Last League Game of 2023 ends with a Loss

Matchday 17 of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga season was Rapid’s final competitive game of 2023, with league leaders Salzburg making a visit to Hütteldorf. After the snowy conditions of the week before and the chaos of a rearranged fixture, it snowed again on Saturday, but luckily it was not heavy enough to delay the start of the game. With Terence Kongolo suspended and Maximilian Hofmann ill, Michael Sollbauer came into the starting XI as Robert Klauß’s only change from the midweek win against WSG.

In a hotly contested opening to the game, we played well but without creating any major chances. Marco Grüll’s 14th-minute square ball was only millimetres away from the toe of striker Guido Burgstaller, but just as we began to establish the upper hand, Salzburg took the lead with a looping header from Kamil Piatkowski (19’). We remained fully in contention, and Grüll’s powerful shot on the counter-attack was too centrally placed (21’) before the game settled down somewhat, and we stayed solid at the back and waited patiently for attacking opportunities. Our best chance to equalise in the first half came five minutes before the break, but despite outnumbering Salzburg on the attack, Matthias Seidl fired into the side-netting with team mates who wanted the ball played across the area instead. There were positives to be taken at half time, but we still trailed by one goal.

Roman Kerschbaum came on for Nikolas Sattlberger at the beginning of the second half (46'), and we continued to play at a high tempo, full of belief that we could get a result. After a teasing free-kick delivery into the box, Sollbauer headed the ball across goal from the back post, only for Salzburg’s Piatkowski to clear the danger from close to the line, preventing an almost certain goal (54’). Grüll then made a trademark strong run on the ball, but he would be denied in the end by the visiting keeper (57’), before Thierry Gale was introduced in place of Nic Kühn (58’) as we looked for fresh impetus.

Grüll had our next chance when he tested the keeper with a well-struck shot (68’), and moments later, the home fans had the chance to celebrate when a rebound fell for Burgstaller in the box, who naturally swept home into the net (70’). However, after a lengthy VAR check, the goal would be ruled out for a close offside call (74’). Dennis Kaygin made his Bundesliga debut by coming on for the closing stages and replacing Seidl (80’), and with his first touch he created a half-chance for Kerschbaum, who curled a shot just over the top (84’). Sollbauer was then replaced by Fally Mayulu as we pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but we could not get the ball in the net, and instead it was the guests who managed that, only to see their late effort also ruled out for offside in the six-yard box (91’).

Our last competitive game of 2023 therefore ended in a narrow defeat, but the performance on the day deserved more. Now it’s time to rest and recuperate, whilst continuing to work hard during the winter break so that we can attack our targets fully in the spring. THANK YOU for your support all year long, Rapid fans!

Fotos: GEPA