SK Rapid had to settle for a draw in the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16. The Viennese and Borac Banja Luka ended the match on Thursday in Bosnia with a 1:1 (1:0) draw. The Croatian Dion Beljo scored a remarkable goal in the 34th minute to make it 1:0, after the break, the Rapid players missed several chances and had a goal disallowed for handball, before David Vukovic equalized with a penalty in the 92nd minute.

"The duel will not be decided in either direction after the match in Banja Luka," Rapid coach Robert Klauß had said beforehand. And that's exactly how it turned out. Everything is open for the second leg next Thursday (6:45 PM) at the Allianz Stadium.

Changes at Rapid

Klauß made two changes in the starting lineup compared to the lineup in the 5:0 victory against Altach on Saturday. Isak Jansson was out due to a shoulder injury, and captain Matthias Seidl started on the bench for tactical-strategic reasons. Nikolaus Wurmbrand and Andrija Radulovic came in as offensive wingers in the 4-2-3-1 formation. Vice-captain Louis Schaub tried to direct the game from the number 10 position.

In the first half, there was a lack of structure in the game, especially at the beginning. Borac mostly tried their luck in the sold-out Gradski Stadium with quick counterattacks after the visitors lost possession. The first somewhat dangerous offensive action for Rapid came from Wurmbrand in the 15th minute, but his shot from the left side of the penalty area went well wide. At the other end of the field, a ball kicked by left-back Viktor Rogan narrowly missed the goal (19th minute). Five minutes later, former WSG player Sandi Ogrinec took a shot from just outside the penalty area, but Rapid keeper Niklas Hedl was well positioned.

Lead by Beljo

Rapid's lead came somewhat unexpectedly. The lively Wurmbrand received the ball in front of the penalty area and, after a short dribble, left it to the oncoming Beljo, who scored effortlessly with his left foot into the top right corner. Borac had to take a bit more risk as a result.

With the change of sides, Rapid defender Jonas Auer stayed in the locker room, and Jakob Schöller took over the left defense side. The Green-Whites now took control and pushed for the 2-0. However, shots from Wurmbrand (50th), Beljo (53rd), and Bendeguz Bolla (54th) were not quite accurate. Klauß brought in Seidl for Radulovic, and for Banja Luka, the long-time Rapid player Srdan Grahovac came into the game in the 59th minute. And Rapid missed further opportunities: Beljo (68th) missed with the outside of his foot, Mamadou Sangare (78th) with his left. Nenad Cvetkovic illegally used his upper arm in the 84th minute for the supposed 2-0 after a corner kick.

Banja Luka with Equalizer

Thus, it came to a bitter end: In a handball incident involving Sangare, who had his arm outstretched in the Rapid penalty area and was hit, the French referee Jérôme Brisard decided on a penalty in the final moments. Vukovic gave Hedl no chance.

If Rapid manages to advance next week, either Djurgarden from Sweden or the Cypriot club Paphos would await as opponents in the quarter-finals. In the first leg, Paphos won at home 1-0.

(APA/Red)

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