Braga earn a 2-2 draw against Rapid Vienna to qualify for the UEFA Europa League
Braga earned a 2-2 draw against Rapid Vienna in the Europa League play-off second leg to win 4-3 on aggregate and qualify for the league phase.
The Austrian club took the lead in the 7th minute through Bright Arrey-Mbi's own goal. Arrey-Mbi was in the action again in the 47th minute, a failed clearance resulting in Isak Jansson making it 2-0.
Gabri Martínez instigated two quick fire goals for the Warriors, the first coming in the 68th minute when the Spanish won a penalty that was converted by Amine El Ouazzani.
Martínez burst into the box two minutes later and teed up Ricardo Horta who put Braga back into the driver’s seat.
Carlos Carvalhal's side closed it out to join Porto in the Europa League league phase, five Portuguese clubs to compete in UEFA competitions this season.
Early own goal
Rapid Vienna were boosted by a boisterous home crowd at Allianz-Stadion and made it count in the 7th minute. Bright Arrey-Mbi couldn’t avoid contact with Matthias Seidl’s corner, the ball deflected off the defender and into his own net.
Nenad Cvetkovic continued his form from the first leg, heading a corner wide before making a crunching challenge on Gabri Martínez at the other end.
Braga get on top
Braga began to exert some pressure with their first chance coming in the 22nd minute, Rodrigo Zalazar heading Ricardo Horta’s cross straight at Niklas Hedl. Horta fired a difficult chance wide before Robson Bambu picked up an injury and was replaced by Paulo Oliveira.
The Warriors went close to equalising before the break. A corner was cleared to Zalazar, his volley taking a touch off Roberto Fernández with the ball cannoning off the post and away from danger.
Rapid take the advantage
Rapid welcomed the break, regrouped and took a 2-0 lead two minutes after the restart.
Jonas Auer’s ball over the top wasn’t cleared by Arrey-Mbi, Isak Jansson getting ahead of the German U21 international and steering the ball past Matheus.
It’s the Gabri Martínez show
Martínez went close before Carlos Carvalhal went to his bench, bringing on Roger Fernandes and Amine El Ouazzani for Zalazar and Fernández. The game opened up with Braga squaring the tie in the 68th minute.
Jansson lost the ball which saw Martínez steal it and surge into the box, Jansson doubling down on his mistake by bringing the winger down. El Ouazzani put the ball on the spot and sent Hedl the wrong way.
Vitor Carvalho was replaced by Jean-Baptiste Gorby before Braga made it 2-2 in the 70th minute. Gabri took advantage of a fortunate deflection to burst into the box once again, shrugging off Cvetkovic and laying the ball into the path of Ricardo Horta who made no mistake.
The pest gets involved
Rapid Vienna found themselves trailing in the tie and it was no surprise who instigated the fight back. It had to be Guido ‘the pest’ Burgstaller, the striker shooting straight at Matheus, testing the goalkeeper from a tight angle and scoring from an offside position.
Seidl’s free kick was slapped away by Matheus, the pest then booked after getting in the face of referee Anthony Taylor who cautioned Roger for a late challenge on Auer.
There was one last chance for the hosts when Burgstaller played in Dion Beljo, Gabri getting back to make an important challenge in a strong all-round performance.
Braga get it done
Carlos Carvalhal’s side had plenty of luck in the 2-1 first leg win in Portugal and it wasn’t a big surprise that they found themselves behind in Vienna.
The second goal came two minutes after the break which saw the hosts take the advantage in the tie, but Braga showed plenty of poise to square the tie and regain the advantage.
Gabri Martínez has taken advantage of Bruma’s injury, a goal and an assist in the 3-1 win against Moreirense followed by a man of the match performance in Austria.
It was slightly surprising when Rodrigo Zalazar was substituted in the 53rd minute despite the obvious need for Roger Fernandes to be introduced. Carvalhal's decision was justified with Ricardo Horta scoring the vital goal that sent the Warriros through.
Carvalhal still has a lot of work to do, primarily in central defence where he has five options at his disposal, but steering his side into the league phase is a commendable achievement after taking over midway through the second qualifying round against Servette.
Braga join Sporting Clube de Portugal, Benfica, Porto and Vitória de Guimarães in UEFA competitions this season, a great result that should improve Portugal’s standing in the club coefficients.
Força.
Line Up
Braga (4-2-3-1): Matheus - Víctor Gómez, Robson Bambu (Paulo Oliveira 38’), Bright Arrey-Mbi, Adrián Marín - Vitor Carvalho (Jean-Baptiste Gorby 69’), André Horta - Rodrigo Zalazar (Roger Fernandes 53’), Ricardo Horta, Gabri Martínez - Roberto Fernández (Amine El Ouazzani 53’)
Unused substitutes: Lukas Horníček, Tiago Sá, Serdar Saatci, Sikou Niakaté, Francisco Chissumba, Joe Mendes, Thiago Helguera, João Marques
Coach: Carlos Carvalhal
Goals:
[1-0] Bright Arrey-Mbi (OG) 7'
[2-0] Isak Jansson 47'
[2-1] Amine El Ouazzani (P) 68'
[2-2] Ricardo Horta 70'