345th Vienna Derby: The City is Green & White!

A special week came to a close with a special fixture: After our win in the first-leg of the UEFA Conference League Quarter-Final, and SK Rapid’s women winning their first championship title, the 345th Vienna Derby took centre-stage on Sunday in Hütteldorf. SK Rapid wanted to put a tough spring in the Bundesliga behind them and take back the city bragging rights in a stadium awash with only Green & White colours. The atmosphere was a little different with no away fans allowed in, but Rapid supporters made their voices heard loud and clear as they got behind the team! Ange Ahoussou made his starting debut in the Bundesliga as he stood in for the injured Nenad Cvetković in defence, in midfield Matthias Seidl wore the captain’s armband again, as Andrija Radulović also got his first league start for Rapid on a big occasion, whilst Isak Jansson was unfortunately out with illness.

Derby Day could hardly have gotten off to a better start, as Dion Beljo won the ball back on the right wing with Radulović, and the former played an inch-perfect pass which carved through the defence and came to captain Seidl in the area, and with the first chance of the game, he clipped his finish low beneath the visiting goalkeeper to put Rapid into an early lead. 1-0 (5’)! Assist-provider Beljo so nearly got on the score sheet himself a little later when he headed a Radulović corner on target, but his effort was tipped over expertly from close range (12’). Austria gradually got into the contest, and one dangerous long-shot bounced away off the outside of the post, but Rapid held up well and didn’t allow any big chances from inside the area. With almost half an hour played, Mama Sangaré danced his way through the defence, but when he passed to the left of the area, Seidl’s first-time shot was too central and easily caught by the keeper (27’). The tempo remained high though, and the Green & Whites were on top; a nice move down the right saw Seidl’s dangerous square-ball turned behind into the side-netting with strikers waiting in the centre to finish off, and an even better chance came to Andrija Radulović also down the right, yet the keeper made another good save to keep out the one-on-one (43’). After an intense first half, our team went in at the break with a narrow but deserved 1-0 lead.

The opening phase of the second half was rather a mixed affair, with lots of tackles and attacking attempts on both sides, as our keeper Niki Hedl was also put to the test by the guests. The first real danger came from Radulović, whose deflected cross was only just cleared by the goalkeeper (64'). A little later the stadium rose as one to applaud, as Guido Burgstaller celebrated his comeback in Hütteldorf amid a cacophony of chants. On came our number 9 in place of Dion Beljo, and Louis Schaub replaced the industrious Andrija Radulović (67'), before the emotional atmosphere in the stadium would be taken up a notch further! Mama Sangaré showed fine footwork to dribble away from three defenders at close-quarters, before darting into the box and firing the ball in at the near-side to increase Rapid’s lead with a wonderful solo goal. 2-0 (71’)! Romeo Amane and Noah Bischof then came on for the final 15 minutes for Lukas Grgić and Ercan Kara (75‘), and Momo Oswald also came on in place of captain Matthias Seidl (89’) - but we held firm in the closing stages, and that was it!

After a really strong performance full of successful high-pressing and plenty of energy across the pitch, we deservedly ran out as Derby Winners on Sunday, and now we can look ahead to a sold-out Euro second-leg on Thursday! For the upcoming home games against Blau-Weiß Linz & Wolfsberger AC, you can use the code DERBYSIEGER in the club’s ticket shop, to get 12% off Let’s go, Rapid!

Fotos: GEPA