6-0 Rout in Hütteldorf

Record Set: Rapid Mercilessly Routed WAC

Rapid didn’t give WAC the slightest chance.(Bild: GEPA)

Rapid mercilessly crushed bottom-of-the-table WAC 6-0 and celebrated its seventh straight league victory. At the same time, the Hütteldorf team tied a club record set in the 1950-51 season: Back then, Rapid also won eleven of its first twelve league games.

SK Rapid put on a show of dominance to kick off the second half of the regular season in the Austrian Bundesliga. The league leaders defeated WAC 6-0 (2-0) on Friday evening in front of 21,000 fans in Vienna-Hütteldorf. Petter Nosa Dahl (9th, 45th) and Ercan Kara (67th, 79th) each scored twice, while Tonni Adamsen (76th) and Claudy Mbuyi (83rd) rounded out the half-dozen goals. Johannes Hoff Thorup’s team now has 33 points after twelve rounds, while Wolfsberg (6) remains at the bottom of the league.

Compared to the 2-0 victory in the Vienna derby, Hoff Thorup made two changes to his starting lineup: Nenad Cvetkovic was absent due to the birth of his child, and Ange Ahoussou replaced him at center back. Up front, Marco Tilio started in place of Adamsen. WAC coach Manfred Schmid also made two changes: defender Cheick Mamadou Diabate started in place of Raffael Behounek, and Emanuel Agyemang replaced the suspended Dominik Fitz.

Dahl Scores a Brace Before Halftime
In wintry temperatures, Rapid capitalized on their very first dangerous attack to take the lead. Tilio left Aaron Sky Schwarz in his wake on the right and crossed into the penalty area. While Ercan Kara missed the ball, Dahl effortlessly slotted it into the empty net. Shortly thereafter, the WAC penalty area was ablaze once again: Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao headed a Demir free kick off the outside post, and Kara converted another cross from the in-form Yusuf Demir to make it 2–0 (16th minute). However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was disallowed due to Raux-Yao being offside.

(Bild: GEPA)

  Wolfsberg now opened up the game and had a great chance through Sankara Karamoko following a fine assist from Phillip Verhounig. Rapid goalie Niklas Hedl was there to make the save, though (28'). On the other end, Dahl set up Demir, who was denied by Lior Gliklich (30'). Schmid had seen enough and made an early substitution (35’): Marco Schabauer and Thorsten Schriebl replaced Simon Piesinger and Karamoko to more effectively limit the range of action for Demir and Matthias Seidl in the middle. The move, however, was not successful. Shortly before halftime, Seidl intercepted a poorly played ball from Wolfsberg and passed it to Dahl. The Norwegian calmly slotted it home from 18 meters after a deft feint.

Kara’s Brace After the Break
For the visitors, Coach Schmid sent forward Giacomo Vrioni onto the field for Donis Avdijaj in the second half. Rapid, however, kept up the pressure and sought to seal the victory. Kara (49th) and Tilio (52nd) were initially too wayward. Shortly afterward, Kara tapped in to make it 3-0 after a shot by Demir that Gliklich couldn’t clear cleanly. Rapid was now playing cat-and-mouse with their opponents, though a goal by substitute Adamsen was disallowed due to a foul by Kara (69').

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

  For the Lavanttal side, newly signed forward Jack Lahne made his debut, but the goals came from the other end. After a beautiful combination between Kara and Demir, Adamsen finally scored his goal at the start of Rapid’s “quarter-hour.” Three minutes later, Kara also scored a brace with a header. Mbuyi also got in on the scoring spree; the 27-year-old scored three minutes after coming on as a substitute, putting the finishing touch on a brilliant green-and-white performance.

Rapid thus remains undefeated at home in the league, having won all seven home games. It was also their ninth consecutive victory in competitive play. WAC, on the other hand, extended its losing streak and has now gone eleven league games in a row without a win (three draws, eight losses). Both teams now head into the international break. Afterward, Rapid will travel to face GAK on November 21, while Wolfsberg will host SV Ried at home the following day.

SK Rapid – Wolfsberger AC 6–0 (2–0)
Vienna, Allianz Stadium, 20,991 spectators, Referee Barmaksiz.

Goals: 1:0 (9') Dahl, 2:0 (45') Dahl, 3:0 (67') Kara, 4:0 (76') Adamsen, 5:0 (79') Kara, 6:0 (83') Mbuyi

Rapid: Hedl – Bolla, Ahoussou, Raux-Yao, Horn (80' Roka) – M. Seidl, Bajlicz – Tilio (62' Adamsen), Y. Demir (87' Wurmbrand), Dahl (87' Haidara) – Kara (80' Mbuyi)

WAC: Gliklich – Wohlmuth, Kitz, C. Diabate (73' Pink), Sulzner, Schwarz – Piesinger (35' Schriebl), Agyemang (68' Lahne), Avdijaj (46' Vrioni) – Verhounig, Karamoko (35. Schabauer)

Yellow cards: Tilio and Sulzner, Diabate