Rapid Vienna in Conference League Qualification Against Dundee United Under Pressure to Win

"There will be a lot of physical work ahead of us," said Rapid Vienna coach Peter Stöger. "It will be a real fight." An elimination in the Conference League qualification against Dundee United would be an operational accident with unforeseeable consequences for the Hütteldorf team.

Rapid Vienna must give everything in Conference League qualification

In the first leg, Rapid dominated at the Allianz Stadium last week but made too little of their own opportunities. At the same time, the Green-Whites conceded two goals against defensively set but pesky Scots. "The Scots have shown that they can be very efficient and can make a lot out of relatively little," Stöger recapped the game. "I would have liked to win the match 3:1 at home, but maybe it's also okay to know you have to give everything."

The coaching team is still in the finding phase regarding what the team needs. "Do they feel comfortable when they have the feeling that things are going a bit easier? Or maybe they need the feeling of really having to give everything to perform?" Stöger explained. At the moment, he cannot yet say what is going on in each individual. "What is clear is that we want to get past the Scots, and it will be a difficult task." Captain Matthias Seidl said: "The opponent will be highly motivated at home. We have to be present from the first minute."

Dundee United chasing success before second leg against Rapid Vienna

In the domestic league, Dundee United is still without a win after two games. On Sunday, the "Tangerines" lost at home in Scotland's fourth-largest city against Heart of Midlothian 2-3. The decisive goal for the guests came in the 94th minute. Additionally, the personnel problems for coach Jim Goodwin have not diminished: Ghanaian Isaac Pappoe suffered a severe knee injury against Rapid. Striker Max Watters, who scored the 1-0 in Vienna, had to miss the match due to illness but is expected to be fit in time.

Rapid has observed the Scots in the league. "We know how we can cause them problems on the field. If you want to advance in a knockout duel, you have to win at least one game, and we certainly want to achieve that," said Stöger, whose team traveled to the island on Wednesday afternoon with a 2-1 win against champion Sturm behind them. "We want to use the positive spirit from the match in Graz, where we were able to turn the match in our favor after falling behind, in the European Cup," said the 59-year-old Viennese.

Rapid Vienna Regular in European Cup Play-off

Rapid has reached a play-off - either Europa League or Conference League - for the past four years in a row. In each duel, the Hütteldorfers were defeated three times in a row over two games. The most painful memory is associated with August 2022, when the Swiss second division team FC Vaduz from the Principality of Liechtenstein prevailed over two games. As a result of internal club turmoil, first, the business manager Christoph Peschek resigned, and later Rapid parted ways with coach Ferdinand Feldhofer.

An exit this year before the play-off phase, where the Swedish club AIK or Györ (first leg 2-1) would await, would not be a complete disgrace for Rapid, but certainly a shock that would take away much of the momentum with which Stöger is currently working. Although the revenues from the league phase are not included in the budget, participation is eagerly anticipated by everyone in the club. Especially since the squad would currently be extraordinarily large only for the championship and cup.

(APA/Red)

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