The 15th second division matchday casts its shadows ahead. For this reason, the press conference took place on Friday (December 6th) before the duel between SV Darmstadt 98 and Hamburger SV (December 8th/1:30pm). In this, head coach Florian Kohfeldt answered questions about the upcoming opponent as well as his own approach and the balance of the 2nd league as a whole. We have summarised the most important statements for you.
Personnel update: Fabian Holland, Christoph Zimmermann, Paul Will and Matthias Bader are still missing. Philipp Förster is on the mend and will take part in part of the team training on Friday (December 6th). The same applies to Fraser Hornby. He will also be on the training pitch in a little bit on Friday. The Lilies did not have any injuries to report from the Bremen game.
It hurt a lot at that moment to be eliminated from the cup in stoppage time. Overall, we put in a very decent performance that gave us a certain chance of winning the game. The team then regenerated on Wednesday and had Thursday off. On Wednesday morning the boys were already full of energy for Sunday.
We are concentrating on a very challenging second division game against a very difficult opponent. After the change of coach, HSV played a little differently in Karlsruhe. They switched from a back three to a back four. And they have brought in an offensive eight with Dompe and Jatta on the wing positions and with Richter. A huge offensive force awaits us. We also expect that they want to confirm their trend at home.
We have gradually increased our variants and flexibility. We can play the back four in different variations – in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-2-2 or in a diamond system. We have recently been playing with a three-man chain both offensively and defensively. So I see us well prepared for the HSV game. And I’m looking forward to a cool game. Nevertheless, we are of course warned against an opponent with very high individual quality.
Preparing for a game is never that pleasant immediately after a change in training. But that cannot be changed. It’s a game in which we have to position ourselves variably. It’s a bit comparable to the home game against Hertha, where they had a lot of suspended or injured players in defense. We have to show a certain degree of variability against HSV, but our basis and principles remain the same. The basic goal is to go to Hamburg and win.
I followed Merlin Polzin during his time in Osnabrück as Daniel Thioune’s assistant coach, but I don’t know him personally. He is technically a very good trainer. I see a lot of good ideas from him about how he wants to approach the game. I’m personally happy for him that he was now able to take the step at HSV. My respect for him is very high, especially when it comes to tactics.
The 2nd league is fascinating. I don’t know if it can get much more balanced than that. But that’s what makes the league so interesting for spectators. Anyone can beat anyone on any day. Stefan Leitl recently said: “If you take your foot off the accelerator by a millimeter, you can lose against any team in this league.” Compared to the first league, there are clearer strengths and weakness profiles in individual positions or situations in each team. If you can find these weakness profiles, you will always have a chance to win games. It’s an incredibly cool league where the competition is very even. Of course, there are two or three teams that have a budget that is significantly higher than all the others – HSV is one of them, by the way. But many teams have a similar collar size. That makes it really exciting.
SV Darmstadt 98 invites all its members to come to the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on November 1st, 2026, starting at 11:30am. Together, we aim to once again create the largest team photo in our club’s history—with the professional players in the front and the entire Lilies family behind them.
On Sunday (Oct 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. The side from Baden differs from the Lilies in several key respects. Furthermore, the match will see SV 98 cross paths with a former player once again. Find out here about other connections between the two clubs, as well as some particularly interesting statistics ahead of the encounter.
On Tuesday evening (October 13th), the SilberLilien took part in SV Darmstadt 98’s Stolperstein tour for the first time. Along the approximately six-kilometre route, the participants made several stops to learn more about the fates of Jewish club members who were persecuted and driven out during the Holocaust.
From new grassroots sports offerings and a look back at the club's history to birthdays and the latest updates from the media briefing—there is plenty to report from SV Darmstadt 98 again this week. In "Lilien Across the Board," we round up the news, insights, and stories from life at the club.
Tickets for the home match against 1. FC Heidenheim on November 22nd are available for purchase now.
SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team proved their mettle at home against KSV Hessen Kassel II in the Hessenliga on Sunday (Oct. 11th). After a convincing 90-minute performance, the Young Lilies secured another three points, finishing with a decisive 4–0 victory that lifts them to sixth place in the standings.
The Lilies overturned an early deficit to celebrate a 3–1 home victory against Energie Cottbus—a win that boosts confidence and confirms the progress being made. Read our analysis to find out why there is still work to be done and what positives SV 98 takes away from the match.
This season, too, Lilien fans will be doubly rewarded for every home goal scored by SV Darmstadt 98. In addition to the joy and excitement of the goals, the team's supporters will receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor.
After the international break, Darmstadt 98 returned to the Bölle with a home win! Against Energie Cottbus, SV Darmstadt 98 put on a spirited performance in front of their home crowd and rewarded themselves with three points after an intense match. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you here:
Despite falling behind, Darmstadt secured their second consecutive home win! Darmstadt defeated Energie Cottbus 3-1 (1-1). The home side equalised after conceding an early goal in the four-minute period through Weißhaupt before halftime. Vukotic headed his team into the lead in the second half, before Lührs sealed the victory with the third goal. This home win brings Darmstadt's season total to seven points.
Homegame at Böllenfalltor (10/10, 1pm): Florian Kohfeldt has made two changes to his starting XI compared to the away match in Wolfsburg three weeks ago. Richter and Mikelbrencis come into the starting lineup for Sickinger (calf issues) and Lannert (illness).
On Saturday afternoon (October 10th, 1pm), SV 98 hosts Energie Cottbus at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor for Matchday 7. What do the two head coaches have to say ahead of kick-off? Who is officiating the match, and where can you follow the action live? As always, we have compiled all the key information regarding the game against Cottbus in our "Matchday Guide" feature.