, they came flying out of the blocks in the second period. Top-scorer Markus Pink ran clear down the middle, but Rapid’s young keeper got his hand down to make a big stop one-on-one (48’). Klagenfurt midfielder Patrick Greil smashed a shot goalwards from the right of the area not long later, but again Hedl was able to make a crucial intervention (54’). Having weathered the storm, Rapid got their reward. A ball out to the left found Grüll; he laid it off towards Zimmermann, who cut onto his right foot and dispatched his finish high into the corner beyond the keeper’s despairing dive. A second goal for Zimmermann, and a first to enjoy in front of a jubilant West Stand. 2-0 (57’)!

With goals elsewhere making the league standings an ever-evolving situation, Rapid’s two-goal advantage gave the Green & White fans a sense of calm in the closing stages. Klagenfurt tried their best to claw back the goals that they needed, but the home team were able to repel attacks and play on the counter with the cushion that the goals afforded them. One such break saw Druijf played through on the right, only for his shot to bounce away off the crossbar (84’). A low free kick almost got a goal back for the guests (86’), but it was Rapid who would cap off an accomplished performance as Druijf was again played free; this time he was on the left, and he made no mistake with the finish, slotting home in front of the Hütteldorf faithful to make it 3-0 in stoppage time!

On that note, Rapid had firmly secured their sought-after spot in the Championship Group, and had largely avoided the drama of the ‘final day’ to seal passage in style. The visitors had a nail-biting finale, but with results elsewhere going their way, Rapid could also congratulate Klagenfurt on their own top-six qualification. All in all, Sunday’s game was an occasion worth celebrating for over 20,000 fans, and all the players and staff from both sides! Rapid can now look forward to closing out the season in an exciting group, with competitive games every week, and European football fully on the line! LET’S GO RAPID!

Fotos: GEPA