Football: Rapid Vienna Shows No Weakness Against Dečić Tuzi
Rapid has taken a big step closer to advancing to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League. The team from Hütteldorf celebrated a 2-0 away win on Thursday in the second-round first leg at Dečić Tuzi, marking the competitive debut of coach Peter Stöger. Jannes Horn (17th minute) and Matthias Seidl (40th minute/hand penalty) ensured an unspectacular but also unchallenged success for the Viennese. The return match will take place next Thursday at the Allianz Stadium.
Horn Put Rapid in the Lead
In the event of advancement, they will face the winner of Dundee United - UNA Strassen (LUX). The first leg in Scotland ended with a 1-0 home win for Dundee. At the match in Tuzi, a suburb of the Montenegrin capital Podgorica, Dejan Savicevic also took a seat in the stands. The former Rapid player and current Montenegrin Football Association president was enthusiastically celebrated by the traveling green-white fans before kickoff.
Such highlights were missing in the first minutes of the match. At temperatures around 30 degrees, Decic started with commitment but couldn't really put Rapid under pressure. Set pieces proved to be a trump card for the guests: After a corner from Andrija Radulovic, Horn was forgotten at the far post, and the German successfully scored with a header that bounced off the underside of the crossbar.
Dečić Failed to Equalize
By this point, the already faint initial momentum of the Montenegrin cup winner and last year's champion had fizzled out. Rapid switched to a management mode, recorded an aluminum hit with a header from a Decic player onto their own crossbar (35th minute), and came to the second goal through a gift. Stefan Golubovic strangely reached for the ball during a corner from Seidl, and the resulting penalty was converted by the Rapid captain into the top corner.
In the second half, the game mostly drifted along. Rapid often unsuccessfully tried shots from a distance, Decic remained harmless - until the 81st minute, when Hütteldorf goalkeeper Niklas Hedl had to stretch for a shot from Jonathan Dresaj (81st minute). On the other side, a chip from substitute Ercan Kara flew well over the crossbar (84th minute). Dominik Weixelbraun, another "joker," hit the crossbar in the 91st minute.
(APA/Red)
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