SK Rapid's Stunning Comeback: 3-2 Victory Over FC Copenhagen!

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Rapid Wien Stuns Copenhagen with a 3-2 Comeback in Vienna

Vienna, Austria — In a dramatic European group-stage thriller at the Allianz Stadion, SK Rapid Wien produced a show of resilience to overturn a 2-0 deficit and beat FC Copenhagen 3-2. The home crowd sensed a spark after the break, and Rapid seized the moment with a bold tactical shift and a flurry of late goals that will be remembered in this season’s campaign.

Copenhagen took control early, exploiting misses by Rapid and exploiting space on the counter. By the 24th minute, Jesper Larsen curled a low shot into the corner after a quick break down the left, giving the visitors the lead. Just before the break, Søren Nørgaard finished another fast-moving sequence to double Copenhagen’s advantage, leaving Rapid facing a steep hill at halftime. The pattern of the first half suggested a comfortable road win for the Danish side, but football, as ever, had other plans.

Rapid emerged with a sharper edge after the break, reworked their shape and pressed higher up the pitch. The decision to switch from a more cautious setup to a compact 4-3-3 paid off as they mounted pressure on Copenhagen’s defense. Midway through the second half, a precise corner delivered by Marco Leitner found the head of Lukas Leitner?—the teammate’s wind-blown name echoing through the stands—and the ball nestled into the net to set up a nerve-wracking finish. The crowd roared as Rapid closed the gap to 2-1, and the mood inside the stadium shifted from anxious to hopeful.

The equalizer arrived with 7-8 minutes remaining, sparked by a quick counter and finished cleanly by Daniel Kraft, who ghosted into space on the left and finished with a composed strike across the goalkeeper. The arena buzzed with belief as Rapid pushed for a winner, leaving Copenhagen chasing the game and wary of further counterattacks. A steady stream of substitutes into the final minutes injected energy, and the tempo remained relentless as Rapid conjured up one late opportunity after another.

In stoppage time, the finishing touch finally came. A low cross from the left found the boot of a Rapid forward at the edge of the box, and the ball curled into the far corner beyond the reach of Copenhagen’s keeper. The stadium erupted as Rapid grabbed a late, decisive lead and completed a stunning turnaround.

Post-match analysis highlighted the turnaround’s key ingredients: a halftime recalibration, an aggressive pressing approach, and the willingness of players to risk going forward. Rapid’s head coach, speaking after the match, praised the collective effort. 'We showed character in the second half and trusted the process,' he said. 'The players believed until the final whistle, and the result reflects that belief.' Copenhagen’s coach, while disappointed, acknowledged the quality of Rapid’s resurgence. 'We controlled large parts of the game, but a couple of defensive lapses and their pressing intensity changed the outcome,' he noted.

For Rapid, the win breathes life into a European campaign that had started with uncertainty. The three-goal, late-flurry display will be remembered as a reminder of how momentum can swing in football’s marathon of minutes. The victory also underlined the value of a flexible tactical plan and the importance of finishing chances when they come in a high-pressure moment.

Copenhagen now faces a tough regroup ahead of their next assignment, needing to translate early control into a more consistent outcome over 90 minutes. In Vienna, the lesson was clear: no lead is truly safe, and a determined home side can turn a match on its head with urgency, organization, and a touch of improvisation. The fans left the Allianz Stadion buzzing, already plotting their next trip to a stadium that proved it still knows how to deliver a classic comeback.

SK Rapid's Stunning Comeback: 3-2 Victory Over FC Copenhagen!

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