Europa League Preview: Rapid Vienna -v- Dundalk

RAPID VIENNA

Austrian giants Rapid Vienna will welcome Dundalk to the Austrian capital on Thursday evening in the Europa League Group Stages (kick-off is at 5.55pm).

Rapid Vienna come into the game, like Dundalk, winless in Group B, but they will be sure-fire favourites to see off the Lilywhites in Vienna.

And their manager Didi Kühbauer is wary of the importance that the game has for his side.

“Tomorrow's game is extremely important, look around to keep chances for second place.”

And Max Ullmann – Rapid Vienna left-back – added: “We have to see that we can build on the performances of the Bundesliga.

“We know the importance of the game and will give everything for a home win.”

DUNDALK

After conceding a second-half leveller away to St Patrick’s Athletic on Sunday evening, Dundalk are back in European action on Thursday evening as they get set to face Austrians Rapid Vienna.

Dundalk made the trip to the Austrian capital on Tuesday, just hours after the city was subjected to a terrorist attack that claimed the lives of four people.

And as a result, Dundalk forward Patrick Hoban expressed his condolences to the people of the city.

“We all saw it on social media, and it was horrible to see,” he told Dundalk’s media team. “All we can do is give our condolences to the people who live here, it’s tragic really.

“It’s very sad to see what happened here in the last couple of days. We were given the go-ahead to play. That’s our job and we’re happy to be here to play the game.

“We have to try and win the game,” he added. “We have no choice. We have no points after two games but Rapid are, in my opinion, a better side than Molde. 

“They have a lot more attacking threats that we have to be wary of. I think that this is possibly one of our hardest games and we’ll have to be right on it to come away with something.”

Patrick McEleney and Dane Massey are both out for the Lilywhites tomorrow evening.

Referee: Trustin Farrugia Cann (Malta).

MATCH STATS

Rapid Vienna come into the game in second position in the Austrian top-flight, with five wins and a draw to their name thus far.

They only trail RB Salzburg by two points and have scored 17 goals in their first six league games, and have conceded 7.

Dundalk on the other hand have yet to win a Europa League Group Stage away tie, with their closest effort seeing a 1-1 draw against AZ Alkmaar in 2016 when they drew 1-1/

BETTING

Rapid Vienna 1/6; Draw 11/2; Dundalk 12/1.

PREDICTION

Rapid Vienna 2 - 0 Dundalk

Rapid Vienna

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Dundalk

Injured: Patrick McEleney, Dane Massey.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.