Dundee United were given a tough work-out as they lost to Rapid Vienna in Bad Wimsbach on Wednesday evening.
It was very much a Viennese waltz in the park for Peter Schttel’s side.
However, Tangerines boss Peter Houston had insisted in the build-up that the result and display were not important.
Workrate and effort were what he was looking for against a team that is several weeks ahead of United in terms of pre-season preparation and his players could not be faulted on either count.
Houston said: ”We were playing a team three weeks ahead of us and it showed… However, they didn’t cut us open an awful lot and we had a couple of chances.”
United famously beat Rapid in the quarter-final of the European Cup in 1984, but there was little chance of a repeat of that result with the Austrians looking a lot fitter and sharper than the men in tangerine.
In many ways, it was almost surreal sitting in the Austrian sun watching a training game with so little at stake when the very future of Scottish football is hanging in the balance.
However, the wider ramifications of what may or may not happen in the next few days were far from the United players’ minds as they struggled in high heat and humidity at kick-off the thermometer was nudging 90F.
Houston handed debuts to summer singings, keeper Radoslaw Cierzniak, Brian McLean and Michael Gardyne, while Mark Millar had to be content with a place on the bench.
However, the United manager had promised to give every member of the 22-man travelling squad game time, and there were expected to be widespread changes at half-time.
Rapid were quickly into their stride bossing possession, and had an early chance in the second minute when recent signing Guimaraes Gerson side-footed a Christopher Drazan corner into the United side netting.
Rapid went even closer when Guido Burgstaller was given too much space in the United box and was able to hit a cross to Markus Katzer, who could only hit the post.
However, the Rapid fans didn’t have long to wait for the opener when, on 15 minues, Muhammed Ildiz hit an unstoppable shot from all of 35 yards into the top corner past the helpless Cierzniak.
Rapid doubled their advantage four minutes later when Drazan embarked on a dangerous run into the United box and produced another great finish past the exposed Polish keeper.
United tried to fight their way back into proceedings and Gardyne forced Rapid keeper, Konigshofer, into a smart save from close range.
However, Houston’s men were soon under pressure again when the Austrian side mounted a lightning break shortly after the half-hour mark, with Burgstaller holding the ball up before firing a cross-field pass into the path of Drazan, who hit a spectacular angled drive that Cierzniak did well to direct wide with his fingertips.
As expected, Houston made wholesale changes at the break with the likes of skipper Jon Daly, Barry Douglas, Gavin Gunning, Willo Flood, Gary Mackay-Steven and Millar entering the fray.
But it was another of the United replacements, Dale Hilson, who came close to clawing a goal back just six minutes after the restart when he fired a fierce angled volley that Konigshofer did well to save with his feet at his near post.
Rapid extended their lead in the 57th minute when Christopher Trimmel burst down the right before pulling back a perfect ball from the byeline into the path of Drazan, who struck a crisp drive under substitute keeper Steve Banks for his second of the game from the edge of the box.
United were struggling to hold on to possession against a side at least half a yard faster than them, however, as the second 45 progressed.
Rapid seemed content with their three goals and took their foot off the accelerator.
United continued to huff and puff, but they could find no way through the Rapid rearguard and they survived another scare in the 87th minute when Banks did well to block a snap shot from Michael Schimpelsberger at his near post.
Attendance 1,300.