Rapid Vienna came from behind to defeat Austria Klagenfurt 5-2 in the Round of 32 of the Cup on September 5th. The visitors had opened talks about their chances after a poor showing against Salzburg just three days earlier, but by then they found a way back into it. The final score read 2:5, though the story unfolded quite differently in those opening forty-five minutes.
Austria Klagenfurt took the lead through M. Seidl after twenty-eight minutes, then doubled it with T. Schoppitsch's strike at thirty-four. To be fair, they camped in the final third and kept their heads when Rapid pushed back. Schoppitsch added a third just after halftime, making it three-one before the visitors had truly stirred.
N. Wurmbrand changed everything at forty minutes, then struck again at fifty-seven. Rapid had nothing to lose at that point and cut them open at will. Bajlicz equalised at sixty-two, and Wurmbrand completed his brace with a third goal at sixty-nine. By then the momentum had shifted completely.
Both sides made several changes as the game settled. Austria Klagenfurt brought on A. Ristic, M. Lekaj, M. Tilio, E. Kara, D. Owusu, J. Kasnik, N. Bajlicz, N. Wurmbrand, T. Schoppitsch and E. Roka at various stages. Rapid's substitutions were more measured, reflecting a side that had already done its damage.
The statistics tell a familiar story. Rapid Vienna controlled seventy-seven per cent of possession and registered one hundred and fifteen attacks compared to fifty-nine. They had twelve shots on target against three, while Austria Klagenfurt managed only two corners and zero offsides — perhaps a sign they stayed compact rather than pressing forward.
The result ends Rapid's poor run but leaves Austria Klagenfurt with questions about how they lost a lead they built so comfortably. The visitors advance, though they may yet regret not closing out the game sooner. One mistake ends it, as they say, but sometimes it takes three to turn a match around.