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14. 09. 09. - 15:00

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14. 09. 09. - 15:00

Fighting Rapid hold 'Bulls' to draw

By Thomas Hochwarter

Rapid Vienna held title holders Red Bull Salzburg to a 2-2 draw after an amazing comeback after their opponents had scored twice in one minute.

Midfielders Somen Tchoyi and Dusan Svento found the net for the "Bulls" in the 38th and 39th minute respectively after Rapid had several good chances to take the lead.

But the home side fought back and captain Steffen Hofmann scored from a free-kick (58’) before striker Hamdi Salihi – who came on during half-time – equalised six minutes before the final whistle.

It was the Albanian striker’s first match for Rapid Vienna following his recent signing as a replacement for national team ace Stefan Maierhofer who moved to Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Both Rapid Vienna (Salihi) and Red Bull (Nikola Pokrivac) hit the bar in extra time of yesterday’s (Sun) match at Vienna’s sold-out Gerhard Hanappi Stadium.

But Red Bull remain on top of the Bundesliga table after Austria Vienna and Sturm Graz dropped points this weekend.

Austria Vienna’s campaign suffered a blow on Saturday when Karl Daxbacher’s team lost to bottom of the table Austria Kärnten 1-2.

Sturm Graz – who like Austria Vienna, Red Bull Salzburg and Rapid Vienna are set to play their first Europa League match this Thursday – did little better. Franco Foda’s team led 3-0 before LASK Linz scored three goals in the final ten minutes to snatch a point.

Magna Wiener Neustadt suffered their first home defeat as they lost 2-3 to Kapfenberg.

And Mattersburg sent Ried packing with a 3-0 victory.

- - -

The Bundesliga table:

Red Bull Salzburg, 14 points
Sturm Graz, 13
Austria Vienna, 13
SV Mattersburg, 12
LASK Linz, 10
Rapid Vienna, 9
SV Ried, 8
Magna Wiener Neustadt, 7
Kapfenberg, 6
Austria Kärnten, 4

Austrian Times

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