Hopes of regaining confidence in the first leg of Thursday’s UEFA Europa League play-off at home against Zoria Luhansk have not been fulfilled. A free kick from Marco Grul (58th), one of the few rapid top chances on Sunday, was ultimately too short for three points. Altach’s chances increased and the turnaround was managed in stoppage time thanks to a converted hand meter by “Joker” Daniel Nussbaumer (82nd) and Atadhe Nuhiu (91st).
Rapid trainer Dietmar Kuhbauer’s mood was accordingly. “If you really control the game the whole time, have the better teams and still leave the field as the loser, then it’s annoying,” Burgenlander summed up. From Rapid’s point of view, the start of the season can be described as a failure. In the league, after four rounds, they had three points less than the last in the 1994/95 season, while they currently have four points. For comparison: last season, Hütteldorfer stopped at the same time ten points.
Rapid and thick wind in Austria
Viennese clubs Rapid and Austria are in tenth and eleventh place after four Bundesliga rounds. While Austria may be content in terms of the game, Rapid is annoyed and disappointed.
Rapidlers feel more stressed
“We didn’t play the ball well, but I think they had the game under control till the 1-1 draw. Always saying, we come here and knock everything out – it’s not like that,” Kuhbauer said. It was the ninth competitive game for his team since mid-July. For Rapid Trainer, it is one of the reasons for the current situation. We do. I don’t want to protect the players, you have to accept the criticism,” said the Rapid Coach.
Robert Ljubicic, who was suspended for the last time in the league, will be available again on Thursday. On paper the handicap is higher than Altach with the third league of the previous Ukrainian championship. “We have to improve,” Kuhbauer knows. In addition, no dropouts are allowed, such as that of Christoph Nasmüllner, who caused penalties with unnecessary handballs. “Of course that shouldn’t happen,” said the Rapids coach.
Satisfaction with Canada & Co.
As a result, it was reserved for a former rapidlr, Nuhiu, to decide the game for Altach. The 32-year-old, who scored for the Vorarlberg team for the first time in the Bundesliga, insisted, “Of course you get a little tingling, but I’m in for moments like that.” For Nuhu, it was also making amends for a mistake in Rapid’s lead. On Grul’s free kick, the wall opened with Jan Zwischenbruger when the goal was conceded. “We showed the mindset and made up for the mistake,” Nuhiu said.
For his coach, whose analysis seemed different than Kuhbauer’s, it was a special victory because of his rapid past. “After 90 minutes, the win was very well deserved, we gave almost no scoring chances. We showed a winning mentality and in the end it was a really great game that the fans and we will remember,” said Damir Kanadi. Six points out of four tough games is a good result.” That should give us confidence. Now the challenge is to verify it.”
Sturm. successful dress rehearsals for
The passing had a successful as well as successful European Cup dress rehearsal. With a 3-1 win over LASK, Sturm not only established himself as the first Red Bull Salzburg hunter, the Styrians also gained confidence for the first leg of the Europa League play-off in Slovenia against NS Mura . “Actually I have my eyes on the future. We have three full days to prepare. I think it will be enough. But it is important to revive well after such a heated fight,” said coach Christian Ilzer.
Sturm LASK . I celebrated the victory
The match between LASK and Sturm Graz begins in the second half of the game. In Graz’s 3-1 away win, all four goals fell just after the 65th minute.
According to the Hurricane coach, against LASK, substitute players “overwatered all areas”. Manpreet Sarkaria shone as a double scorer and ensured that Sturm, with three wins and one loss from four matches, was three points behind the flawless defending champions from second-placed Salzburg. “We had the luck we needed, a good plan, a mature team performance and individual quality,” Ilzer summarized. He won the passing for the first time in his coaching career.
LASK coach Dominic Thalhammer, on the other hand, took positive things for the UEFA Europa Conference League play-off against St Johnstone of Scotland despite bankruptcy. “The team has a great mindset and controls the match in every way,” said the longtime coach of the women’s national team. Above all, there is still room for improvement in the switching actions. Also, no player is completely fit. “Once we can attract full potential, the team will take another step forward,” Thalhammer said. After a regeneration day, Lingers is looking to tackle the Scottish opponent on Thursday to “lay the ground for the climb”.