Conference League
SK Rapid against FC Noah from 18:45 LIVE
Matchday 2 in the Conference League. SK Rapid will host FC Noah. We report live from 18:45, see ticker below.
Here is the live ticker:
Rapid face a largely unknown opponent today as they look to continue their recent run of success. The Hütteldorfer face Armenian club FC Noah from Yerevan in the Conference League in front of their own fans and, with a win, would not only record their fourth competitive win in a row, but also take a big step closer to securing a place in the European Cup this winter.
Three weeks ago, Rapid won 2-1 at Basaksehir Istanbul - three more points would probably be half the battle in the race for a final place among the top 24 in the 36-club league phase. However, coach Robert Klauß warned against taking the Armenian runners-up lightly. "We're expecting a strong opponent with a lot of legionnaires in the squad, great quality and a focus on offense," explained the German. They will also have to be careful with set-pieces, according to Klauß.
FC Noah made it through four qualifying rounds on their way to the league phase, beating notable opponents such as AEK Athens and Ruzomberok. They kicked off their Conference League campaign with a 2-0 win over Mlada Boleslav in front of their own fans. Klauß became aware of Noah when he eliminated AEK. "Those results made people sit up and take notice," said the 39-year-old.
The club was only founded in 2017 as FC Arzach. Two years later, it was renamed FC Noah - in reference to Noah's ark, which is said to have been stranded on Mount Ararat, around 20 kilometers from Yerevan. The squad includes players from Africa, South America and various European countries, who excel at international level, particularly in home matches. Away from home, they have recently suffered two defeats and one draw in the European Cup. "That's a certain discrepancy," said Klauß.
"That was a warning signal that we can't play like that"
His squad go into the game with the reference of nine competitive matches without defeat, for which 17,500 tickets had been sold by midday on Wednesday. "We have self-confidence. Now we have to put in a performance that is good enough to win," said Klauß. A performance like the one in the second half of Sunday's 2:1 win against Hartberg will probably not be enough. "That was a warning signal that we can't play like that," said the Rapid coach.
No major changes are expected in terms of personnel. Louis Schaub and Isak Jansson are still unavailable, but Thierry Gale could make his comeback in the professional squad. Another candidate is summer signing Jakob Schöller, who is also fit again and can hope to be named in the Rapid squad for the first time.
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