2:1 Victory! LASK Extends Winning Streak Against Rapid

Head coach Markus Schopp returned to a 4-2-2-2 formation, with center-back Modou Keba Cisse replacing the ill Philipp Ziereis in the starting lineup. This not only marked his Bundesliga debut but also his first appearance as a starter in a competitive match. The first chance for LASK came from Samuel Adeniran, who narrowly missed the far post after four minutes.

Rapid had slightly more possession in the early stages but mostly only threatened from long-range shots. LASK defended with discipline and continued to find good solutions in their own build-up play, although they lacked a bit of courage in some situations. At the same time, dangerous counter-attacks emerged after winning the ball. One such moment came in the 31st minute: Christoph Lang won the ball at midfield, used his speed to break away, and remained cool in front of Rapid goalkeeper Paul Gartler—1-0 for LASK, Lang's first goal and the scoreline at halftime.

After the break, the Black-and-Whites stepped up their game and came close to doubling their lead on several occasions. In the 54th minute, Maximilian Entrup found himself in a one-on-one situation with Rapid goalkeeper Paul Gartler following a high ball win by LASK, but he was denied by Gartler. Two minutes later, Samuel Adeniran intercepted a pass from the Rapid keeper but rushed his shot and missed the target. LASK enjoyed a strong phase, combining beautifully in attack while pressing relentlessly without the ball, forcing Rapid into mistakes.

Despite several chances, the second goal remained elusive, keeping the tension high. In the 73rd minute, LASK goalkeeper Tobias Lawal was called into action again, making a crucial save off a shot from Seidl that hit the post. Five minutes later, George Bello sent the Raiffeisen Arena into a second wave of celebration: From a long distance, the defender unleashed a powerful shot with his strong left foot, smashing the ball into the top corner—2-0! Bello's first Bundesliga goal was truly spectacular. Rapid’s late goal from substitute Andrija Radulovic (90’) came too late, and with the 2-1 home victory, LASK not only moved into the top six but also extended their impressive unbeaten streak against Rapid: eight games in a row and seven consecutive home matches without a loss.

LASK – SK Rapid 2:1 (1:0)
Raiffeisen Arena, 14.980, Referee Ciochirca
Goals: 1:0 Lang (31.), 2:0 Bello (78.), 2:1 Radulovic (90.)
Yellow Cards: Berisha, Lang, Cisse

Line-up LASK: Lawal (K) – Jovicic, Cisse, Smolcic, Bello – Horvath, Ljubic – Lang (91. Sulzner), Berisha (86. Bogarde) – Entrup (71. Danek), Adeniran