Should coach Ferdinand Feldhofer’s team succeed in advancing, the winner from Aris Limassol (Cyprus) will face Neftci Baku (Azerbaijan) as the second of three qualifying hurdles. The Green-Whites continue on Sunday (5 p.m.) with the Bundesliga opener against SV Ried.
Feldhofer made several changes to his starting eleven against the fourth-placed Polish team from the previous season compared to the difficult 1-0 in the first round of the ÖFB Cup at the regional league team in Treibach. Newcomer Patrick Greil had to sit out with adductor problems, the 25-year-old “can’t train fully at the moment and for the next few days,” said the club. Ante Bajic was also absent due to a positive coronavirus test at the beginning of the week, the offensive player is in isolation at home with no symptoms.
Pejic’s right to play comes in time
However, there was also good news for Feldhofer: The Serbian national player Aleksa Pejic, who switched from the Belarusian club Shakhtar Soligorsk to the Green-Whites in the summer, received the right to play in good time before the duel against Gdansk. Midfield clearer Pejic was allowed to start for the first time this season, as were the two full-backs Martin Moormann and Martin Koscelnik as well as Moritz Oswald and Bernhard Zimmermann.
At temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius, a disorganized lot developed. Cheered on by 12,700 loud spectators in the stadium, the Rapidlers playfully took command in a 4-2-3-1 with returnee Guido Burgstaller in the lead, but the Feldhofer team lacked the last precision in the passing game. That’s another reason why chances were scarce in the first half, Gdansk goalie Dusan Kuciak only had to stand out with a nice long-range shot by Marco Grüll (14th).
Hedl parries a Paixao header
The guests from Poland initially had the greatest chance of taking the lead, with former Hartberg and St. Pölten pro David Stec playing a solid game at right-back. After an attack down the left flank, Flavio Paixao headed in from close range, which Rapid goalie Niklas Hedl reflexively parried with his left foot (25′). The team of German-Poland Tomasz Kaczmarek also resorted to quick counterattacks, which were rarely dangerous.
Hedl’s foot defense (25.)
Rapid goalie Niklas Hedl saved Rapid from going behind with a foot defense.
Immediately after the restart, a header from Gdansk kicker Kristers Tobers landed in a high arc on the crossbar after a corner kick. Shortly thereafter, Rapidler called for a penalty in two contentious situations in the penalty area, but the whistle of referee Elchin Masiyev from Azerbaijan remained silent. The fifth in the Bundesliga continued to determine the game and pressed on the lead.
Burgstaller misses a chance to lead
In the 68th minute, Burgstaller missed the great opportunity to make it 1-0. After a good cross from “Joker” Nikolas Sattlberger, a shot by Nicolas Kühn was initially blocked, but Burgstaller didn’t put the rebound on target from a good position. A few minutes later, Kühn was unable to capitalize on an unsuccessful excursion by Gdansk goalkeeper Kuciak, as the winger needed too long when he was completely free.
Double chance for Kühn and Burgstaller (68th)
First, a shot by Nicolas Kühn was blocked, Guido Burgstaller didn’t get the rebound on target.
Comments on the game:
Ferdinand Feldhofer (Rapid trainer): “We didn’t reach our goal. We wanted to go to Poland with a lead, but we didn’t succeed. Nothing has changed, we are happy to accept that. Although we created a number of chances in the second half. We really played a great game there, the only thing missing was scoring. The passing game didn’t work in the first half and the ball security was lacking, the opponent also did it very well.”
Tomasz Kaczmarek (Gdansk coach): “I assumed that we would have a chance of winning. 0-0 is okay, we’re going back from a good starting position. We need the fans behind us and then we can do it. Rapid’s friendly against Celtic gave us a lot of insights. In the second half we were too deep in front of our own goal, and there was a bit of luck involved. Burgstaller missed the goal in one situation. I’m very proud of my boys in the second half, we finished them with heart. The team did a very good job.”
UEFA Europa Conference League, second qualifying round, first leg
Thursday:
Rapid – Lechia Gdansk 0: 0
Vienna, Allianz Stadium, 12,700 spectators, SR Masiyev (AZE)
Rapid: Hedl – Koscelnik (61st / Schick), Aiwu, Wimmer, Moormann – Pejic (61st / Sattlberger), Oswald – Kühn (84th / Savic), Zimmermann (69th / Kriwak), Grüll (61st / Knasmüllner) – Burgstaller
Gdansk: Kuciak – Stec, Nalepa, Maloca, Pietrzak – Tobers (72nd/Kubicki) – Clemens (83rd/Sezonienko), Gajos, Terrazzino (66th/Kaluzinski), Durmus (66th/Conrado) – Paixao (66th/Zwolinski )
Yellow cards: Koscelnik, Pejic and Tobers
The best: Kühn, Zimmermann and Gajos, Kuciak
Second leg on July 28 (7:45 p.m.)
