False start is perfect

LIVE from 5pm: LASK must face Rapid

Entrup and Lang celebrate the 2:1 victory.

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Rapid have made the worst start to a new Bundesliga season in their 51-year history. The team from Hütteldorf conceded a 2-1 defeat at LASK on Sunday and lost the first three league games of a calendar year for the first time. 

With three rounds to go before the end of the basic round, the fifth-placed team is now only four points off the top. LASK moved up to sixth place.

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Ex-Rapid professional Christoph Lang (31) and George Bello (78) scored the goals for the home side in front of 14,980 spectators. A goal from new signing Andrija Radulovic (91) was not enough for the Viennese. Rapid had already conceded defeats in the derby at Austria and at home against WAC, and only managed two points from the last six rounds in the league. LASK, on the other hand, returned to winning ways in the championship after four unsuccessful attempts and are now unbeaten in eight league matches and seven home games against Grün-Weiß.

Linz were without the injured Robert Zulj and the ill Philipp Ziereis, among others, but 19-year-old central defender Modou Keba Cisse made his league debut. Rapid were without the suspended Niklas Hedl, Mamadou Sangare and Dion Beljo. Goalkeeper Paul Gartler, Moritz Oswald and Ercan Kara moved into the starting eleven.

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Rapid dominate the opening phase
LASK had the first chance, Samuel Adeniran missing the far corner (4th). As the game progressed, Rapid got into the game better and were also more dangerous: A shot from Bendeguz Bolla was just blocked by Hrvoje Smolcic (17'), Bello saved a Kara chance from the line (18'), and there were also several attempts from distance that did not pose any major problems for LASK goalkeeper Tobias Lawal.

Contrary to the course of the game, Linz made it 1:0. After a mistake by Oswald, Lang had a free run towards the Rapid goal, gave Gartler no chance and celebrated exuberantly with the goal against the club where he had not been able to assert himself before moving to Upper Austria in the winter. With the exception of a clear miss by Bolla (35'), Rapid had nothing more to offer before the break and also disappointed for long periods of the second half.

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After another mistake by Oswald, Entrup appeared alone in front of goal but failed to beat Gartler (54'). Two minutes later, the goalkeeper made a faux pas of his own when he served the ball to Adeniran, but then saved against the US striker. Gartler also defused a shot from Ivan Ljubic (61') and was also on hand to save another top chance from Entrup (64').

LASK missed good chances
LASK failed to bring about the decision in this phase and were almost punished for this in the 73rd minute. Captain Matthias Seidl, who returned to the starting line-up, took a shot from the penalty spot, but Lawal fended the ball onto the bar. Four minutes later, Bello did better from a similar distance, his shot finding its way into the net via the inside of the bar.

Rapid fought in vain to turn the game around, but Lawal saved a header from Kara (84') and a shot from Seidl (85'). Debutant Radulovic's consolation goal with a shot into the far corner from just outside the penalty area came too late.

LASK - SK Rapid 2:1 (1:0)
Linz, Raiffeisen Arena, 14,980, referee Ciochirca

Goals: 
1:0 (31.) Lang

2:0 (78.) Bello

2:1 (91.) Radulovic

LASK: Lawal - B. Jovicic, Cisse, Smolcic, Bello - Lang (92. Sulzner), Horvath, Ljubic, Berisha (86. Bogarde) - Entrup (72. Danek), Adeniran

Rapid: Gartler - Bolla, Cvetkovic, Raux-Yao, Auer (76. Schöller) - Oswald (60. Wurmbrand), Lu. Grgic - Schaub (76. Radulovic), M. Seidl, Jansson - Kara

Yellow cards: Berisha, Cisse, Lang and none respectively