CoL draw at Borac

Borac Banja Luka against SK Rapid, LIVE from 9pm

FK Borac Banja Luka's clash with SK Rapid did not produce a winner ...

(Bild: GEPA)

SK Rapid had to settle for a draw in the first leg of the Conference League round of 16! The Viennese side and Borac Banja Luka drew 1:1 (1:0) in Bosnia on Thursday.

The Croatian Dion Beljo scored the 1:0 in the 34th minute, after the break the Rapid team missed several chances and had a goal disallowed for a handball, before David Vukovic scored the equalizer in the 92nd minute with a penalty.

"The duel won't be decided in either direction after the match in Banja Luka," said Rapid coach Robert Klauß beforehand - and that's exactly how it turned out. Everything is therefore wide open for the second leg next Thursday (18:45) at the Allianz Stadium.

(Bild: GEPA)

(Bild: GEPA)

Klauß made two changes to the starting eleven compared to the line-up for the 5-0 win against Altach on Saturday. Isak Jansson was ruled out due to a shoulder injury and captain Matthias Seidl was only on the bench at the start for tactical and strategic reasons. Nikolaus Wurmbrand and Andrija Radulovic replaced them as attacking wingers in a 4-2-3-1. Substitute captain Louis Schaub tried to direct the game from the 10 position.

Rapid efficient in the first half
In the first half, there was a lack of line in the game, especially at the beginning. Borac mostly tried their luck in the sold-out Gradski Stadion with quick counter-attacks after the visitors lost possession. Wurmbrand had the first halfway dangerous attacking move on the Rapids side in the 15th minute, but his shot from the half-left in the penalty area was wide of the mark. At the other end of the pitch, a ball from left-back Viktor Rogan flew just wide of the goal (19').

When ex-WSG player Sandi Ogrinec shot from just outside the penalty area five minutes later, Rapid keeper Niklas Hedl was in the right place. Rapid's lead then came as something of a surprise. The lively Wurmbrand received the ball in front of the six-yard box and, after a short dribble, passed it to the onrushing Beljo, who scored with a left-footed shot into the right-hand corner of the net. Borac had to take a little more risk.

Wasteful after the break
After the break, Rapid defender Jonas Auer stayed in the dressing room and Jakob Schöller took his place on the left side of defense. The Green-Whites now took control and pressed for the 2:0, but shots from Wurmbrand (50'), Beljo (53') and Bendeguz Bolla (54') were not quite accurate.

(Bild: GEPA)

(Bild: GEPA)

Klauß brought on Seidl for Radulovic and Banja Luka brought on long-time Rapid player Srdan Grahovac in the 59th minute. And Rapid missed further opportunities: Beljo (68') missed with the outside of his foot, Mamadou Sangare (78') with his left. Nenad Cvetkovic illegally used his upper arm in the 84th minute to make it 2:0 after a corner kick.

It came to a bitter end: French referee Jérôme Brisard awarded a penalty for a handball by Sangare, who had his arm outstretched in the Rapid penalty area and was shot. Vukovic gave Hedl no chance. If Rapid manage to progress next week, they will face either Djurgarden from Sweden or Cypriot club Paphos in the quarter-finals. Paphos won the first leg 1:0 at home.

The result:
FK Borac Banja Luka - SK Rapid 1:1 (0:1)
Banja Luka, Gradski Stadion, 9500 spectators, referee Brisard (FRA)

Goals: 0:1 (34.) Beljo, 1:1 (92./penalty) Vuković

Yellow cards: Carolina and Lu. Grgic, Sangare, Bolla

Borac: Manojlovic - Kvrzic (77. Vranjes), Meijers, Carolina, Rogan (67. Subic) - Ogrinec, Nikolov (59. Grahovac) - Kulasin, Savic (77. Cavic), Vukovic - Despotovic
Rapid: Hedl - Bolla (74. Oswald), Cvetkovic, Raux-Yao, Auer (46. Schöller) - Sangare, Lu. Grgic (74. Borkeeiet) - Radulovic (58. M. Seidl), Schaub, Wurmbrand (86. Bischof) - Beljo

The second leg will take place next Thursday (18:45) - the promoted team will play the winner from Djurgarden/Paphos in the quarter-finals.