NEWS
Katzer after Win in Estonia: "We Really Wore the Opponent Down"
For the Rapid coach, the rather meager first 75 minutes were decisive for Rapid's clear win in the end – Markus Katzer agrees.
SK Rapid ultimately rewarded themselves late in the game after a long and rather uninspiring performance in the 3rd qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League against Paide Linnameeskond.
In Tallinn, Rapid, despite an early lead through Bendegúz Bolla (5th minute/penalty), struggled to create chances for a long time, and a somewhat lucky goal by the Estonians before halftime (44th minute) made it look like a draw for much of the game.
First 75 Minutes as the Reason for Rapid's Final Sprint
"We know that when we have the ball as much as we do, the teams we play against get quite tired towards the end," explained coach Johannes Hoff Thorup in the post-match press conference, regarding why Rapid secured a clear victory in the final phase.
Despite the meager first 75 minutes, the Dane is clear: "The first 75 minutes were the reason why we had so much space at the end."
Because in Rapid's final quarter-hour, the Green-Whites finally awoke, and two substitute players ultimately secured the clear success: Moulaye Haidara scored his second and third European Cup goals (83rd, 90.+3), while Petter Nosa Dahl already decided the match in between (85th).
Katzer: "Highly Professional Performance Today"
"It was a highly professional performance today. We really wore the opponent down. Then we kept winning balls," says Markus Katzer.
The Sporting Director added: "Thus, we prepared the game in such a way that we had the opportunity to score three more goals in the last 15 minutes. So the result is perfect."
Hoff Thorup sees no further danger for the return leg next Wednesday in western Vienna: "It should be enough if you win 4-1 away. We have a fantastic stadium and support at home, which always gives us an extra boost, but it changes nothing about our approach."
