UECL R16: Chances Missed in Away Draw Against Borac

After a wait of just over 27 years, SK Rapid took to the pitch in Bosnia on Thursday night for the club’s first European last-16 tie since December 1997, in the UEFA Conference League Round of 16 1st Leg. Opponents Borac Banja Luka have been a tough nut to crack on home turf this season, and they also feature former Rapid player Srdjan Grahovac amongst their ranks. Head Coach Robert Klauß and his Rapid team were looking to secure a solid position in the tie ahead of next week’s second leg at home, and push on from the big win against Altach at the weekend. Andrija Radulović made his starting debut for the club after some excellent appearances from the bench, Niki Wurmbrand began up-front, and unfortunately Isak Jansson had to drop out at short-notice after failing to sufficiently recover from a slight shoulder injury.

In the first phase of the game, the Rapid players in their white away jerseys took control of the possession, but although we got the ball into some dangerous areas, big shooting chances were hard to come by. Wurmbrand fired wide when we did eventually get a look at goal (15’), but the Bosnian side were able to take advantage of some misplaced passes to create their own chance - also without success (19’). After a decent opening half-hour, then came the big breakthrough; Niki Wurmbrand danced past defenders on the edge of the box, and laid off to the middle towards Dion Bejlo, who picked out a peach of a finish, curling the ball perfectly into the top corner of the goal for 1-0 (34’)! Radulović missed a chance to quickly add a second goal, but the game then settled down before the interval.

Jakob Schöller came on in place of Jonas Auer for the second half, but the hosts had the first chance, with Niki Hedl forced into a solid save just seconds after the restart (46’). That wasn’t a trend which continued though, as Rapid began to completely boss proceedings. First Wurmbrand (49’) then Beljo (53’) saw good shots saved at the near-post, before Bolla sent a low cross back into the side-netting only (54’). Matthias Seidl came on to replace Radulović (58’), before Beljo had the next chance, cutting into the box brilliantly, before bending the shot just wide across the face of the goal with his laces (68’). It should have been 2-0.

Tobias Børkeeiet and Moritz Oswald were the next players to enter the fray (73’) and after the next chance, Rapid really should have had a bigger cushion. Beljo’s cut-back from the left of the box picked out Mama Sangaré in space near the penalty spot, but with the keeper in trouble, he missed the target (78’). The traveling Rapid fans finally had cause to celebrate again when Nenad Cvetković knocked the ball over the line from a corner kick, but the goal would be agonisingly ruled out for handball (84’). Almost inevitably, having restricted Borac to nearly no chances, a speculative stoppage-time shot from the home side would hit the arm of Sangaré as he turned his back to block, and the home side slotted in the resulting penalty kick to make it 1-1 (90’+1). There was still a chance to get the deserved winner, but Beljo couldn’t make contact with a low square-ball into the six-yard box, and so it ended 1-1.

Ultimately it’s not a bad position to find ourselves in ahead of the second leg, but there was definitely a chance to have the tie sewn up already. We’ll just have to get the job done with your support at home next Thursday evening. Come on Rapid!

 Fotos: GEPA