Away Loss in Graz Liebenau

Friday night’s Bundesliga fixture was our second game of the Championship Round, and it saw Rapid on the road in Graz, to face the defending champions SK Sturm under the floodlights. With points badly needed in our quest to move up into the European qualifying places, Isak Jansson and captain Matthias Seidl started on the flanks, as Dion Beljo began up front alongside Ercan Kara. Newcomer Romeo Amane was also in the matchday squad for the first time.

The game’s opening phase saw both teams properly going for it, and some compact defending from those in Green & White kept things tight at the back, whilst the first dangerous chance was created by Mama Sangaré, who flicked a pass downfield with the outside of his boot, before Ercan Kara edged in behind (perhaps with a hint of offside) only for Isak Jansson’s shot to slide just wide of the post (5’). The action soon went back in the other direction, and after an unfortunate defensive issue, William Böving slipped past a couple of attempted tackles before slotting Sturm into the lead (19’). We searched for a reply but the Sturm defence thwarted our efforts too often, and big chances were few and far-between, and despite a good free-kick from Kara, we couldn’t register a shot on target by the time the teams went down the tunnel for the interval.

We started the second half looking sharp, and clearly Rapid were in the mood to find a quick equaliser. After a perfect pass from Bendi Bolla, Seidl won a foot-race to reach the ball on the wing, his cut-back pass picked out Dion Beljo, who controlled well but fired the shot well over (53’). Ercan Kara had the next chance, but his header was gratefully caught by the Sturm keeper (60’) before fresh legs came on in the form of Jonas Auer, Jakob Schöller and Romeo Amane - who made his league debut for Rapid (70’). It was Auer who created one of the best moments of the second half, as his precise shot was heading for the net until, at the last second, it was headed away off the line (86’). Bendi Bolla also took aim for the far corner, but sent his shot narrowly off-target (88’), before Louis Schaub came on for the final minutes.

Rapid had pushed hard for the leveller, but hopes were extinguished after 90 minutes as Sturm’s Leon Grgić headed in from a corner to make it 2-0.

It was a tight game in many phases, but unfortunately Sturm edged the close contest, holding the scoreline at 2-0 to inflict our second defeat in the group. Rapid’s next game is away in Sweden, as we face Djurgarden in the UEFA Conference League Quarter-Final on Thursday night.

Fotos: GEPA