Rapid show from Rovers in Vienna
Shamrock Rovers confirmed their place in the knockout rounds of the UEFA Conference League as they battled to an impressive 1-1 draw away to Rapid Vienna on Thursday night.
The result also rewards Rovers with €133,000, taking their total prize money in European competition this season to roughly just over €5.5 million.
In front of a noisy, home partizan crowd of 20,700, including 800 away fans, Rapid went ahead early through a brilliant volley from centre half Nenad Cvetkovic after just 10 minutes, before Johnny Kenny rained on the Rapid parade and equalised on 55 minutes after a brilliant cross from Josh Honohan.
The point all but secures Rovers’ place in the play-off round of the competition, as they become the first Irish side ever to play European football beyond Christmas.
Back by a raucous Austrian crowd, the hosts were quickest out of the blocks and hit the woodwork twice before going ahead from a corner, when the ball fell to unmarked centre half Cvetkovic who’s sweet volley gave Leon Pohls no chance.
Rapid continued to probe and put severe pressure on the Hoops’ backline, who were wasteful when space opened up for Farrugia and Kenny to break.
The half time whistle came and gone and the festival atmosphere around the Allianz Stadion continued with little jeopardy, even after a penalty for the hosts was chalked off after a VAR check.
That jeopardy would soon appear for the hosts as Stephen Bradley’s side broke with Watts and Farrugia linking up before Honohan drove at the Rapid defence, producing a wonderful stepover before finding Johnny Kenny to restore parity and score his fifth goal in Europe this season.
Both sides hit the woodwork in the final quarter of the game, with Kenny unlucky to not find the winner.
In the end, Stephen Bradley’s side held out for a historic result in the Austrian capital and ended their opponents perfect record in the competition.
Bosnian Champions Borac Banja Luca await Rovers next in Tallaght on December 12, where a win would give Rovers an unlikely chance of making the top eight and automatic passage to the round of 16.
