Drama in the Cup final

Cup final: Sturm Graz against Rapid – from 5pm

Sturm celebrated the title defense, Rapid once again on the ground.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures, Sepp Pail)

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Sepp Pail)

In a thrilling ÖFB Cup final, Sturm Graz once again prevailed against Rapid Vienna. Rapid scored the first goal of the game shortly before the break. However, the Styrians were able to equalize this lead shortly after the restart. The game was finally decided in the 81st minute with a goal from Tomi Horvat. 

Sturm Graz became soccer cup winners for the seventh time on Wednesday. In an intense final against Rapid in Klagenfurt, the Styrians turned a 0:1 deficit at the break into a 2:1 victory and repeated last year's coup. They had also prevailed against the green and whites back then. After Rapid's goal by Matthias Seidl (43'), it was an own goal by Leopold Querfeld (49') and a goal by Tomi Horvat (81') that decided the game.

The game was hard-fought

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Sturm, who still have a chance of winning the double as Bundesliga leaders, were the better team, at least in the second half, and once again shone with their fitness. Rapid, on the other hand, still have to wait for their first title in 16 years.

Intense duel in front of 30,000 spectators
Three days after the draw in Salzburg, Sturm brought on Seedy Jatta in attack for William Böving, while David Schnegg replaced Dimitri Lavalee in defense. Rapid coach Robert Klauß, whom Christian Ilzer had recently accused of resting several regular players, actually fielded a clear "A" team this time, led by goalscorer Guido Burgstaller.

Sturm coach Christian Ilzer

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

In front of 30,000 spectators in the sold-out Wörthersee-Arena, the opponents fought an intense, fast-paced duel with few playful elements, many changes of possession and two early chances. Rapids' Nenad Cvetkovic headed just wide from a corner in a top position (4') and Jatta failed to get the ball under control a few meters from the Vienna goal (5').

Klauß was forced to make a change after less than a quarter of an hour because Lukas Grgic stepped on the foot of his team-mate Jonas Auer in the heat of the moment and he was unable to continue. Moritz Oswald came on and Neraysho Kasanwirjo moved to the left side of defense. The Dutchman also almost had to leave the pitch later on after Mika Biereth hit him full in the face (40'), but was eventually able to continue.

Rapid took the lead
A short time later it was 1:0 for Rapid. The goal was mainly due to Marco Grüll, who first took the ball from Gazibegovic like a bull, then gazelle-like let several defenders off in the penalty area and finally forced Vitezslav Jaros to make a save - Seidl converted the rebound without any problems.

Rapid scored their first goal before the break.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Prior to that, there had also been good opportunities through Isak Jansson (outside net/25th) and on the Sturm side through Horvat and Biereth (Niklas Hedl saved at the far post/20th) and Jatta (33rd). The latter headed over the goal after an elegant assist from Jon Gorenc Stankovic (33').

A very even game in the first half initially belonged to Graz after the restart, which was slightly delayed due to smoke in the stands. Biereth tested Hedl (47'), but a little later Rapid's goalkeeper had no chance. It was his team-mate Querfeld who pushed David Affengruber's header over the line from close range. Grün-Weiß failed to provide a real answer after that and were almost constantly under pressure - especially from set-pieces.

Sturm goal did not count
The game seemed to have taken a decisive turn in the 65th minute when Gregory Wüthrich scored from a corner kick to make it 2:1. However, as the VAR confirmed, the Swiss had used his hand to help him.

A quarter of an hour later, however, the time had come: Sturm actually turned the game around after a throw-in including a poke in the penalty area by Horvat. An alleged foul prior to the goal stood up to the VAR check, but heated up tempers, not least those of Klauß. The Viennese team put up a fight in the final stages, but the effect was limited. Jaros had to intervene once more against Burgstaller in stoppage time.