Penalty in 94th Minute Prevents Rapid Victory at GAK

Rapid's winning streak has been broken. The Hütteldorfer only managed a 1:1 away against bottom team GAK on Sunday, thus missing the sixth consecutive competitive victory and leading the Bundesliga table by only five points ahead of champion Sturm Graz, who has a game in hand. Daniel Maderner secured the final score with a controversial VAR penalty in the 94th minute, before Janis Antiste had scored for Rapid (22nd minute).

Rapid slightly changed

Rapid coach Peter Stöger refrained from major changes after the cup advancement against Oberwart, with new additions to the team including captain Matthias Seidl and Furkan Demir for Bendeguz Bolla, who was injured in the ankle. The guests had more ball possession from the start, yet the first dangerous action did not occur until the 18th minute. Nikolaus Wurmbrand served Claudy Mbuyi, whose shot was saved by GAK goalkeeper Jakob Meierhofer.

Four minutes later, the Graz team had several opportunities to clear the ball around their own penalty area. However, they failed, allowing Antiste to shoot flat into the far corner from about 14 meters and celebrate his first Bundesliga goal. Only then did GAK wake up - a shot from Tio Cipot from a good position was blocked (38th minute), Ramiz Harakate got the ball past the hesitantly advancing Niklas Hedl, but then failed to score from a sharp angle (44th minute). On the other side, Wurmbrand missed from the edge of the five-meter box (40th minute).

GAK achieved equalizer

The second half began like the first - with a delay of several minutes due to heavy smoke from the Rapid fan sector. Shortly after the restart, Mbuyi missed the top chance for Rapid's second goal: after a Wurmbrand assist, the striker volleyed the ball over the bar from about two meters (47th minute). GAK responded with a free kick from Tobias Koch at the corner line, Hedl deflected the ball over the goal (50th minute).

Subsequently, the game became increasingly disjointed, with notable goal scenes absent - until injury time. Jacob Italiano fell after a duel with Marco Tilio, referee Harald Lechner initially dismissed GAK's penalty demands, but then changed his mind after reviewing the VAR images - Maderner converted confidently. The penalty was controversial, but Rapid was also punished for their own passivity.

GAK still winless

In the final moments, the Viennese threw everything forward again, but only a header from Nenad Cvetkovic, cleared off the line by Donovan Pines, resulted (96th minute). Thus, GAK achieved a respectable result in their first game since the departure of sports director Dieter Elsneg, but the Styrians are still waiting for their first win of the season.

(APA/Red)

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