Thomas Goiginger brought the LASK into the front (17th), that was the wake-up call for a Rapid team that had been weak up to then. Kara managed to equalize the stronger Viennese (41st) before the break whistle. The ÖFB team striker was also the one who screwed himself up after a free kick by Thorsten Schick and hit his head to make it 2-1 (78th). After Marco Grüll (86.) scored a free-kick, LASK defender Felix Luckeneder managed to correct the result three minutes later. Thanks to the three points, Rapid is now fifth in the table, tied with sixth Austria Wien. The LASK is still at the bottom of the table.
The guests from Upper Austria determined the game in the initial phase. The visitors had their first chance to note in the opening minute, Lukas Grgic’s shot went right past the goal. After that, the Linz team kept setting standard situations for operation in the Rapid third. In the 13th minute, Rapids goalie Paul Gartler got a slightly too central shot from Sascha Horvath.
Rapid wrestles down LASK
The Green-Whites defeated the bottom of Linz with 3: 2 (1: 1) in Hütteldorf and have been undefeated against the Upper Austrians for nine league games.
LASK takes the lead
On the side of Rapids, captain Maximilian Hofmann made his comeback with a face mask to protect his broken nose. The Linz team had to replace their midfielder James Holland due to an injury after a quarter of an hour, with Hong Hyun-seok replacing him. Seconds later, the lead fell out of a turmoil: Rapid did not bring the ball out of the danger zone, Goiginger shot in from a few meters.
Gartler subsequently defused a degree from Mamoudou Karamoko (20th). After that, efforts were also evident among the Viennese to want to move something offensively. They weren’t very specific, and the LASK defense, which had been weakened as a replacement, was well organized. An attack in the 28th minute – with a final attempt by Kelvin Arase – silted up, a Hofmann header (29th) missed the goal.
The athletes remained extremely dangerous with their switching moments and the standards that often result from them. In the 36th minute, Luckeneder headed the crossbar, while Hofmann (40th) at the other end was completely unaffected. Then Kara managed to equalize after Grüll-Lochpass in a one-on-one against Alexander Schlager. He fended off a Fountas shot to the corner in stoppage time in the first half.
Rapid turns the game
There was an opportunity furioso after the break. Hong (49.), Arase (52.), Peter Michorl (53.), Taxiarchis Fountas (55.) and Karamoko (56./66.) Missed the more or less good opportunities.
Rapid played since the restart without Hofmann and with Filip Stojkovic as a central defender. In the 69th minute, Karamoko neatly separated from the ball in the penalty area, but referee Alan Kijas pointed to the penalty spot. He later corrected the decision, but according to the pictures, he also withdrew the yellow card.
On the other side, the LASK offside trap initially prevented Fountas from taking a hit (75th). After Kara’s header goal (78th), the spectators were allowed to cheer shortly afterwards. After a foul on Kara, Grüll also sank the free kick under the bar directly into the left corner (86th). Luckeneder maneuvered the ball into the goal to make it 3: 2 after Gartler couldn’t get hold of the ball. After the final whistle, things got turbulent again, Rapids Robert Ljubicic saw the red card after a scuffle with LASK agent Rene Renner.
Voices for the game:
Dietmar Kühbauer (Rapid trainer): “We had no access at all for the first 30 minutes in particular, and we had a lot of errors in the structure. The LASK was just more alert and aggressive and did well against the ball. We didn’t find the right solutions, we didn’t have the depth. It could have been 2-0. From the 30th minute on, a bit of a different oomph came in. We eliminated the mistakes and played better towards the front. The incredibly beautiful goal to make it 1-1 was extremely important for us just before the break. The boys then continued. They wanted to win the game, then we were really there. “
Regarding the alleged penalty against Rapid, which was withdrawn after a VAR check: “I was surprised that he watched it for himself. If it had been given, I would no longer sit there because then I would be in custody for a longer period of time. Then nobody could have stopped me. Then I no longer believe in justice. “
Andreas Wieland (LASK trainer): “From my point of view, it was a bitter afternoon. I think we started the game very, very well, created a lot of chances and were the dominant team for 35 or 40 minutes. Then we let ourselves be bought off in the last five minutes and started swimming, hence the equalizer. In the second half it was a match at eye level. In summary, it is the same story: Inadequate evaluation of chances, and unfortunately also defending standard situations. “
Bundesliga, 13th round
Sunday:
Rapid – LASK 3:2 (1:1)
Vienna, Allianz Stadium, 11,900 spectators, SR Kijas
Tore:
0:1 Goiginger (17.)
1: 1 Kara (41.)
2: 1 Kara (78.)
3: 1 Grüll (86.)
3: 2 Luckeneder (89.)
Rapid: Gartler – Stojkovic, Aiwu, Hofmann (46./Schick), Ullmann – Grahovac, Ljubicic – Arase (72./Ballo), Fountas (91./J. Auer), Grüll – Kara (86./Moormann)
LASK: Schlager – Potzmann (87./Griger), Boller, Luckeneder, Renner – Holland (17./Hong), Grgic – Horvath (62./Nakamura), Michorl, Goiginger – Karamoko
Red card: Ljubicic (assault / after the end of the game)
Yellow cards: none or Michorl, Schlager, Luckeneder, Renner
The best: Kara, Grüll or Boller, Karamoko
