UECL QF: Rapid’s Run Comes to an End

Following a fantastic Vienna Derby win, and a 1-0 away win in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League quarter-final against Djurgårdens IF of Sweden, the job for the second leg was clear: to qualify for a European semi-final for the first time since 1996. A full-house of 25,600 fans made sure that there was an incredible atmosphere in the air ahead of this huge game! Bendi Bolla was missing after picking up too many cautions, Isak Jansson was back after illness but started only on the bench, as Matthias Seidl wore the captain’s armband, and Ercan Kara and Dion Beljo began up front.

Despite an incredible excitement as the game got underway, a huge setback was to come early in the contest. Mama Sangaré saw red after misjudging a challenge near the touchline, and Rapid were down to 10-men with almost the whole 90 minutes still ahead. Ercan Kara’s night was also over early on, as he had to be switched for Romeo Amane for tactical reasons (9’). After the shock of the early dismissal, it was tough to get into the game and only a remarkable one-on-one save from Niki Hedl kept our team in the lead on aggregate (17’) when the guests really should have scored. A short while later, we made our first good foray into the area, but Louis Schaub couldn’t quite control the pass from captain Seidl on the right (18’). The Green & Whites tried hard to get forward when possible, but the organised opponents with an extra man forced us to defend with everything. A bad tackle on Seidl had the Rapid players and fans unhappy, but a long VAR check would make things worse, as Jonas Auer was penalised when the ball hit his out-strectched hand in the box. The Swedes would take the lead on the night with a well-taken penalty kick (42’), but our team was not dispirited! Matti Seidl sent in an in-swinging free-kick, and with Nenad Cvetković hurtling forward to win the header, he pressured a defender into nodding the ball past his own keeper. We led 2-1 on aggregate (45’+4) before heading in to recharge at half time.

As eventful as the first half was, the second half got off to an equally action-packed start: After a scramble in our penalty area, Dion Beljo cleared off the line with his head (48'). Five minutes later, our number 7 was again at the heart of the action, with a shot of his own which was just cleared off the line (53’). Beljo also missed a major chance to make it 2-1 in a duel with the goalkeeper at close quarters (58'), and Isak Jansson came on for Louis Schaub to try to provide some more momentum for the final half-hour (66'). The game could have been decided again shortly afterwards, but Matthias Seidl lifted the bouncing ball just over the crossbar after a strong attacking move (68'). Shortly afterwards, Amin Gröller made his European Cup debut, replacing Nenad Cvetković, and Dion Beljo left the field after running himself into the ground, so on came Benjamin Böckle (74’). Rapid were in a good phase and still clinging onto the lead, until a clearance landed near the edge of the box, and Keito Kosugi smashed a half-volley in off the underside of the bar to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate (78’). The guests needed something special, and they had found it, but despite chances for both sides to snatch a winner in normal time, the whistle went, and another half-hour with 10-men was in store.

Extra time couldn’t have begun on a worse footing, as the Swedes - looking understandably fresher - broke forward and found another excellent finish to take the lead in the tie, this time low into the bottom corner from outside the area (93’). Guido Burgstaller and Noah Bischof came on with Rapid now needing to score at least once, but instead of growing as an attacking threat, the home side finally ran out of steam, and Djurgårdens IF extended the lead to 4-1 on the night (105’). In the second half, we fought for everything, searching for an unlikely route back into the game, but every finish was just missing by centimetres. Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao also saw red after a 50-50 challenge with the referee right there, and from then on, the guests could hold out for the win.

Rapid fought bravely against an organised and committed team with an extra man, but unfortunately in the end, there was to be no reward at the end of a long and successful European campaign. We therefore bowed out of the UEFA Conference League at the quarter-final stage. Thank you for your incredible support during our European journey, we will now refocus for some big challenges ahead in the Bundesliga!

Fotos: GEPA