Football: Rapid Can Score Half a Dozen Against GAK

Rapid, the league leader, could be a full seven points ahead of the rest after Sunday's matches in the 7th round of the football Bundesliga - assuming a win against bottom team GAK (17:00). The situation is quite different for LASK: If GAK surprises against Rapid, the athletes must fear being overtaken by GAK with a loss in the Linz derby against Blau-Weiß (14:30). Concerns that Altach does not have: With a home win against WSG Tirol (14:30), SCRA would remain at least third.

LASK coach sees "mental situation"

Three points from six games and eleventh place - LASK has not started well under new coach Joao Sacramento, but the athletes are not yet panicking. "I trust the players, the process, there have just been some setbacks," said Sacramento. The Portuguese, who celebrated breaking the deadlock after the home win over Austria a month ago, has still not untangled it. "The players are putting too much pressure on themselves, it's a mental situation," said Sacramento ahead of the Linz derby, which LASK last won on August 12, 2023. After that, there were two BW wins and a 0:0 in February.

LASK has already conceded 13 goals, but captain Sascha Horvath has recognized improvements. "Recently, it was more the individual mistakes that were punished," emphasized the midfield engine. These must obviously be eliminated, otherwise there is again the danger that "the mind starts to race." At Blau-Weiß, who are one point ahead of LASK, the desire for points is certainly high after the 3:0 over GAK, the first win of the season. Shon Weissman could again play a decisive role, having scored twice in his first game for BW. For goal scorer Ronivaldo, the match might still come too soon after his muscle fiber tear.

Rapid can extend streak against GAK

Rapid is aiming for their sixth consecutive competitive win at GAK just days after the 2:1 cup victory in Oberwart. The last time Green-White achieved this was in autumn 2017. "We want to keep it going as long as possible. Every positive streak is a sign that things are going well. But we won't overestimate it," said Rapid coach Peter Stöger, who still has to do without the injured Petter Nosa Dahl in Styria. The fact that the duel is under the motto "leader against bottom" has little significance for the Rapid coach. "There is a nice story to every match."

Compared to the second-round duel in Burgenland, Stöger expects an improvement in his team's performance. "We know we can do better," emphasized the 59-year-old. "Our benchmark is higher." Stöger has a special connection to GAK, having coached the Graz team in the Regional League during the 2010/11 season. "It was really a great time," the Viennese looked back. Stöger does not want to overestimate the weak start to the season by the "Red Jackets" - Ferdinand Feldhofer's team has three points after six games. "They are currently going through a phase that can be normal in the Bundesliga. In rounds 9 to 14, it might not be as noticeable."

Objectively speaking, there is very little in favor of GAK. New sports director Tino Wawra primarily appealed to the players' attitude. "First and foremost, we have to leave our hearts on the field, go into the duels with full force, accept and win the tackles. Defend our own goal with every fiber," emphasized Wawra, who succeeded the resigned Dieter Elsneg at the beginning of the week. "Then it can also be difficult for an opponent like Rapid. But only if every player of ours is at 100 percent."

Altach "now very solidified"

After six rounds, Altach is third in the table, level with Salzburg, and is the surprise team of the season. The former relegation candidate has been unbeaten at home for seven games across seasons. "We wanted to become a home power, and we want to continue that," said coach Fabio Ingolitsch before the duel with WSG. The Salzburg native sees his team as "now very solidified," but also knew, "that with WSG Tirol, a very unpleasant team is coming our way."

Only three points separate the seventh-placed Wattens from Altach, the 1:4 against Rapid last week was the first zero-point game of the season. "Good 20 minutes are not enough," recognized coach Philipp Semlic afterwards. Otherwise, the 42-year-old has had plenty of reasons to be happy so far. Just like the fans in the past season against Altach. WSG won three of the four duels.

(APA/Red)

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