Rapid failed after 2-0 at Fiorentina in ECL play-off

Match winner for the Italians was Nicolas Gonzalez with a brace (59th, 90th), with the second goal resulting from a relatively controversial penalty.

The visitors started well and almost took the lead in the seventh minute, but Fally Mayulu’s turning shot, replacing injured captain Guido Burgstaller, bounced off the bar and back down the field. Rapid also became dangerous in the 15th minute – Marco Grüll came to the end after a one-two with Matthias Seidl from close range, but shot over the goal.

In this phase, the Rapidlers did not let Fiorentina come into their own at all, always presented themselves ready for pinpricks on offense and extremely stable on defense. However, the tide turned as the first half progressed. The finalists from the previous season increased the pressure, the Viennese became more error-prone and were able to thank their goalie for the first time in the 29th minute. M’Bala Nzola ran alone to Niklas Hedl, but the ÖFB-International remained the winner.

Seven minutes later, Hedl saved an attempt from a tight angle by Nzola. The Rapid goalkeeper would have been beaten in the 38th minute, but Christian Kouame’s shot went just wide of the post.

Rapid made it into the break without conceding and seemed to have recovered after the break. Mayulu started a solo run in the direction of the Fiorentina goal, but narrowed it down (54′). The striker then had the lead for Green-White on his feet when he rolled the ball from a good position into the arms of keeper Pietro Terracciano (56′) after preparatory work from Grüll and Seidl.

The penalty followed three minutes later. Cristiano Biraghi played the ball in the middle, where Jonas Auer shot Hedl with a completely unsuccessful rescue attempt. The ball landed at Gonzalez, who only had to push in. Rapid began to falter – Maximilian Hofmann saved in extremis from the ready-to-shoot “Joker” Lucas Beltran (67th), Rolando Mandragora hit a long-range shot on the bar (75th) and Hedl was on the post when Alfred Duncan finished (77th). ).

The Ko overtook Rapid in the finish. Fabiano Parisi, who came on shortly before, hit Nikolas Sattlberger in the penalty area from close range in the area of ​​the shoulder and upper arm, the Serbian referee Novak Simovic decided on a penalty and Gonzalez converted safely.