No Goal, No Goal: Rapid faces the Europa League Group H match on Thursday (6:45 pm Cairo time) LIVE-tape) at the Allianz Stadium against Dinamo Zagreb under strong pressure.
If Hütteldorfer wanted to have a say in the fight for promotion, something had to be considered an outsider in the duel between two record champions. “We can read the table. If we want to stay in the group, we have to get three,” said fast coach Dietmar Koebauer.
The eleven who should secure their first Europa League group stage win today will be changed to two places compared to last weekend’s 1-1 draw in Austria Klagenfurt. Emmanuel Ayew and Kelvin Arace started with injured Dejan Petrovic and Tierno Ballou.
Rapid vs Dinamo Zagreb squad
Eleventh quick start: Gartler-Stojkovic, Greml, Hoffmann, Ullmann-Aiwo, Ljubicic-Arace, Fontas, Grol-Kara
Express Bank: Unger, Heidel, Wimer, Knasmulner, Balu, Schick, Grahovac, Ur, Kitagawa
Zagreb Startelf: Levakovic-Lauricin, Theophil Catherine, Franjic-Restovsky, Gojak, Mesic, Ivanosic, Minalo-Orcic, Petkovic
Zagreb Bank: Zagorac, Horkas, Moharrami, Andric, Leovac, Tolic, Bulat, Sutalo, Baturina, Peric, Dilaver, Spikic
Both teams tied at the dress rehearsal in the league. While Zagreb against Rijeka (3:3) can be rated as successful due to a 0:3 breaking deficit, Vienna gave up a late lead at 1:1 in Austria’s Klagenfurt despite the majority and failed to do so, for the sake of the time. First in a season winning the league twice in a row. “I can’t even remember what happened over the weekend, I don’t live in the past, we worked to make things better,” Kohbauer said in the transcript.
Klagenfurt withdraw “limited”
According to midfielder Robert Ljubicic, all the players were “disliked” after the match and were looking for solutions. “Now the game is over,” said the 22-year-old. Gained youth experience for the national team of Croatia (under-20) and Austria (under-21). “It’s definitely a special match for me,” the midfielder said. His respect for the 22-time Croatian champion is great. “You have a lot of quality and your mindset is very strong.”
This did not go unnoticed by Kühbauer either. “You have a technically strong, strong team with a good balance between young and old,” Burgenlander said. With a top squad, Dynamo will also have the option of rotation in the National League. “They always use the best players in the Europa League,” the Rapids coach said.
So the task is “difficult” for his team. “Being an outsider doesn’t mean we don’t have a chance,” Kühbauer said. “No match has been decided before the match. Even if we know grapes are higher than that internationally, we will do everything we can to celebrate the festival tomorrow.” . He pointed out that “courage, determination, faith and mentality” are the factors for success. “It will be important that we not only compete in duels, but win them.”
Dynamo employees’ concerns
Dejan Petrovich has been unavailable recently due to an injury. But even Croatians who are unbeaten in seven away matches in the Europa League cannot count on unlimited resources. Captain Arian Adami is absent with an ankle injury, and striker Douji Cobb is absent with a back injury. In addition, the use of Mislav Orcic and top scorer Bruno Petkovic, who scored two of his six competitive goals against Rijeka, is questionable. “He still has a headache,” coach Damir Krznar said.
The 49-year-old Croatian planned to score in Vienna, but expected it to be a “not easy” match. “Although Rapid does not have any points yet, they have managed to keep up with West Ham (0-2) and Genk (0-1) and they should not be underestimated. We take our opponents very seriously. A tough battle awaits.” Dynamo have won their last two games in Austria – in 2016 with a 2-1 result after extra time against Salzburg in the CL playoff and in 2020 with 3-0 at EL in Klagenfurt against WAC. In the current competition there was a 3-0 win in Genk after a 2-0 defeat against West Ham.
In the European Cup, the two teams only crossed the blades in the second round of the European Cup in 1971. Since Vienna has retained the lead after 2-2 away and 0-0 at home thanks to the away goals rule at that time. Rapid also has fond memories of his last encounter with the Croatia representative, where Luke Zagreb was defeated in the CL qualifiers in 2020.
Dynamo fans with a better mood?
It will be interesting to see what the mood will be in the stands. Apart from a few tickets left, the stadium sold out to 23,500 spectators. Rapid’s hard core stayed away from the ring in protest of the 2G rule in the 5-2 win over WSG Tirol. Whether they will come this time or whether the mood can be interrupted is in the stars.
It would be fatal, as a strong-voiced Croatian supporter could be expected. 1,650 Dinamo fans got tickets for the Rapid Away segment on their home ground, and there are sure to be many local fans from Zagreb. “The atmosphere will be great from both sides and it will push every player,” Ljubicic said happily. Ukrainian Katerina Munsol leads the match. “We all hope she’s the least well known,” Kohbauer said.
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