Red Bull Salzburg 5-1 Rapid Vienna: dominant Bulls run riot

Austrian Bundesliga

Red Bull Salzburg

5 – 1
FULL-TIME

Rapid Vienna

Wednesday 2 September 2026 · 20:30

Our score 2-1Missed·Hot tip Red Bull Salzburg to win✓ Won

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Introduction

Red Bull Salzburg beat Rapid Vienna 5-1 in the Austrian Bundesliga, with H. Tabakovic opening the scoring in the fourth minute and adding a second before half-time to put the result beyond doubt. The result was emphatic and largely one-sided, with Salzburg establishing a stranglehold on the match from the opening minutes and never relinquishing it. For Rapid, the defeat represents a chastening afternoon and raises serious questions about their ability to compete with the league’s standard-bearers.

How the Game Unfolded

Haris Tabaković opened the scoring in the fourth minute, finishing from Sota Kitano’s assist to put Red Bull Salzburg ahead. Nikolas Veratschnig doubled the lead in the 15th minute, and Tabaković struck again in the 21st, this time with Bartosz Mazurek providing the assist, to make it 3-0 before the half-hour mark.

Rapid Vienna made two changes at the interval, but Salzburg responded almost immediately in the second half. Edmund Baidoo, assisted by Mazurek, made it 4-0 just 60 seconds after the restart. Rapid pulled one back in the 51st minute through Matthias Seidl, with Nicolas Bajlicz picking up the assist, to make it 4-1.

Karim Konaté came on for Tabaković in the 59th minute, and Nenad Cvetković was booked for Rapid in the 69th minute. Both sides made further changes across the final half-hour. Konaté had the last word, scoring in the 90th minute to complete a 5-1 win for Salzburg.

The Numbers

The statistics paint a picture broadly consistent with the scoreline, though with a few nuances worth exploring. The sides shared possession equally at 50 per cent each, though Salzburg were notably efficient in their passing, completing 512 of 560 attempted passes. Rapid were not far behind in raw pass numbers, completing 508 from their attempted passes, suggesting they were able to circulate the ball at times, but without translating it into genuine threat.

In terms of attacking output, Salzburg registered 16 total shots, with nine on target and 11 coming from inside the box — a reflection of their clinical, direct approach in dangerous areas. Rapid, perhaps surprisingly, attempted 17 shots in total, but only four were on target and eight were blocked, highlighting the defensive discipline Salzburg maintained when required. Rapid’s goalkeeper made four saves, while Salzburg’s goalkeeper made three, numbers that reflect how one-sided the scoreline was despite Rapid’s shot volume.

Rapid won six corner kicks to Salzburg’s two, suggesting some pressure in wide areas, but failed to convert that set-piece platform into genuine chances. Salzburg received no yellow or red cards among their players on the pitch, while Rapid picked up one yellow card.

Conclusion

This was a statement victory for Red Bull Salzburg. Driven by Haris Tabaković’s brace and goals from Veratschnig, Baidoo, and late substitute Konaté, they were ruthlessly efficient from the first whistle to the last. For Rapid Vienna, the afternoon offers little comfort beyond a solitary consolation goal, and plenty of defensive and tactical work will need to be done before they can challenge at this level again.