Goal Fest! Rapid's Attack Dispatches Santa Coloma in Return Leg

Rapid wins the return leg of the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round 6-2 against FC Santa Coloma (aggregate: 9-3) and advances to the next round.

In the first home game of the new season, Rapid starts with significantly more momentum than in the first leg. After just ten minutes, the Hütteldorfers take the lead, as Ercan Kara taps Bendegúz Bolla's cross-goal pass into the net.

The second goal belongs to left-winger Petter Nosa Dahl. Rapid combines at high pace across the entire pitch, and Marco Tilio ultimately has the vision for Dahl. The Norwegian slots it in at the far post to make it 2-0.

Rapid controlled the game, but the defense, as in Andorra, showed vulnerability at times. Thus, Santa Coloma scored to pull one back through José "Guti" Bellido: Alex Gomez was not prevented from crossing on the left side, and in the middle, Jonas Auer lost his aerial duel with Bellido. The ball dipped over Niklas Hedl into the net, making it 2-1 after half an hour.

Rapid strikes back instantly

However, the Hütteldorfers' answer to the conceded goal was not long in coming. Kara played a one-two with Rapid captain Matthias Seidl into the box, where he then beat the last defender and completed his brace with the goal for 3-1 (33').

In the second half, Rapid played with less momentum but far more dominance. The Green-Whites developed a veritable monopoly on the ball, letting it flow easily.

Kara bags a hat-trick

Nenad Cvetkovic made it 4-1 from a position that looked offside, as Kara had flicked on a free-kick to the advanced center-back (58'). For the 5-1 goal, Kara returned to his favorite role and shone again as a scorer. Once again, it was Bolla who provided him with the low cross into the penalty area, and Kara slotted it in, completing his hat-trick in the 63rd minute.

Substitute Nikolaus Wurmbrand also got his name on the scoresheet in the final phase. He drilled a low cross from Jannes Horm into the net from close range (82'). However, the final goal still belonged to the heavily beaten guests from Andorra: Roberto Rodriguez Abreu, with a bit of luck, was able to get past both center-backs and made it 6-2 shortly before the end (87').

This goal, however, changed little. Rapid, after this 6-2 home victory and an aggregate score of 9-3, stands in the third qualifying round of the Conference League. There, an opponent from Estonia or Azerbaijan awaits. >>>