Round 2 of 3: Too Many Errors Leave Rapid Empty-Handed in Hütteldorf

After Rapid’s unfortunate defeat in Graz just five days before, the team lined up against Sturm once again on ADMIRAL Bundesliga Matchday 28. For the Green & Whites, the Championship Group has recently descended into an all-out battle for third place and the European possibilities it brings, as LASK, Hartberg and Klagenfurt have each recorded crucial recent victories. On Wednesday evening, Rapid would fight for a statement win of their own, as they face a title-chasing Sturm side in the second of three big meetings.

Robert Klauß had to contend with a number of personnel issues for this game, as Roman Kerschbaum was suspended, whilst Guido Burgstaller, Leo Querfeld, Lukas Grgić and Terence Kongolo all missed out through injury, meaning Fally Mayulu got the nod up front, and Nikolas Sattlberger returned in midfield alongside Moritz Oswald. 20-year-old Dennis Kaygin also made his starting debut at right back.

Mayulu was fired up and ready to take his chance in the line-up, and he smashed the first effort of the day just wide of the post after five minutes, before Sturm went down the other end and scored with their first chance as Tomi Horvat ran into the box and met a low cross from the left (8’). Despite the bad start, Rapid pushed on, and unlike the cagey match of a few days prior, attacks looked more dangerous, more often. Moritz Oswald worked hard down the right, before sending over a cross which was too high for those in the area, nevertheless Jonas Auer picked it up on the left and sent the ball back in for Fally Mayulu to head home at the far post and equalise for the home team in front of 20,000 fans. 1-1 (19’)!

The guests upped their pressing game immediately after that, and although Mayulu hit another powerful shot towards goal (25’), Sattlberger soon had to commit a foul outside Rapid’s area to stop the Sturm forwards advancing. Jusuf Gazibegovic curled the resulting set-piece into the top corner of Niki Hedl’s net to restore their advantage just before the half-hour mark (29’). Hedl then showed his quality to deny Mika Biereth from a dangerous position on the right of the area (32’) and the unfamiliarity of the Rapid XI began to show again as a loose ball was knocked accidentally into the path of Biereth once more, right in the six-yard-box, but Hedl was able to poke it away to safety (37’). What he couldn’t stop was a dart of a left-footed shot from Otar Kiteishvili, who arrowed in from the D for 3-1 to Sturm just before the interval. (44’).

Two changes were made at the break for the Green & Whites, as Marco Grüll replaced Christoph Lang, and Nenad Cvetković then got a great cheer from the home fans when he made his return from a long-term injury absence, replacing Maximilian Hofmann. The introductions put Rapid on the front-foot again, and the away team were forced to clear the ball from their penalty area on numerous occasions, without any big chances opening up on goal in the early stages of the half. Neraysho Kasanwirjo and Isak Jansson had shots blocked from the first of several scrambles in the box (51’) and Oswald was consistently finding space to advance down the right, but his shots were always blocked or deflected just away from goal.

Sturm were now offering nothing in attack, and the game was played purely at Rapid’s pace. First, an angled shot from Mayulu on the left had to be turned behind for a corner (65’), then a header onto the bar (65’) and ultimately a free-kick delivery moments later was met by Cvetkovic in the middle; his powerful headed effort flew goalwards and he must have thought he’d scored, until the Graz goalkeeper somehow turned it onto the roof of the net (69’), and then Kaygin fired wide from the resulting set-play (70’). Sturm had no option but to make changes to stem the tide that was pushing hard at their defence, and Robert Klauß also made some switches for the final phase.

Kaygin was substituted for Ismail Seydi to come on (76’) and Jovan Živković was also introduced in place of Jansson (84’), but all that came our way in the end was a chance for Mayulu (90’) but it wasn’t meant to be. Sturm saw out the game with their lead, and so round two of our three matches also went their way. With the Cup final coming up soon though, they do say that a bad dress rehearsal gives you good luck for the main event…

Fotos: GEPA