SK Rapid Wien has learned its potential opponents for the UEFA Conference League knockout rounds following a series of decisive playoff matches across Europe. According to match reports from LAOLA1 and Börse Express, the Austrian club’s path forward in Europe’s third-tier competition became clear after a busy evening of continental fixtures that saw Panathinaikos Athens and Borac Banja Luka emerge as the primary teams in line to face the Viennese side.
Panathinaikos Advances Late Against Vikingur Reykjavik
Panathinaikos secured its place in the mix after a dramatic 2-0 victory over Vikingur Reykjavik in the return leg of their Conference League playoff tie, as detailed by Börse Express. The Greek side had to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg in Iceland. Filip Mladenovic broke the deadlock in the 70th minute to level the aggregate score, before Tete sealed the aggregate victory with a decisive strike in the fifth minute of stoppage time (90.+5).
Continental Champions Push Through Playoffs
The playoff slate also featured victories for several other domestic champions. According to Börse Express, Polish titleholder Jagiellonia Bialystok comfortably dispatched Backa Topola with a 3-1 home win, echoing their 3-1 success in the away leg in Serbia. Kristoffer Hansen opened the scoring in the 8th minute, and although Marko Lazetic equalized quickly for the visitors in the 17th minute, Jesus Imaz Balleste restored the Polish club’s lead in the 70th minute. An own goal by Viktor Radojevic in the 76th minute put the result beyond doubt.
In Cyprus, Slovenian titleholder NK Celje overturned a 2-2 first-leg draw against APOEL Nicosia by claiming a 2-0 away victory. Goals from Armandas Kucys in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time (45.+4) and Tamar Svetlin in the 51st minute secured Celje’s progression.
Near-Miss for Shamrock Rovers in Norway
The tightest contest of the playoff round took place in Dublin, where the Shamrock Rovers nearly pulled off a major upset against Molde. Having won the first leg 1-0 away in Norway, the Irish side forced the return leg into a penalty shootout after losing 1-0 on the night, courtesy of an early 10th-minute goal by Magnus Wolff Eikrem. Despite Molde being reduced to ten men in extra time when Isak Helstad Amundsen received a second yellow card, the Norwegian visitors held their nerve in the shootout, converting all five penalties while Jacob Karlstrom saved an attempt from Aaron Green, as reported by Börse Express.
Rapid’s European Momentum
SK Rapid advanced to this stage following a solid 2-0 home victory over Paide, maintaining strong domestic and continental form. As LAOLA1 and ORF note, the Viennese team is managing expectations carefully and refusing to let a prolonged winning streak cloud their preparation for the tougher tests ahead in the knockout phase.
What Comes Next
SK Rapid will continue preparations for their upcoming domestic fixtures while awaiting the final draw confirmation for the Conference League round. Fans can follow official club channels on SK Rapid for match schedules, ticket details, and official squad updates.
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