Football: Omonia Seals Rapid's Exit in Conference League

SK Rapid has extended its losing streak in the Conference League and has already been eliminated from the European Football Cup before the last round of the league phase. In the last home game of the year on Thursday, the team of interim coach Stefan Kulovits suffered a 0:1 (0:1) defeat against Omonia Nicosia from Cyprus, marking their fifth consecutive competitive match loss. As a result, the Green-Whites remain the pointless bottom team even after the fifth match in the third-highest UEFA competition.

In front of 17,714 spectators at the Weststadion - including about 2,300 loud Omonia supporters in the full away sector - Angelos Neophytou became the match-winner for the second-placed team in Cyprus in the 19th minute. Despite a committed but inefficient performance in finishing, and with three shots hitting the woodwork, the Hütteldorf team faced the next disappointment.

Rapid now twice away

The already unrealistic top-24 position, which qualifies for the playoffs, is now definitively out of reach for Rapid, who are in position 36. To conclude the year, Rapid faces two away games against Blau-Weiß Linz on Sunday and against Zrinjski Mostar next Thursday in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In advance, captain Matthias Seidl promised to go into the game "full throttle." The home fans gave motivating applause before kickoff, and the Bundesliga fourth initially implemented their plan. After 51 seconds, striker Ercan Kara tested the reflexes of Omonia goalkeeper Francis Uzoho, who distinguished himself with a save. On the opposite side, Willy Semedo forced Rapid's Niklas Hedl, who returned to the goal after nine competitive matches, to make a diving save (3rd minute).

Early Lead for Omonia

Shortly thereafter, the green-white mood barometer was in free fall again. First, winger Petter Nosa Dahl, who had already been out of action for more than two months in the fall due to muscle problems, could no longer continue playing due to thigh issues. Then Omonia celebrated the lead: As so often, the Cypriots came dangerously into the penalty area from the left side, Neophytou reacted the fastest to a rebound and lifted the ball over the powerless Hedl into the net.

However, Rapid did not give up and, with the support of the fans behind them, created several chances. A direct corner from Seidl landed on the crossbar (25th minute), shortly thereafter substitute Nikolaus Wurmbrand hit the post (29th minute). Just before the halftime whistle, Uzoho deflected a header from the advancing right-back Furkan Demir over the crossbar (45th minute). Even after the break, the centimeters were not on Rapid's side during a triple chance. Uzoho briefly parried a deflected shot from Kara, Seidl hit the post again from a tight angle, and Wurmbrand shot the rebound over (51st minute).

Penalty Alarm for Omonia

Despite their superior play, the Hütteldorfers lacked the penetrating power in front of the goal. Kulovits tried to change this circumstance with the substitutions of Janis Antiste, Tobias Gulliksen, and Claudy Mbuyi. In the 78th minute, there was a penalty alarm in the Nicosia penalty area because Schaub went down after a possibly illegal collision with Uzoho. However, the whistle of the Dutch referee Joey Kooij remained silent. Even in the final phase, Rapid lacked the spark of ideas in the offense.

(APA/Red)

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