Rapid beat Genoa 2-0 in a Club Friendlies match on Thursday, keeping a clean sheet against the Italian side. The result came at home and extended the hosts' run of positive results, though cup football has its own rules when it comes to preparing for the season. By then the crowd had seen enough to know this wasn't going to be a walkover.
F. Stojilkovic opened the scoring in the fifty-fifth minute, and Rapid kept their advantage after R. Pop added a second in the eighty-first. The goals came at different stages of the game, and between them they gave Genoa a chance to respond. Yellow cards followed at fifty-three, fifty-six and sixty-four minutes, suggesting the match grew tighter as the half progressed.
And here's the thing about the numbers — possession was level at fifty percent for both sides, yet Rapid managed more attacks with ninety-two to Genoa's eighty-three. The corners tell a similar story, seven to three in favour of the hosts. Many chances with two goals means the finishing was efficient enough, even if the statistics don't show a clear dominance.
Rapid have not lost in their last five friendlies, with wins against Argeş Piteşti, Voluntari and Politehnica Timişoara among them. Genoa's recent record is mixed, including defeats to Parma and Como. The comparison doesn't predict anything, but it shows where each side was coming into this fixture.
The final scoreline of 2-0 gives Rapid a clean sheet and two points of satisfaction from the warm-up. The goal difference is neat, and the team can now turn attention to the work ahead. That's all the report needs to say about a match decided by moments, not minutes.
