SK Austria Klagenfurt are out of the UNIQA ÖFB Cup in the second round. In front of 3,350 spectators at the Wörthersee Stadion, the Violets held their own for a long time against Bundesliga side SK Rapid Wien and twice came back from behind. After making it 2-2 immediately following the break, however, the quality of the visitors ultimately told as they ran out 5-2 winners.

Rapid took the initiative from the outset and tried to put Austria under pressure with early pressing. The Violets stood compact at first and, despite the visitors' share of possession, allowed only a few clear-cut chances.

After 26 minutes things became really dangerous for the first time when Tilio pulled the trigger from just outside the box and narrowly missed the far corner. At the other end, Alexander Ranacher tried his luck from distance, but his effort flew over the bar.

In the 28th minute Rapid finally took the lead. Following an attack down the left side, the ball reached Matthias Seidl, who slotted home from a left-of-centre position to make it 0-1.

Austria were not fazed by going behind, though, and had the perfect response six minutes later. Tristan Schoppitsch took heart from distance and placed the ball spectacularly into the top left corner. With his goal for 1-1 in the 34th minute, the game was wide open again.

Rapid then turned up the pressure once more. Shortly before the break the visitors regained the lead. After a through ball, the ball was squared into the penalty area, where Nikolaus Wurmbrand tapped in for 1-2. That was the score at half-time.

After the change of ends, Austria made a perfect start. Only a few seconds after the restart, a high ball again found Tristan Schoppitsch. The forward got the better of his opponent and lifted the ball over Rapid goalkeeper Paul Gartler for 2-2. With his second goal of the evening, Schoppitsch sparked huge celebrations at the Wörthersee Stadion.

The joy over the renewed equaliser did not last long, however. Rapid upped the tempo and struck three times within a few minutes.

In the 57th minute Wurmbrand put the visitors in front for the third time that evening with a well-placed finish from around 17 metres. Just five minutes later Nicolas Bajlicz made it 2-4 after a quick combination.

In the 69th minute it was Wurmbrand again who settled the matter. After a cross from the left, the Rapid striker made it 2-5 and completed his hat-trick.

Austria tried to push forward once more in the closing stages, but the scoreline did not change. After 90 minutes, head coach Slobodan Grubor's side had to concede a 2-5 defeat to the Bundesliga club.

That brings the Violets' cup run this year to an end in the second round. Despite the defeat, Austria put in a committed performance for long spells against Austria's record champions and twice managed to cancel out a deficit. Tristan Schoppitsch in particular provided the violet highlights of the evening with his brace.

A big thank you goes to the 3,350 spectators who supported our team at the Wörthersee Stadion.

SK Austria Klagenfurt – SK Rapid Wien 2-5 (1-2)

Goals: 0-1 Seidl (28'), 1-1 Schoppitsch (34'), 1-2 Wurmbrand (40'), 2-2 Schoppitsch (46'), 2-3 Wurmbrand (57'), 2-4 Bajlicz (62'), 2-5 Wurmbrand (69')

Austria: Kuttin – Ranacher, Weiss, Verbic, Dollinger – Pschernig, Kasnik (73' Pfeiffer), Schoppitsch (81' Tatschl), Owusu (73' Kouzan) – Lekaj (64' Oberguggenberger), Ristic (63' Rötzer)