The Hütteldorfers led at the break with a goal from Mario Seidl (43rd), who won after a strong individual performance from Marco Grüll. After an intense first half with few chances, Sturm took command in the new edition of last year’s final, which was once again attended by 30,000 spectators in Klagenfurt, and turned the game around in regular time.
First David Affengruber forced an own goal from Leopold Querfeld (49th) after Horvat’s cross, then Horvat finally let Graz celebrate and kept the chance of their first double since 1999 intact.
Equalizer for Sturm Graz (49th minute)
Shortly after the break, Sturm Graz managed to equalize.
“We had to be aggressive and we didn’t do that well in the first half. Things went wild in the dressing room, everyone told each other their opinions. After that we went out and wanted to beat Rapid. “It’s great, it’s just great that you have games like this and can win,” said Affengruber in an ORF interview.
Reunion sets a competition record
For ten years now, the highlight of this competition has taken place in Klagenfurt; there was a new edition of the final from the previous year in the Wörthersee Stadium on Labor Day. As in 2023, the Sturm and Rapid fans ensured a full house again, and in the end the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) was able to celebrate a competition record with 194,862 spectators.
GEPA/Hans Oberlaender As in the previous year, 30,000 spectators ensured a worthy football festival
The dress rehearsals for this final could hardly have been more different. In the Bundesliga title fight, Sturm lost a 2-0 lead against series champions Salzburg and played 0-0. Rapid coach Robert Klauß made such a mistake with his changes in Linz that the Viennese ran into a historic debacle. The Hütteldorfers had only lost 0:5 against LASK once, that was 28 years ago.
Changes on both sides
Sturm coach Christian Ilzer decided on a “soft rotation,” as he called it before the game. David Schnegg was given priority over Dimitrii Lavalee on the left side of defense, Seedy Jatta was allowed to start in attack alongside Mika Biereth, and William Böving remained on the bench for the time being. In his “biggest game to date” as a coach, Klauß relied on Nenad Cvetkovic, among others, who made his starting eleven comeback in the center of defense eight months after tearing his cruciate ligament. Isak Jansson started on the right offensive side instead of Moritz Lang.
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The live ticker to read
After Austria’s reigning female athlete of the year, ski jumper Eva Pinkelnig, brought the trophy onto the field and then the convalescent ski star Marco Schwarz gave the kick-off, the football festival could finally begin. And it got off to a lively start, Rapid captain Guido Burgstaller egged on the fans after a few minutes, Cvetkovic put a header past the goal after a corner (4th), Jatta took the ball badly on the other side.
More intensity than opportunities
However, that was it for the offensive options for now. The two teams gave each other nothing, Rapid in particular was toxic in their longing for the title, and all of this came at the expense of the playful component. Duels dominated the action, but this also led to an early change. Defender Jonas Auer had an unfortunate collision with his own teammate Lukas Grgic and had to make way for Moritz Oswald after just 14 minutes.
Chance for Sturm Graz (19th minute)
In the 19th minute of the game, Sturm Graz managed a good hook with Tomi Horvat, then Rapid’s Niklas Hedl let the ball jump away, but he had it in the follow-up.
“It’s not nice, but it’s an intense cup fight,” ORF expert Herbert Prohaska commented at halftime. But every now and then an opportunity arose. Horvat shot from a tight angle on the left side, Niklas Hedl missed the ball, and Biereth missed the second attempt (19th). Jansson put the ball into the side netting after a cross from Grgic (25th).
Seidl dusts off before the break
After a header from Jatta, which went over the goal after a remarkable cross from Jon Gorenc Stankovic (32′), everything looked like a goalless first half. But Marco Grüll had something against that. On his farewell tour, future Bremen legionnaire Jusuf Gazibegovic took the ball energetically, but fairly for referee Sebastian Gishamer. The offensive man moved into the penalty area, danced past Sturm’s central defender and took a shot: Goalie Vitezslav Jaros could only fend off the ball, Seidl made the save without any effort (43′).
1-0 for Rapid (43rd minute)
The first goal in the cup final goes to Rapid Vienna through Matthias Seidl in the 43rd minute of the game.
The Rapid fans celebrated the half-time lead with fireworks, which led to a delay. The second half of the game started a few minutes late. Afterwards, the Graz team stepped on the gas and Rapid moved into their own half. Biereth shot into the near corner in the penalty area (47′), but Hedl had no trouble finishing.
Storm hits back soon
But just three minutes later, the Sturm fans were able to really celebrate. After a corner, Horvat finally brought the cross to the second post, where David Affengruber headed it into the five. The ball bounced from Querfeld’s hip into his own goal (61′) to equalize.
The Graz team stayed on the trigger and gained an advantage, but didn’t get any clear opportunities, but they did get a few corners. One also led to another goal, but Gregory Wüthrich used his arm to arm the ball into the goal after a Horvat corner. The Swiss didn’t even celebrate the supposed lead (66′). There was a lot of substitution before and after, but this didn’t lead to more chances – too often the last pass didn’t work.
Horvat decides the game
The game sputtered along a bit before the Styrians finally managed to make the decision. After a long throw-in, Otar Kiteishvili brought the ball to Horvat in the penalty area, who slotted it into the right corner (81′). An alleged foul play by Querfeld was only briefly discussed by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and was not punished.
Rapid pressed in the last few minutes, but there were no real chances. Grüll chased a free kick over the goal, but two corners shortly before the end didn’t help either. In the end, as in the previous year, Sturm celebrated, Rapid’s wait for a title was extended.
Uniqa ÖFB Cup, final
Wednesday:
Sturm – Rapid 2:1 (0:1)
Klagenfurt, Wörthersee Stadium, 30,000 (sold out), SR Gishamer
Torfolge:
0:1 Seidl (43.)
1:1 crossfield (49th/own goal)
2:1 Horvat (81.)
Sturm: Jaros – Gazibegovic, Affengruber, Wüthrich, Schnegg – Gorenc Stankovic – Horvat (90th/Hierländer), Kiteishvili, Prass (74th/Lavalee) – Biereth, Jatta (60th/Böving)
Rapid: Hedl – Kasanwirjo, Querfeld, Cvetkovic (71st/Kongolo), Auer (15th/Oswald) – Sattlberger (71st/Kerschbaum), Grgic (88th/Dursun) – Jansson, Seidl, Grüll – Burgstaller
Yellow cards: Biereth, Lavalee or Cvetkovic, Oswald, Klauß (coach)
