Dundee United’s many summer signings have been regaled with old tales of European bravado and glory days in the past fortnight.
They rose to the occasion in mighty fashion with an exhausting, enthralling effort against the team joint-top of Austria’s Bundesliga.
Yet for all that inspiration – and perspiration – they were unable to repeat Jim McLean’s terrific Terrors of 1984 whose win over Rapid paved the way to a European Cup semi-final.
Elimination, cruelly, came on penalties. Amar Fatah, with the first kick of the shoot-out, was the only failure when he hit the woodwork.
Hungarian side ETO Gyor lie in wait for a fine Rapid team for a place in the Europa Conference League group phase.
United return to domestic duties for another season but this display points to another successful campaign and Jim Goodwin’s men could well be back on this stage in 12 months.
Dundee United’s Amar Fatah is consoled by his team-mates after the penalty shoot out loss
Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin watches on as his team lost to a two-goal lead
Max Watters had put Dundee United two goals to the good against Rapid Vienna
With Isaac Pappoe, who suffered a knee injury in Vienna, Ryan Strain, Ross Graham and Kristijan Trapanovski hurt, United were minus key men.
They were also required to pick themselves up off the deck after being floored by a 94th-minute Hearts winner on Sunday.
Yet this group, albeit flooded by new faces, have a gutsy demeanour about them.
The pulsating 2-2 in Austria last week was testament to that.
And, for all the talk of foreign signings, the exertions well into extra-time of Miller Thomson, Kai Fotheringham and Owen Stirton were huge for United taking the tie to spot-kicks.
Rapid captain Matthias Seidl gave United a pat on the back for their first effort in his pre-match chat on Wednesday before simply stating: But we are better than them.
Seidl only lasted 45 minutes as Peter Stoger’s half-time changes transformed Rapid’s fortunes and sparked their comeback from 2-0 down.
For United, the relentless Will Ferry was superb back in the team from his domestic ban and Max Watters returned from illness with a first-half brace.
Rapid had the better chances a week ago. They twice went close in the first 12 minutes.
Bert Esselink nodded a feeble clearance straight to Janis Antiste who took aim early. Yevhenii Kucherenko made a nervy save to turn round the post.
On the turn, Sassuolo loanee Antiste lashed against the side netting from 20 yards.
Ivan Dolcek’s delightful delivery produced United’s first major chance.
Watters did everything right to peel off his marker and, while the finish didn’t convince, that marvellous movement was a signpost to the opener.
Rapid were neat on the ball in picking their way through for chances.
But their narrow set-up needed exposed – and skipper Ferry did just that down the left flank to send Tannadice wild.
A terrific turn and touch from Zac Sapsford nursed a disguised pass to release Ferry in splendid space.
He spied Watters making another smart move to escape close attention.
This time the Barnsley loan man didn’t need much power. Just perfect placement for his header back across goal and into the top corner.
Esselink’s header dropped onto roof of net as United continued to cause chaos from cross balls.
A warning shot from right-back Bendeguz Bolla at the near post saw Kucherenko smartly spring left to turn round the post.
The game was wide open and United took full advantage to double the lead.
A superb break by Sapsford was the trigger for 2-0 as he bustled from his own half then dashed in between two defenders to catch sight of goal.
He opted to square to Watters who couldn’t gather the ball in. But, after releasing the pass, Sapsford was wiped out by Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao.
Following a VAR check, Greek ref Tasos Sidiropoulos signalled ‘penalty’.
Up strode the man-on-form Watters to plant low into the corner where Niklas Hedl couldn’t reach.
In contrast to the clumsy work of Raux-Yao, the timing of tackles in the penalty box from United’s centre backs was terrific.
There were huge cheers as one such clearance from the towering Krisztian Keresztes proved crucial on the stroke of half-time.
Sapsford, who was injured and seen on crutches at the end, was replaced by Fatah at the break.
Stoger took action to throw Ercan Kara up top, with Antiste dropping into the hole behind him. That was a game-changer.
United struggled to keep Rapid at bay from the outset of the second period.
Kara proved a physical threat while fellow sub Andrija Radulovic’s pace and creativity was a problem.
United had a huge chance on 54 minutes for a third. A brilliant, flowing move culminated in Dolcek’s inswinger dropping for Ferry at the back post.
The captain volleyed wide. That apart, United came under huge pressure from all angles.
Kucherenko’s 55th minute save from a fierce Petter Dahl drive only delayed the inevitable in a ferocious pursuit of a comeback.
Antiste was an elusive operator as a withdrawn striker and he was just that at a Rapid corner.
The slightest of headed touches glanced the ball into the bottom corner, perhaps off Iurie Iovu on the way.
Thomson and Stirton brought young, fresh legs from the 71st minute.
But Rapid were a long way from running out of ideas or, indeed, their own energy reserves.
Kucherenko produced his save of the night at full stretch from Kara but United’s defensive door was coming away at the hinges.
A vicious inswinger found Kara making a dart across to the front post and his flick found the far corner.
Goodwin boldly went 4-3-3 with Kai Fotheringham on for defender Iovu just before the end of the 90.
That shrewd piece of work was vital in giving Rapid more to worry about.
And it almost paid off 10 minutes into extra-time against a defence that looked vulnerable throughout.
Stirton pounced on a poor header back to goal from Cvetkovic and tried to dink the keeper in his one-on-one.
Hedl’s threw out a long arm to block brilliantly, leaving the teen to boot an advertising board in fury.
There was more agony in the shoot-out. Fatah hit the post with the first kick before Kara made no mistake.
Ferry, Esselink, off the underside of the bar, Sevelj and Keresztes kept it going.
But Rapid were perfect and Bolla clinched it in clinical fashion.
