SK Rapid Wien maintained their dominant position at the top of the Austrian Bundesliga on Saturday, securing a convincing 5:1 home victory against newly promoted Austria Lustenau at the Allianz Stadion in Vienna. The win—achieved in front of 21,400 spectators—marks Rapid’s ninth victory in ten league matches and their sixth triumph, temporarily stretching their lead over Red Bull Salzburg to six points in the standings.
Early Goals and Defensive Struggles Set the Tone
The home side established control inside the opening ten minutes through a rapid-fire double strike. Ercan Kara opened the scoring in the sixth minute by finishing off a cross from Petter Nosa Dahl. Two minutes later, Nenad Cvetkovic doubled the advantage by converting a delivery from Tonni Adamsen. Lustenau struggled to cope with the early intensity, and although Rapid missed several chances to extend their lead further through Dahl, Demir, and Kara, they added a third before halftime. Referee Altmann pointed to the penalty spot in the 41st minute after Danilo Soares brought down Kara inside the area, allowing Demir to convert cleanly into the right corner.
Lustenau nearly capitalized on a defensive lapse just before the break when Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao lost possession in his own penalty area. The ball fell to Antonio Verinac, who missed the chance. Reflecting on the opening half, Rapid manager Johannes Hoff Thorup told reporters he was satisfied with the initial 25 to 30 minutes of fast, chance-creating football, though he cautioned that a momentary drop in concentration just before halftime allowed their opponents back into the game.
Demir Scores Second Goal to Secure Rapid Lead
Lustenau pulled a goal back on the hour mark when Haris Ismailcebioglu—who had entered the pitch as a substitute—completed a swift counterattack, calmly rolling the ball past Hedl to make it 3:1. However, Rapid quickly reasserted control. In the 67th minute, the 1.71-meter-tall Demir scored his second of the evening by heading in a cross from Jannes Horn. This performance marked Ercan Kara’s second brace in a Rapid uniform since April 2021, when he scored twice in a 4:0 victory against WSG Tirol. Substitute Marco Tilio capped the scoring in the 85th minute following a successful transition play, sealing the 5:1 scoreline.
With the result, Austria Lustenau remains tenth in the league table with eight points, while Rapid prepares immediately for a demanding week of fixtures.
High-Stakes Derbies Await the League Leaders
The commanding win provides Rapid Wien with significant momentum heading into what the club regards as a crucial week of fixtures. On Tuesday, the Hütteldorfer travel to face second-tier side First Vienna on the Hohe Warte for a UNIQA ÖFB Cup berth, scheduled for an 18:00 local time kickoff broadcast live on ORF1. That cup tie is followed on Sunday by the 352nd Vienna Derby against struggling crosstown rivals Austria Wien. Meanwhile, Austria Lustenau returns to Vorarlberg to prepare for their own cup challenge on Thursday against Sturm Graz.
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