Last-Minute Leveller Costs Us a Win in Linz

A strong display on the road in Linz ultimately ended in disappointment, as Matthias Seidl’s debut goal had looked like securing all three points for so long, only for the hosts to equalise at the death.

With intensive summer preparations complete and a 7-0 start in the UNIQA ÖFB Cup behind us, our duel against LASK in the opening match of the Bundesliga’s 50th season was on the agenda for Friday evening under the floodlights in Linz! Our team wanted to put in a good performance to start the new season positively. From a personnel point of view, head coach Zoran Barišić was able to choose from almost the full complement of players, even summer newcomer Nenad Cvetković was already back in first team training this week and moved straight into the starting line-up. Only Aleksa Pejić and Ante Bajić, who were both injured, missed out.

Those Rapid players who had made the journey were well in the game right from the off! After just 30 seconds, captain Guido Burgstaller fired a low shot just wide (1’). Nicolas Kühn in particular made his presence felt enormously in the early stages, and his dangerous runs provided plenty of work for the LASK defenders to deal with. A Thorsten Schick long throw almost led to the breakthrough a quarter of an hour in, but somehow the home keeper smothered a close range effort which Burgstaller normally would have buried (15’). Nic Kühn had the next chance as he skipped into the area but couldn’t get the angle right for his finish (16’), but it was clear to see that the game was under the control of the Green & Whites.

The scoreline would reflect that fact soon after, despite a lengthy VAR review. After a brilliant break which began when Nic Kühn won the ball perfectly, Thorsten Schick got it into the middle for Bundesliga debutant Matthias Seidl to tuck it away calmly for his first league goal in Green & White; 1-0 (23’)! Our good phase didn’t subside either, as Kühn again created a chance from a textbook counter attack. Seidl was denied by busy LASK keeper Tobias Lawal, before Kühn himself found the back of the net on the volley, but he was unfortunately in an offside position (27’). Jonas Auer also tested the keeper with a shot from distance which was defused (38’), and Rapid went in at the break with a well-deserved lead.

The home team looked a little livelier after the interval, Niklas Hedl had to get involved a few times to keep the score at 1-0 as the game became a much more balanced affair. It took us half an hour to create any major openings in the second half; Marco Grüll curled a long range effort just off target (74’), and a well-struck shot from Roman Kerschbaum was blocked (75’). Our captain then had a go with a controlled finish, but that too was just wide of the mark (76’). LASK made the most of their improved showing and had the ball in the net from a corner kick, although fortunately the delivery had curled over the byline before the ball went in; no goal (80’).

Nic Kühn came off after an excellent showing, he was replaced by Oliver Strunz (84’), but the chances hadn’t dried up yet. A Grüll effort was blocked (85’) before Fally Mayulu came on for his Bundesliga debut, and he was played in perfectly in stoppage time only to be denied by a good save at the very last moment (93’). A controversial LASK throw-in then led to the latest of late equalisers, as the defence couldn’t clear a high ball in, and Felix Luckeneder fired home at point blank range for 1-1 (95’).

It was a real shame, and a tough way to finish such a good game, but we can look back on a very strong performance, one which we can certainly build upon. Now it’s time to look ahead to next week’s home opener against SCR Altach in Hütteldorf!

Fotos: GEPA