Rapid Claim Bragging Rights by Winning 343rd Vienna Derby!

On the agenda for Matchday 7 of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga season was a huge home game; namely the 343rd Vienna Derby. Having finally won at the Allianz Stadium against our city rivals FK Austria last time we met back in February, Rapid would head into this clash as reigning Derby winners. A repeat of that 3-0 triumph would suit Head Coach Robert Klauß and his team very well indeed, as three points would have been enough to take Rapid to the top of the table on Sunday evening.

Nenad Cvetkovic, Serge-Philippe Raux Yao, Bendeguz Bolla, Mamadou Sangaré and Dion Beljo would all get their first taste of action in a Vienna Derby, and the same was true for Niki Wurmbrand who began on the bench, and the home team’s fresh faces started fully on the front-foot! Just a handful of seconds after the kick-off, Rapid combined passes to play in Guido Burgstaller who slotted the ball towards the bottom-right of the Austria goal, but was denied by Samuel Sahin-Radlinger’s low diving save (1’).

With the opening stages being played at a high tempo and with the high intensity that you’d expect from the occasion, both teams worked hard but struggled to create big chances. Jonas Auer was doing his best to lead Rapid forward on the left flank, but he also added important defensive contributions, including a brilliant sliding-tackle in the box with two Austria forwards nearby (16’). It would be Auer again who created the opening goal a few minutes later, when the Green & Whites again had space to get away down the left, this time our number 23 floated a cross onto the head of Dion Beljo in the centre, and he cushioned it back towards the near post, wrong-footing the keeper and putting Rapid in front! 1-0 (23’).

Our team had to work hard to hold the lead, but with Nenad Cvetkovic passionately celebrating each tackle and clearance, we seemed to be keeping the visitors at bay comfortably. A half-chance came their way which Maurice Malone headed over (40’) but he would soon play a dangerous cross in from the left, which Andreas Gruber was able to touch into the net to make it 1-1 just before the break (45’).

After a quieter opening to the second half, the Green & Whites began to take control of proceedings once more, and spent a lot of time in and around the opposition’s penalty area. Firstly, Matthias Seidl picked out Beljo on the left, and his low cross was just too far ahead of Louis Schaub’s run into the area (52’). On the hour-mark, Mamadou Sangaré broke into the box through the D, before captain Seidl stole the ball with a clever pull-back, turned swiftly to take the defenders out of the picture, and fired into the right side of the goal to restore Rapid’s lead. 2-1 (60’)!

With the guests gunning for an equaliser, Malone turned a square-ball over the top from a decent position (71’), and then at the other end, a nice passing combination led to Sangaré sliding a shot just wide of the post after a good break (72’). Burgstaller and Schaub then left the field for Moritz Oswald and Nikolaus Wurmbrand, and the latter would go so close to making an immediate impact in the game, only for his side-footed effort from the right of the area to be deflected wide across the face of goal, with the keeper beaten (73’).

The crowd were on their feet by this point, and it felt as though a third goal was coming. Nenad Cvetkovic’s towering header from a corner had to be tipped over (76’), then Beljo took control of another counter break after a tremendous through-pass from Seidl; his cross was very nearly turned in for an own goal, although it eventually got stopped right on the goal line (79’). Tobias Börkeeiet came on in place of Lukas Grgic for the closing stages (82’), with Rapid dominant, but still well aware that another goal was needed to make the win safe.

Oswald tested the Austria keeper again with a powerful shot from the right which was kicked away, and Sangaré smashed a follow-up effort at goal from outside the box which had to be pushed away like a volleyball (88’), yet the goal to seal the win was not forthcoming. Another chance almost came to Nikolaus Wurmbrand after an excellent run down the left took him into the area (90’+3), and a Beljo free-header was turned over the bar by a very busy Samuel Sahin-Radlinger (90’+5), but by contrast Rapid keeper Niki Hedl was ultimately given very little to do in stoppage time.

Rapid had complete control of the contest, and saw it out to the final whistle with the 2-1 lead intact! A second-straight Vienna Derby win on home turf was therefore in the books, and the Green & Whites moved top of the league after a very satisfying Sunday. Well done Rapid, DERBY WINNERS ONCE AGAIN!

Fotos: GEPA