Image: GEPA pictures/ Wolfgang Jannach (GEPA pictures)
Coach Zoran Barisic’s team needed 120 minutes on Friday evening to beat WAC away in the first game of the quarter-finals of the Soccer Cup 3-1 after extra time.
Tai Baribo initially gave the Carinthians the lead (64′), which Michael Sollbauer – who scored against his long-standing club – equalized (83′). In extra time, Ante Bajic became the match winner with a remarkable brace (106th/108th).
First semi-final entry in four years
Rapid can continue to hope for the first cup triumph since 1995, for the first time in four years they are back in the semi-finals. The semi-final draw will take place on February 19, with the two games taking place in early April.
Lukas Gütlbauer guarded the goal at the WAC, the two-goalie has the right to start in the cup with the Carinthians. WAC coach Robin Dutt also put German access Tim Oermann in the starting XI, the 19-year-old central defender started at the back of the back three. As announced, Moritz Oswald came to Rapid as a right-back, and Bajic should also drive the game forward in the offensive department.
After a break of almost three months, both teams still seemed a bit rusty in front of a good 3,000 spectators in the Lavanttal Arena. Liquid combinations are initially only rarely achieved on both sides. The first excitement of the game happened in the guests’ penalty area when Maurice Malone scored a remarkable goal from the right corner of the penalty area with a left-footed shot (26′). However, the goal was disallowed after a VAR review because Konstantin Kerschbaumer, who had heeled Malone, was previously ruled offside.
The best chance to lead the WAC was missed by Baribo, who ran towards Niklas Hedl alone after a serious mistake by Kevin Wimmer, but failed at Hütteldorfer’s goalie (37th). Shortly before the half-time whistle, Bajic missed the goal of the Lavanttaler from a promising position.
In the second half, too, the Carinthians initially remained the more dangerous team. After a WAC corner, Marco Grüll headed to his own goal beam (54th). The 24-year-old offensive man from Vienna found his way to the right goal eight minutes later with a long-range shot, which Gütlbauer was able to fend off.
Immediately afterwards, the hosts took the lead: After a pass error in the Rapids defense, Malone served Baribo in an exemplary manner, who this time kept his nerve in front of Hedl and pushed in flat. It was the fifth cup goal this year for the Israeli. In the 77th minute, Malone missed an opportunity to make it 2-0. The 22-year-old missed the goal after a dribble.
That should take revenge immediately. Substitutes Jonas Auer and Oliver Strunz brought a breath of fresh air to Rapid, and young Dutchman Denso Kasius also made his debut with the Greens. The Viennese equalized from a set piece: Auer found Sollbauer after a free kick, who headed in to make it 1-1 (83′). It was his first goal in rapid dress and of all things against his ex-club. Shortly afterwards Kasius had the chance to score a match point, after a one-two with Guido Burgstaller the winter access failed alone in front of the goal at Gütlbauer (89th).
In extra time, Thorsten Röcher missed the chance of a preliminary decision in favor of the hosts, Hedl and Wimmer cleared twice against the Carinthian player (104th). The guests succeeded in the person of Bajic. At the beginning of the second half of extra time, the 27-year-old defeated Strunz Gütlbauer with a lob to make it 2-1 and followed this up two minutes later with another lob that was just as worth seeing as it was successful.
Source: Nachrichten
