The hosts set the tone for long stretches in the sweltering heat in Larnaka and, thanks to Kyle Lafferty, took a well-deserved lead before the break. The most noticeable Rapidler in both halves of the game was goalkeeper Richard Strebinger, who initially prevented a higher deficit several times. Relief brought the green-whites only the curious equalization of Ercan Kara after the break. In the finish, a mistake by Strebinger led to the 1: 2, with which the goalkeeper significantly reduced his good performance.
After the clear victory in the first leg, Rapid coach Dietmar Kühbauer had to do without the sick Filip Stojkovic and Dejan Petrovic, in their place Thorsten Schick and Robert Ljubicic were deployed. The home side, meanwhile, had the best line-up and had big plans. The Cypriots gave Rapid the ball as expected – and the Viennese knew how to let it run through the ranks. But at the latest on the 16th it was over – Kara and Kelvin Arase got stuck several times. After a free kick by Thorsten Schick, there was at least the approach to goal danger.
Strebinger assets in the game of Rapid
On the other side, Famagusta tried to quickly stage their attacking players Kyle Lafferty, Lazaros Christodoulopoulos and Milos Deletic after winning the ball. The latter even brought a remarkable dropkick on goal – but Rapid goalkeeper Strebinger was able to fix the ball. Shortly thereafter, Lafferty gave up the ball and tried an overhead kick, but missed the goal by a wide margin.
In the Famagusta penalty area, Kara tried a long shot, but the ball went well over the crossbar. After a counter-attack, Marco Grüll dribbled himself into a good position, but his finish was too poorly sharp and unplaced, the ball rolled past the right bar.
Pressure phase leads to Famagusta tour
After a drink break, the home side took over the direction: Christodoulopoulos made space with a quick hook and pulled from the center of the penalty area – but Strebinger was able to parry spectacularly to the corner. After a filing by Deletic in the 16er, Anderson Correia finished in full run, but Strebinger shone again with a rescue act. Rapid support was once again able to prove itself when a sharp cross from the left initially missed friend and foe before Denis Popovic hit the spot with a direct shot on the right wing.
Lafferty scores 1-0 for Famagusta (45th + 1)
Lafferty rewards Famagusta for the pressure phase with the lead shortly before the break.
Shortly before the break, the Cypriots finally brought in the harvest for their efforts – albeit in a curious way. After a counter-attack, Schick did not get into the duel because of a stumbling block, the following cross was no longer reached by the hurried Strebinger – and Lafferty, under pressure from Hofmann, luckily pushed the ball over the line to make it 1-0.
Fountas drüber, Christodoulopoulos knapp am 2: 0
The second half began with a yellow card for Rapid defender Leo Greiml, who came too late against Popovic. But also in the offensive, the Viennese made themselves felt again after a long lull: Taxiarchis Fountas aimed at the Kreuzeck from almost 20 meters, but the shot was clearly too high.
Christodoulopoulos came closer to the 2-0 shortly afterwards than his compatriot the 1-1. The 34-year-old Greek let his opponent Schick run into the void with two hooks and hit the bar with a lifter, Strebinger would have been defeated in this case. Still upset about his missed chance, he pulled away from 35 meters with a free kick a little later, surprising Strebinger, but the ball only hit the advertising banner behind the goal instead of into the net.
Kara equalizes to 1: 1 (64.)
Kara equalized for Rapid with a curious ping-pong goal – a blocked shot went to Kara’s head and from there over the line.
Rapid finds rooms – and is lucky
Because Anorthosis Famagusta had to move up more and more in view of the advanced playing time, there was noticeably room for Rapid. Fountas as well as Kara from a distance (both above) and Maximilian Ullmann with a shot from an acute angle (next to it) were initially too imprecise in their finals.
The equalizer in the 64th minute fell with the strong help of opponents and chance: After a Fountas pass, Kara first hit the opponent with a direct shot, but the rebounding ball hit Kara again on the head – and from there into the Famagusta goal . While celebrating the goal, Kara couldn’t help smiling at the strange goal.
Roushias uses Strebinger’s mistake to make it 2-1 (88.)
The best Rapidler up to now caused the 1: 2: Goalkeeper Strebinger missed the ball and Rousias was there.
Strebinger blunder leads to 1: 2
With the goal conceded, the will of the Cypriots seemed suddenly broken. The previous season’s cup winner stopped efforts almost immediately, while Rapid was able to let the ball run more loosely and unhindered in view of the score. In the final phase, both teams took advantage of their transfer contingents, initially there were no great opportunities.
In the finish, Rapid goalkeeper Strebinger ruined his strong performance himself: He dropped the ball after a cross, and substitute Onisiforos Rousias reacted the fastest to poke the ball into the goal without any problems.
UEFA Europa League, qualification, third round, second leg
Thursday:
Anorthosis Famagusta – Rapid 2:1 (0:1)
Larnaca, Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, SR Stavrev (MKD)
Goal sequence:
1:0 Lafferty (45.+1)
1: 1 Kara (64.)
2:1 Rousias (88.)
Famagusta: Loria – Hambartsumyan, Arajuuri, Risvanis, Correia – Deletic (65./Christofi), Popovic (76./Chrysostomou), Artymatas, Husbauer (71./Eloundou) – Christodoulopoulos (76./Ioannou), Lafferty (65./Rousias )
Rapid: Strebinger – Schick (61./Wimmer), Greiml, Hofmann, Ullmann – Grahovac, R. Ljubicic (61./Schuster) – Arase (79./Sulzbacher), Fountas, Grüll (68./Knasmüllner) – Kara. / Kitagawa)
Yellow cards: Husbauer, Christodoulopoulos, Risvanis, Artymatas, Lafferty or Ullmann, Greiml, Ljubicic, Schuster, Strebinger
