In the ghost game in Hütteldorf on Sunday, Grün-Weiß had to digest Austria’s leadership by Matthias Braunöder after 49 seconds, but was at least slightly setting the tone and got a well-deserved point through the foul from Ercan Kara (25th). A moderate performance was enough for both teams to make it into the top six. Rapid is fifth with 21 points, Austria sixth with equal points, followed by Ried (21), Hartberg (20) and WSG Tirol (19). In the last lap before the winter break, Rapid will be at Admira, Austria will receive LASK, who is tenth with only four points less on their account.
Feldhofer made four changes compared to the 2-2 in Ried, once again captain Maximilian Hofmann was missing after his corona illness. Austria played without captain Markus Suttner (hip contusion), Braunöder, who was last suspended in the 2-1 win over Sturm Graz, returned to the starting line-up.
It was Just Braunöder who – in addition to the weak defensive work by Grün-Weiß – caused a bang: The undisturbed 19-year-old promoted a cross from Ziad El Sheiwi into the far corner and thus put Feldhofer on a first test.
Rapid then also designed the game, but only acted moderately creatively. Above all, Taxiarchis Fountas assets appeared several times. The Greek shot from the turn over the goal (10th) or slightly deflected to the side netting (18th) and did not embarrass Austria goalie Patrick Pentz with a too central long-range shot (18th).
Violet, on the other hand, dived almost completely from the offensive and also lost wing player El Sheiwi early with a foot injury. For him, Manfred Fischer moved from the center to the side, the newly arrived Can Keles now acted alongside striker Marco Djuricin. They couldn’t prevent the equalizer either: after Eric Martel’s clumsy foul on Robert Ljubicic, Kara acted confidently from the point.
Rapid could have increased before the break, especially Christoph Knasmüllner with a slat knock on the free kick (42nd) failed only razor-thinly. Austria, on the other hand, only recorded one more scene when Martin Moormann dangerously deflected a Keles attempt (45th + 1).
And yet the “Veilchen” almost started the second half with a deja vu: Djuricin successfully intervened a few seconds after the start of the game and moved into the penalty area. Filip Stojkovic caught his highly dangerous Stanglpass with a gamble in front of Aleksandar Jukic. And even if Fountas forced Pentz to make another save (52nd), the game, in which there were sometimes tough entry and seven yellow cards, was now a little more balanced.
Rapid continued to provide the – few – offensive highlights in the continuous rain. After taking the ball with him, Kara aimed past the far corner (64th), Maximilian Ullmann made Pentz sweat slightly with a long-range shot (69th). In the finish, Fountas pulled away from a good twelve meters with a real top chance (82./over), it remained in a draw. For the fifth time in a row, a derby ended in a draw.
Source: Nachrichten
