UEFA Europa League
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25/11/2021
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West Ham United’s UEFA Europa League Group H campaign continues on Thursday evening with a trip to Austria to face Rapid Vienna.

The tie will be played without supporters of either club present at the Allianz Stadion after Austria went into a national lockdown on Monday following a rise in COVID cases in the central European country.

While the circumstances will be out of the ordinary, the Hammers need a win to secure top spot and direct passage to the round of 16, having won three and drawn one of their opening four group-stage ties.

The Irons defeated Dinamo Zagreb (2-0), Rapid (2-0) and KRC Genk (3-0) in their opening three matches before drawing 2-2 at the latter to sit four points clear of the Croatians, six ahead of the Belgian Cup holders and seven ahead of their Austrian opponents, with two rounds remaining.

David Moyes’ side are guaranteed passage to the knockout rounds, but finishing first in Group H would avoid a play-off round tie with a team who had finished third in their UEFA Champions League group.

West Ham are seeking to kick-off a new unbeaten run after seeing their seven-match streak ended with a 1-0 Premier League defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. That result also ended an eleven-match unbeaten run away from home in all competitions.

Meanwhile, it has been a difficult start to the season for Rapid, who replaced their manager Dietmar Kühbauer with former player and two-time Austrian Footballer of the Year Steffen Hofmann a fortnight ago after winning just four of their opening 14 Bundesliga fixtures and just one of four Europa League ties.

Rapid did win Hofmann’s first game in charge, 1-0 at home to SCR Altach in the Bundesliga, at the weekend.

 

How to follow

Thursday’s kick-off is at 6.45pm CET, which is 5.45pm back in London. The game will be broadcast live in the UK on BT Sport. If you live overseas you might be able to watch the game live too, so please check local listings for coverage in your territory by clicking here.

We will also be covering the game live with a blog and audio commentary on whufc.com and our Official App and across our social media channels, with goals, highlights and exclusive reaction to follow after the final whistle.

 

Team News

David Moyes is again set to ring the changes to his starting XI in the UEFA Europa League, with Premier League matches at Manchester City and home to Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea to follow in the space of seven days from Sunday.

With those games in mind, the Scot could call upon the likes of Alphonse Areola, Vladimír Coufal, Issa Diop, Mark Noble, Manuel Lanzini, Nikola Vlašić and Andriy Yarmolenko.

Angelo Ogbonna is ruled out for the long-term after undergoing surgery to repair the injured cruciate ligaments in his right knee.

Rapid Vienna will be without centre-back Christopher Dibon, young midfielder Lion Schuster, goalkeeper Richard Strebinger, right-back Lukas Sulzbacher, centre-back Leo Greiml and former Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City centre-back Kevin Wimmer.

 

The Opposition

Rapid Vienna are synonymous with Austrian football.

No club has won the country’s championship more times than Rapid’s 32, while the Green-Whites have won the Austrian Cup on 14 occasions.

Rapid have also reached two European finals and contested well over 200 matches in continental competition since thrashing PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands in the European Cup first round back in 1955.

Founded as Erster Wiener Arbeiter-Fußball-Club (First Viennese Workers' Football Club) in 1897, the club took on its current identity less than two years later, in January 1899.

Rapid lived up to their name by winning Austria's first-ever national championship in 1911/12, then retained the title the following year.

The club continued to dominate during the inter-war period, winning a hat-trick of championships between 1919-21, including doubles courtesy of their first those 14 Austrian Cup triumphs in 1919 and 1920.

 

Rapid Vienna

 

When Austria was annexed by Nazi Germany, Rapid responded by winning the German Cup in 1938 and Championship in 1941.

Into the post-war period and Rapid kept on winning, becoming Austria’s representatives in the first European Cup after winning their 19th League title in 1954/55.

Rapid’s early appearances in the new competition saw them achieve single-leg victories over AC Milan and the all-conquering Real Madrid, who needed a play-off to defeat the Austrians on their way to winning the trophy in 1956/57.

Rapid's best performance in the European Cup came in the 1960/61 season, when they reached the semi-final before being eliminated by eventual winners Benfica.

With both Austria Vienna and Wacker Innsbruck emerging as powers of their own in the 1960s and 1970s, the domestic trophies began to dry up, but Rapid returned to prominence in the 1980s, winning back-to-back titles in 1981/82 and 1987/88, either side of an appearance in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1985, where they were beaten 3-1 by English club Everton.

Another appearance in the Cup Winners’ Cup final followed in 1996, but this time French side Paris Saint-Germain triumphed 1-0.

In the three-plus decades since that 1987/88 title win, Rapid have been crowned champions of Austria on three more occasions, with first Austria Vienna and latterly RB Salzburg enjoying periods of domestic dominance.

 

Rapid Vienna

 

With Salzburg’s resources and outstanding recruitment making it difficult to see them being overhauled anytime soon, Rapid may have to make do with aiming for second place for the time being, but that is exactly where they finished last term, both in the regular season and the Championship round that followed.

