Draw in the dress rehearsal

In their final pre-season friendly before the league opener against English Championship side Portsmouth FC, the visitors got off to the better start. Following an attack down the left flank, Bishop headed the ball against the post (7th minute). However, the South Hessian side did not have to wait long for their first opportunity either; just under fifteen minutes in, a powerful direct free-kick from Lance Duijvestijn from around 18 metres out flew just over the crossbar (14th minute).

The match subsequently developed into a fast-paced affair with attacking moments at both ends. Just two minutes after the free-kick chance, Fynn Lakenmacher finished off a slick passing move by the „Lilies“ from a tight angle but was denied by the opposing goalkeeper (16th minute). Shortly thereafter, Duijvestijn again set up Lakenmacher with a precise through-ball, though the striker’s attempt—once again from a difficult position—went wide of the goal (20th minute).

In the closing stages of the first half, the English side put the Darmstadt defense under increased pressure. Adams first tested the SVD backline with a well-placed shot, but Marcel Schuhen reacted brilliantly to turn the ball around the post (27th minute). Schuhen was called into action again just two minutes later, neutralising a dangerous effort from Segecic (29th minute). Five minutes before the break, the hosts produced another fine combination play: Duijvestijn delivered a cross to the advancing Lakenmacher, who was thwarted at the last moment just as he was about to shoot (40th minute). The teams headed into the dressing rooms with the scoreline still goalless.

The match remained intense in the second half, although there were initially far fewer attempts on goal from either side. It was not until the 63rd minute that substitute Yosuke Furukawa registered the first shot for the Lilies, but the deflected ball posed no problem for the goalkeeper. Shortly before the end of the match, the „98ers“ once again combined effectively to work the ball into the English side’s penalty area: moving through Christopher Lannert, Hojae Lee, and Duijvestijn, the ball reached Furukawa, but his attempt lacked precision and posed no problem for the goalkeeper (86′). At the other end, Patric Pfeiffer unluckily deflected the ball toward his own goal, but Schuhen produced a brilliant save, just managing to turn the ball around the post (88′).

Starting XI: 
Schuhen (C) – Kleinhansl, Pfeiffer, Weißhaupt (Verkooijen, 70′), El Kadiri (Furukawa, 62′), Akiyama, Klefisch, Lakenmacher (Lee, 62′), Vukotic, Lannert, Duijvestijn