Defeat in 2025 Curtain-Raiser

After a 51-day winter break, SK Rapid were back in ADMIRAL Bundesliga action at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday. Round 17 of the season saw us take on the team just one place below in the table, in-form Wolfsberger AC led by coach Didi Kühbauer. Our head coach Robert Klauß had the returning Ercan Kara on the bench, as captain Matthias Seidl led the team out for the first competitive match of the new year.

In freezing temperatures, neither team was able to really assert themselves in the early stages, and therefore big chances on goal were proving very hard to come by for both teams, with the crucial final pass often missing its target. With around half an hour gone, we went close for the first time when Bendi Bolla’s teasing cross forced an excellent interception in the area (31’), and a few minutes later Isak Jansson and Matti Seidl linked-up well going forward, allowing Mama Sangaré to place his finish, unfortunately, just wide of the WAC goal (35’). Despite the lack of openings up to that point, our efficiency then earned us the lead. Louis Schaub slalomed his way through the defence, into the area, and slotted the ball past the keeper coolly for 1-0 (38’)!

Shortly before the break, Jakob Schöller headed the ball just over the bar from a free-kick as Rapid searched for a second goal, but the score would remain 1-0 at half-time.

There were no changes made for the start of the second half, and the tempo remained as high as it was at the end of the first. Six minutes after the restart came the first big opening after the break; Dion Beljo played a ball through for Matti Seidl, but he couldn’t quite find the net once he was in-behind (51’). A few moments later, Niki Hedl made his first save of the afternoon, showing strong reflexes to parry an effort to safety and keep Rapid in front (59’). Just as the Rapid Quarter-Hour was about to get going, the ball then bobbled its way into our net via Markus Pink. At first there was relief after a possible offside infringement was checked, but after a lengthy VAR deliberation, the equaliser would stand: 1-1 (72’).

Head coach Robert Klauß introduced some fresh legs, as Tobias Børkeeiet and Nikolaus Wurmbrand replaced Lukas Grgić and Isak Jansson (76'), with Ercan Kara coming on to make his Rapid return in place of Dion Beljo soon afterwards. But instead of enjoying the occasion, there was a bitter twist; a long-ball was knocked down towards the left of the area for former Rapid man Thierno Ballo, who turned well and struck a low shot across the face of goal and in. 2-1 to WAC (86’). Despite pushing to win the game, Rapid were suddenly somehow behind on the board, and rather than striking back to level, a slip in the defence allowed Pink to slot in a simple third and seal the win for WAC (90’+3).

Despite having been in a promising position, the home win ultimately got away, and we fell to defeat in the first game of 2025. Time to put that behind us and regroup immediately ahead of next weekend’s Vienna Derby away from home.

Fotos: GEPA