That achievement secured European qualification for the 55th time in the club’s illustrious history.

However, they probably need to win their final two Group H fixtures to emulate their achievements of 2015/16 and 2018/19, when they successfully negotiated the group stage to reach the knockouts. 

 

Previous meetings

West Ham United will tackle Austrian opposition for just the second time in competitive football when they take on Rapid Vienna at the Allianz Stadion on Thursday evening.

The first, of course, was the 2-0 UEFA Europa League Group H win the Hammers secured over Rapid at London Stadium back on 16 September, when Declan Rice and Said Benrahma goals settled the tie in the Londoners’ favour.

However, the two clubs had met previously, when West Ham hosted Rapid at the Boleyn Ground in a ‘Floodlight Match’ on the evening of Tuesday 15 November 1955.

The Irons had installed floodlights at the Boleyn Ground in 1953, playing their first match ‘under the lights’ against Tottenham Hotspur in April of that year.

Two-and-a-half-years on and the Hammers had got into the habit of hosting regular evening fixtures against overseas opposition, with West Germans VfB Stuttgart, Austrians SC Wacker, Italians AC Milan and Holland Sports Club of Rotterdam all paying a visit during the 1954/55 season.

And when Rapid Vienna became the first mainland European visitors of 1955/56 (Distillery of Northern Ireland had been beaten 7-5 in mid-October) they were already well on their way to being crowned national champions for the 20th time in their history when they arrived in Upton Park.

The free-scoring Rapid made a superb start, winning seven of their opening ten games prior to flying to England, scoring 30 goals in the process. The goals had been shared around, with Rapid’s prolific strikers Robert Dienst and Alfred Körner netting 13 between them.

West Ham, meanwhile, were having a much tougher time of things, having slumped to 15th in the Second Division table following a 3-1 defeat at Hull City on 12 November.

Ted Fenton was in the process of rebuilding his squad, with his own forwards John Dick and Billy Dare scoring goals galore, but too many being conceded at the other end to produce consistent results.

And it was Dare who found the net against Rapid, scoring from close-range to secure a creditable 1-1 draw against the Austrian visitors.

 

Match Officials

Referee: Sergei Ivanov (Russia)
Assistant Referees: Roman Usachev (Russia) & Valeriy Danchenko (Russia)
Fourth Official: Vladislav Bezborodov (Russia)
VAR: Vitaliy Meshkov (Russia)
Assistant VAR: Vladimir Moskalev (Russia)

Thursday’s match officials hail from Russia, led by referee Sergei Ivanov.

The 37-year-old is an experienced referee who has taken charge of 13 UEFA Europa League ties in his career, including two group-stage ties this season.

Hailing from Rostov-on-Don, Ivanov has refereed since 2012 in the Russian Premier Liga, where he has taken charge of matches involving current West Ham United players Nikola Vlasic and Alex Kral, who were playing for CSKA and Spartak Moscow respectively, among others.

He also refereed two UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers and was the man in the middle for three 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this year involving the likes of Portugal, Finland and Slovenia.

Ivanov has yet to officiate a competitive match involving a senior English or Austrian club in European competition. 

 

 


Rapid Vienna 0-2 West Ham United
UEFA Europa League

West Ham United delivered another excellent away performance to secure top spot in their first-ever UEFA Europa League group stage campaign, seeing off the challenge of Rapid Vienna in a comfortable 2-0 win in Austria.

In a behind-closed-doors match played in freezingly cold conditions at Allianz Stadion, David Moyes’ Irons dominated the ball, aware that a victory would see them secure first place in Group H and – with it – direct progression to the competition’s Round of 16, avoiding a play-off round fixture against a club dropping out of the UEFA Champions League.

A cagey game was opened up five minutes before the half-time whistle when Nikola Vlašić – lively throughout – supplied a delightful high cross which Andriy Yarmolenko rose high to head home from close range for the Ukrainian's first goal of the season.

And the points were all but sealed in first-half stoppage time when Yarmolenko’s quick thinking won his side a penalty kick which captain Mark Noble stepped up to guide home with typical precision.

Chances continued to flow West Ham’s way in the second half, but the 45 minutes were by-and-large comfortable for the east London side, their job in the group stages by that point fulfilled.

With West Ham desiring a win, and their hosts realistically requiring one in order to progress, it was perhaps no surprise that both sides made a bright start in the chilly conditions – albeit in the surreal surroundings of an empty stadium once more, due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by the Austrian government.

After an exchange of early corner kicks, Jarrod Bowen, chosen to lead the line with Michail Antonio rested, carried the Hammers’ principal threat in the opening stages.

Linking up well with Arthur Masuaku – who was seeing plenty of space in which to bomb on from left-back – Bowen first slid in to get a touch to a low delivery, the ball flashing narrowly wide of the far post, before seconds later having an effort blocked from a similar set-up.

The Irons were enjoying plenty of possession without too much by way of penetration, although Vlašić was next to go close. Working the ball well from left to right, Yarmolenko and Manuel Lanzini combined to afford the Croatian time to turn and shoot from the edge of the box, but the No11’s effort flew a few yards over the bar.

