"Da waren so viele Dinge, die für uns auf einem hohen Level sind: Mindset, Mentalität, auch die Chancen der ersten Hälfte, wo wir schon treffen sollten."
The outcome was not undeserved because of this. "We, in particular, contributed a large part to it, one simply has to say that. Rapid was the only team playing here for the entire first half. We had a lot of possession and made the opponent run," Horn emphasized.
"That's not something to take for granted, especially against LASK, a very strong team. But we tried to negate their strengths. We managed that very well, not allowing them to get into the game at all."
Regardless of the fact that only a narrow offside call prevented the old saying about "goals you don't score" from becoming reality once again. And towards the end, it was already necessary to throw oneself into some attempts at goal.
The third chance was converted
Because Ercan Kara finally found the right finish on the third huge opportunity. With a bit of luck with the ball, as Lukas Jungwirth couldn't get a follow-up.
"It's important to create chances, because then the goal will come," the striker once again delivered one of his distinctively dry comments with a matter-of-factness that was particularly missing during the second opportunity and the missed moment to finish.
In the end, it didn't matter. "I'm proud that we played so dominantly. It's not easy to come here and play such football."
Playing "the way we want"
And the coach was happier about the "how" than the "what" anyway. "I'm happier about the performance than about the win. It was an important step for us to play the way we want against one of the best, if not the best, team in the league," emphasized Johannes Hoff Thorup.
On this occasion, isolated reasons for criticism also didn't matter to him. "It would be wrong after such a game to focus on the bad things. There were so many things that are at a high level for us: mindset, mentality, also the chances in the first half where we really should have scored."
The difficulty with a high level is simply maintaining it long-term. The next task awaits in just five days. The home game against TSV Hartberg won't be as high-profile as LASK's next match, but it would count for just as much as a victory at the Gugl. After all, only a quarter of the season has passed.
