The result was by no means simply a consequence of mistakes from the visitors. Rapid were extremely aggressive, particularly in the first half, found effective solutions against Sturm’s pressing and created significantly higher-quality chances. Only after the break did Johannes Hoff Thorup’s team once again drift into the kind of passive spell that has already surfaced several times in recent weeks.
Three goals in the opening 17 minutes
The match began at a frantic pace. After Jürgen Heil fouled Moulaye Haïdara and a lengthy VAR review followed, Demir calmly converted the resulting penalty in the seventh minute. Sturm responded almost immediately, with Simon Seidl setting up Beganović for the equaliser.
Rapid were completely unfazed. In the 17th minute, Tilio pressed Jacob Peter Hödl in Sturm’s build-up, won the ball and, after Adamsen moved the attack on, finished the move himself to make it 2-1. It was a sequence that summed up Rapid’s first-half performance: the hosts were sharper in the decisive moments and immediately punished mistakes.
Rapid continued to create the better chances. Tilio was denied by Ammar Helac, Adamsen fired the rebound over and Haïdara also threatened before the interval. By half-time, Rapid already held a clear 2.28 to 0.53 advantage in expected goals.
Rapid find the right answer to Sturm’s press
One of the most interesting tactical aspects was Rapid’s approach to Sturm’s high press. The visitors frequently pushed five players forward and attempted to lock the hosts into their own defensive third. Rapid, however, did not insist on constantly trying to play through the first line with short combinations.
Hedl often began with a short pass to draw Sturm forward. Once the pressing players committed, Rapid quickly looked for the longer ball over that first line. The intention was not necessarily to control every high pass immediately, but rather to compete for the second ball. Rapid pushed up quickly and repeatedly caught Sturm in disorganised situations.
The numbers underline that this was a deliberate approach. Rapid’s passes into the final third averaged 40 metres in length, compared with 31.3 metres for Sturm. Their intensity after losing possession was also striking. Rapid recorded 50 interceptions compared with Sturm’s 33, while the hosts also had the higher “Challenge Intensity” figure at 4.7 to 3.7.
Sturm make Rapid wobble after the break
Rapid did not manage their lead entirely comfortably. Sturm increased the intensity of their press after half-time. Their PPDA dropped from 16.0 in the first half to 9.1, while their average formation line moved forward from 49.8 to 52.4 metres. Rapid became more passive and temporarily lost control of the match.
Substitute Nelson Weiper found himself in promising situations, but Sturm rarely managed to create truly clear chances. The overall shot profile tells the story. The Graz side actually attempted 17 shots, one more than Rapid, but eleven came from outside the penalty area. Rapid produced eleven attempts from inside the box and finished with 3.31 xG compared with Sturm’s 1.08. The average shot distance was 16.5 metres for Rapid and 21.1 for Sturm, another indication of the visitors’ problems in playing through a compact Rapid defence.
Demir the clear difference-maker
The standout performer operated as Rapid’s No. 10. Yusuf Demir repeatedly found space between Sturm’s midfield and defensive lines, escaped pressure with his technical quality and proved extremely difficult for the visitors to contain. In addition to converting the early penalty, he also created the decisive third goal.
Demir completed 38 of his 46 passes, played three key passes and found a teammate with four of his five progressive passes. The central role currently appears to suit him considerably better than previous spells on the wing. Playing inside gives him a wider field of vision and more options to exploit his technical strengths, whereas on the right he is more frequently forced into tight spaces near the touchline.
Dahl’s introduction was another important factor. The Norwegian added fresh pace and directness on the left at a stage when Rapid’s attacking play had begun to stagnate. Sturm’s full-backs generally struggled badly with quick changes of direction and one-on-one situations. Dahl won all five of his duels and completed both of his dribbles before sealing the game in the 86th minute, finishing Demir’s pass precisely into the far corner.
Thorup praises response, Ingolitsch frustrated by mistakes
Rapid coach Thorup was particularly pleased with the reaction to the European disappointment. “We showed a lot of good things today, especially in terms of character, and we bounced back after Wednesday’s game,” he said. The Dane added that it was only natural that his side could not dominate for the full 90 minutes against a physically strong opponent such as Sturm.
Ingolitsch, meanwhile, felt his own team had largely been responsible for the defeat. “We killed ourselves today,” was his blunt assessment. The Sturm coach was particularly frustrated by the individual mistakes that preceded the goals and also pointed to Rapid’s unusually frequent use of long balls.
The defeat ended a remarkable run for Sturm. Since losing 1-0 away to WSG Tirol on 14 February, the Graz side had gone 17 consecutive Bundesliga matches unbeaten. Rapid, meanwhile, remain perfect and top of the table. Their next major test arrives on Wednesday, when they travel to Red Bull Salzburg for their rearranged fixture at 20:30. Salzburg head into that match having beaten Austria Wien 4-1 on Sunday to move within two points of joint leaders Rapid and LASK.