Rapid did eventually offer some threat inside the opening 20 minutes, Taxiarchis Fountas forcing Issa Diop into a decent block inside the area before the Greek forward saw a first-time shot whistle just inches over Alphonse Areola’s bar.

Immediately up the other end, Noble teed up Yarmolenko for an effort from a similar position – but, like his counterpart, the No7’s shot was too firmly struck to stay on target.

The tempo of the game noticeably dropped off after that point, but West Ham did continue to enjoy some measure of the joy down the flanks, Vladimír Coufal firing a fierce cross straight into the gloves of Rapid ‘keeper Paul Gartler after being well found by Vlašić.

Openings proved few and far between for either side in the opening half-an-hour, with Rapid winger Kelvin Arase living up to that billing with a pacey run direct at Craig Dawson. Entering the area, his low shot across goal proved a comfortable enough stop for Areola.

Then, in the five minutes before half-time, the Hammers slipped into another gear and assumed a firm command of the game.

Having looked arguably the most lively of West Ham’s supporting triumvirate, Vlašic registered his first assist in Claret and Blue on 39 minutes, buying half-a-yard on the left flank and crossing high towards the far post when Yarmolenko – yards out and unmarked – rose high to guide home for his opening goal of the season.

And on the stroke of half-time, Yarmolenko gave his team the chance to double their advantage with a clever flick just inside the box which saw his heels clipped out wide by Maximilian Hofmann.

Up to the mark stepped Noble and, with typical composure and quality, the captain found the top-right corner with power and precise placement – the long-serving captain’s first-ever goal in European competition, excluding qualifying.

That extra bit of quality afforded West Ham a lead which reflected their superiority on the ball, and allowed for a relatively comfortable second half in the Austrian capital.

It was quality which continued to flow, with Bowen twice coming close at the culmination of some admirable approach play.

In the first instance, Vlašić – breaking towards the box – threw off his marker which a dropped shoulder and created space for Lanzini to slide in the No20, only for Bowen’s low shot to be blocked by Gartler’s legs.

Recollecting the ball moments later from Lanzini, Bowen then showed outstanding balance and nimble feet to weave past three defenders. Running in on goal, the No20 had a right-footed effort crowded out by the onrushing Rapid keeper in what would have – save for Gartler’s intervention – been a wonder goal.

Having struggled to create clear chances for all their possession in the first half, that did not prove a challenge in the second for West Ham, Rapid the architects of their own downfall on the hour mark with a poor square ball from Filip Stojković.

Yarmolenko picked up the loose pass and, after dropping a shoulder and feigning to shoot on his trusty left foot, slipped in a cute reverse pass to Souček. The midfielder saw his first low finish blocked by Gartler’s legs, but after he headed back across goal, Bowen smashed a volley which – almost unfathomably – stayed out after striking Stojkovic’s chest on the line.

The hosts continued to show plenty of application but lacked the invention West Ham were displaying, and only a last-ditch intervention from Hofmann prevented second-half substitute Pablo Fornals from volleying in from close range after Noble’s dinked cross was only half cleared.

Fountas ought to have reduced the arrears for Rapid with 20 minutes ago, but curled wide of Areola’s upright when well placed.

And seconds later, substitute Said Benrahma had a clear chance to wrap the game up, but – perhaps not spotting Vlašić completely unmarked inside the box – failed to pick out the No11 with a square pass which surely would have resulted in the clincher.

There was still time, with 15 minutes remaining, for another proud moment for the Academy of Football, 17-year-old striker Sonny Perkins – just two months after making his U23s debut at Portman Road – coming on for his first-team and European bow.

And the teenager could have even marked the occasion with a goal, finding plenty of space to meet Ryan Fredericks’ accurate cross but, sadly, seeing his header acrobatically tipped over the bar by Gartler. 

Rapid did enjoy one final chance in stoppage time as Ercan Kara’s attempted overhead kick sailed over the bar – but another celebratory night yielded yet another result to be cherished on the road for Moyes’ men, who are certainly making an impression on the continental stage this season.

West Ham United: Areola, Coufal, Dawson, Diop, Masuaku (Fredericks 77), Noble ©️, Soucek (Kral 65), Lanzini (Fornals 65), Vlasic (Perkins 77), Yarmolenko, Bowen (Benrahma 65)
Subs: Randolph (GK), Cresswell, Zouma, Johnson, Rice, Alese, Chesters

Goals: Yarmolenko 39, Noble 45+2 (pen)

Rapid Vienna: Gartler, Hofmann ©️, Aiwu, Moorman, Petrovic, Ljubicic (Grahovac 90), Arase (Ballo 75), Knasmullner (Grüll 59), Fountas (Strunz 90), Kitagawa (Kara 59)
Subs: Hedl (GK), Orgler (GK), Schick, Auer, Ullmann, Dijakovic, Sulzbacher

Referee: Sergei Ivanov (Russia)

Attendance: Played without supporters present