12.09.2026 / English
A Victory for the Group
SV 98 finally secured their long-awaited victory on Friday evening. While the team from southern Hesse didn't exactly put on a dazzling display of football against Arminia Bielefeld, their pragmatic approach and strong mentality earned them three points. It was a success whose foundation had been laid in the preceding days.
"A huge weight has been lifted."
„We’ve talked a lot this week,“ said Florian Kohfeldt, reflecting on the time since the disappointing defeat in Kaiserslautern. The head coach particularly praised players like Marcel Schuhen, Fabian Nürnberger, and Raoul Petretta, who had always instilled a sense of unity within the team.
The 43-year-old described Darmstadt 98’s first win of the season as a „victory for the Darmstadt 98 group.“ A victory that SV 98 secured thanks to a strong start, resilience, and also a touch of luck that had seemed to elude the team for a long time.
„A huge weight has been lifted,“ admitted Marcel Schuhen frankly after the final whistle, elaborating: „We’ve experienced all sorts of negativity in recent weeks.“
Even before the match against Bielefeld, there was a setback due to the last-minute withdrawal of Hiroki Akiyama (thigh problems), but coping with such challenges is also part of a functioning team. Just like the Darmstadt fans, who played a huge part in their team’s victory on Friday evening. „The fans played a major role. After the equaliser, I didn’t sense any negativity, a big compliment to them,“ said Marcel Schuhen, who, like Noah Weißhaupt and coach Kohfeldt, also mentioned the supporters‘ visit to the final training session, which further strengthened the team’s bond.
"People care about the Lily."
„People care about the Lily.“ A sentence that would probably also work as the slogan for a membership campaign. Captain Schuhen uttered it, sharing an insight the 33-year-old has frequently gained during his time at SV 98. And it’s also the headline for what can make the South Hessians strong in such phases. When things aren’t quite clicking on the pitch, when the build-up play is still shaky, or certain processes aren’t quite clicking – then it works through the energy of the group.
„That was a victory for everyone,“ Weißhaupt aptly summarised. The way it was achieved was secondary that evening; even tactics enthusiast Kohfeldt, who always stands for a footballing approach, exceptionally didn’t want to delve too deeply into the analysis of the details and summarised: „We didn’t play great football, but we showed the foundation that we lacked last week. We focused on those things today.“
One journalist described the South Hessians‘ performance against Bielefeld as „pragmatism,“ a term Kohfeldt deemed „fitting.“ He was well aware that the focus would continue to be on prioritising the footballing aspects of the game. But for the victory against Bielefeld, precisely this was needed at this stage: a pragmatic and effective team working closely with the fans.
Emotion, Reaktion, Freude, Jubel v.l. Marcel Schuhen (SV Darmstadt 98, #01), Florian Kohfeldt (SV Darmstadt 98, Cheftrainer) auf den Abpfiff,
GER, SV Darmstadt 98 vs. DSC Arminia Bielefeld, Fussball, 2. Bundesliga, 5. Spieltag, Saison 2026/2027, 11.09.2026,
DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO,
Foto: Eibner-Pressefoto/J-N Groemling 
„A huge weight has been lifted from our shoulders.“
The long-awaited three points are finally here! In a hard-fought but also disjointed match on Friday evening, Darmstadt showed character and didn't let setbacks get them down, even if not everything went perfectly during the 90 minutes. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you here:
Lilies finally secure their long-awaited three points!
A crucial home win for Darmstadt! SV Darmstadt 98 defeated Arminia Bielefeld 2-1 (1-0). Lee (3') gave the home side an early lead, and after the visitors from East Westphalia equalised, Smit (86') sealed the victory with a penalty.
Team News: Returning Richter Starts
Darmstadt host Arminia Bielefeld. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the defeat in Kaiserslautern. Carlo Sickinger starts in place of Hiroki Akiyama, who is out with a thigh injury. Returning player Marco Richter replaces Lars Kehl in the starting eleven, and Hojae Lee starts instead of Lance Duijvestijn.
Matchday Guide: All Information before the Bielefeld Game
Floodlight Friday! On Friday evening (Sept. 11, 6:30pm), SV 98 takes on Arminia Bielefeld in Matchday 5 action. What do the two head coaches have to say ahead of kick-off? Who is officiating the match? And where can you follow the game? As always, we’ve gathered all the key information about the match against Bielefeld for you in "Matchday Guide."
Fan Information: Arminia Bielefeld (H)
For the upcoming home match on Friday (September 11, 2026, at 6:30pm), SV 98 asks you to take note of the following information. Starting this season, we are introducing dedicated entrances for women at the west side of the stadium. Additionally, there is a "Bölle Bande" family entrance offering easier access at Karl-Hess-Platz.
A counter-attack seals the deal.
The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team won 3-1 (0-0) against SV Rot-Weiss Walldorf. In a heated match, Patrick Kurt's team prevailed and remain undefeated at home.
„No doubt, but we must be aware of the situation.“
Ahead of the first evening match of the season against Arminia Bielefeld (September 11th, 6:30pm), our head coach Florian Kohfeldt spoke about returning player Marco Richter, the bond between fans and the team, and the upcoming opponent. We've summarised the most important points for you here:
Opposition Check: Arminia Bielefeld
Arminia Bielefeld hosted SV Arminia Hannover and delivered a performance that remains unmatched to this day. DSC Bielefeld swept aside their opponents with an 11-0 victory. It was not only an extraordinary rout, but also remains the biggest win in the history of the 2. Bundesliga.
Bundesliga schedules matchdays 7 to 13
On Thursday (September 10), the Bundesliga finalised the exact scheduling for Matchdays 7 through 13. For Matchday 7, we host Energie Cottbus on a Saturday. A week later, we travel on a Sunday to face Karlsruher SC at the Wildpark, before welcoming FC St. Pauli to the Böllenfalltor for a Friday evening match under the floodlights on Matchday 9. The following two matchdays—at home against Magdeburg and away in Nürnberg—are both scheduled for Saturdays. Matchdays 12 and 13 will subsequently take place on Friday evenings.
Transfer News: Richter returns to SV 98
A familiar face is returning to SV 98: The "Lilies" have signed Marco Richter. The 28-year-old previously played for the South Hessian club on loan last season. Richter had agreed to the termination of his contract with 1. FSV Mainz 05 on September 1st, making it possible to sign the attacking midfielder even after the transfer window had closed.
Ten-year anniversary: Sirigu remembers his derby goal
September 10th marks the tenth anniversary of a very special moment in the recent history of SV Darmstadt 98. During the Hessian derby against Eintracht Frankfurt on that day in 2016, Sandro Sirigu scored the decisive goal—and secured an unforgettable 1–0 home victory for the Lilien—shortly before the final whistle with a delivery that was actually intended as a cross. Ten years later, we spoke with him again about that special goal, his memories of his time at the Bölle, and his enduringly close connection to SV 98.
Facts & Figures: The top facts about the Bielefeld game
On Friday (September 11th), Arminia Bielefeld will be visiting the Böllenfalltor stadium. For two players, the match will be a reunion with their former club. Christopher Lannert will face Arminia for the first time since his move to Darmstadt, while Marvin Mehlem will be celebrating his birthday at the Bölle. Find out here what other connections exist between the two clubs and which statistics are particularly interesting ahead of the match.