RAPID VIENNA snatched a precious 1-1 draw in their Cup Winners' Cup semifinal first leg clash with Feyenoord in Rotterdam last night.

Ronald Koeman put the Dutch in front from the penalty spot on 52 minutes, but former Cologne striker Carsten Janeker bagged a vital away goal for the Austrians on 66 minutes.

Jancker had been Rapid's hero in the previous round, scoring twice as they swept aside Dynamo Moscow 4-0 on aggregate.

The Dutch made all the early running and could have taken the lead with efforts from Giovanni van Bronckhorst, former Barcelona star Koeman, Gaston Taument and Jean Paul van Gastel. But all four were denied by inspired goalkeeping from Rapid's Michael Konsel.

Koeman calmed Dutch nerves with his spot kick after the break after Michael Hatz clattered into Henk Vos in the box.

But Rapid stormed back to hit a deserved equaliser as Jancker, ably supported up front by Peter Stoeger, slipped through to fire past Edwin de Goey.

A visibly stunned Feyenoord failed to muster any clear cut chances in the final quarter and trooped off dejectedly in front of their disbelieving supporters in the crowd of 40,000.

Ernst Dokupil's side now go into the second leg in Vienna in a fortnight's time as favourites as they bid to go one better than their 1985 performance in the competition, when they lost to Everton in the final at Feyenoord's ground.

Arie Haan's Feyenoord are bidding for a hat trick of European titles, having won the Champions Cup in 1970 and the UEFA Cup in 1974.