After a major blunder

LIVE: Rapid vs. Sturm Graz – the lineups

Seedy Jatta scored the 2-0 goal for Sturm Graz.(Bild: GEPA)

Sturm Graz has given itself some breathing room in the race for the Bundesliga title with a victory in the top match of the 25th round. On Easter Sunday, the Graz team celebrated a 2-0 (1-0) away win at Rapid and extended its lead over the Green-Whites, Salzburg, and LASK to four points. 

Albert Vallci (13th) and Seedy Jatta (52nd), capitalizing on a blunder by Rapid goalkeeper Niklas Hedl, secured a well-deserved victory for the efficient Graz side in Hütteldorf.

  For the defending champions, the first win over Rapid this season was an important step toward retaining the title. After three straight wins, Rapid missed the chance to climb to the top of the table and suffered a major setback in the title race.

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Sturm playmaker Otar Kiteishvili initially watched the top-of-the-table clash in Vienna from the bench. The Georgian had returned from the international break with a thigh injury. In goal, Daniil Khudiakov made his Bundesliga season debut after a long injury layoff. For Rapid, left-back Jannes Horn was suspended.

Vallci put the champions ahead
The 16,110 spectators at the Allianz Stadium—which was partially closed again due to disciplinary measures—witnessed a very active start by the Hütteldorf side, though it went unrewarded. The first major chance fell to the visitors from Graz. Captain Jon Gorenc Stankovic fired wide from a central position (7th minute), visibly rousing his teammates. After a corner, the ball found its way to Vallci, who fired a powerful volley under the crossbar to make it 1-0.

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  A miscommunication in Rapid’s defense led to the very next big chance. Gizo Mamageishvili curled the ball onto the outside post (20th minute). The green-and-whites’ early offensive had long since petered out by this point. Despite nearly 70 percent possession, Rapid failed to create any noteworthy scoring chances in the first half. Sturm, too, remained largely harmless after the shot off the post until halftime.

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Hedl's blunder led to 2-0
This changed abruptly after the restart. First, Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao was able to clear in the nick of time after a cross from Mamageishvili (46'). The next chance resulted in a 2-0 lead, thanks in large part to Niklas Hedl. The Rapid keeper dropped a harmless shot from Hödl, and Jatta pounced on the rebound. Rapid tried to respond quickly. Andreas Weimann hit the inside post from close range; a goal would not have counted due to a narrow offside call (54').

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After 71 minutes, former green-and-white prodigy Yusuf Demir celebrated his Bundesliga comeback following his return to Rapid. But like his teammates before him, he too failed to create any compelling scoring chances. Two minutes after Demir, Sturm’s Kiteishvili also entered the game. With the playmaker on the field, the Graz side saw out the away victory without any trouble.

(Bild: GEPA)

SK Rapid Vienna – SK Sturm Graz 0–2 (0–1)
Vienna, Allianz Stadium, 16,110 spectators, Referee Gishamer.

Goals:
0:1 (13.) Vallci
0:2 (52.) Jatta

Rapid: Hedl – Cvetkovic, Raux-Yao, Ahoussou (71. Kara) – Bolla, Amane, M. Seidl, Gulliksen (57. Dahl) – Wurmbrand (71. Y. Demir), Weimann, Antiste (71. Tilio)

Sturm: Khudiakov – Vallci, Mitchell, Koller – Gazibegovic (59. Malic), Weinhandl, Gorenc Stankovic, Hödl (73. Fosso) – Rozga (81. Hierländer), Mamageishvili (73. Kiteishvili) – Jatta (73. Malone)

Yellow cards: Bolla, Gulliksen, Ahoussou, Tilio; Mamageishvili, Hödl, Mitchell, Rozga