On Saturday (May 3rd/1pm), the Lilies aim to extend their impressive run of four consecutive home wins. At the same time, the clash against Hamburger SV is also about ending another run: No home team has celebrated a victory in a competitive match between Darmstadt and Hamburg in 44 years – time to change that. At a sold-out Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, SV Darmstadt 98, with passionate support from the stands, will aim to take three points against the Hamburg club. Here are the key facts and figures for the clash.
Under Florian Kohfeldt, the Lilies are performing better at home than they have in a long time: They currently have four consecutive home wins – and SV Darmstadt 98 is unbeaten in four matches. But that’s far from over. The Lilies are looking to build on their winning streak, especially at home. They even have a chance this season to repeat a streak they last achieved in 2021. Back then, SV 98 managed six consecutive home wins. A win against HSV, followed by a final win against Jahn Regensburg – and that streak would be broken.
When Darmstadt 98 and Hamburg SV meet, the home team is often at a disadvantage. While SV 98 are unbeaten in eight matches at the Volksparkstadion (five away wins, three draws), Hamburg seem to feel almost a bit too comfortable in Darmstadt. The Hanseatic club has never lost away from home at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The last home win in a meeting between the two teams came 44 years ago in 1981.
The last eleven second-division duels between SVD and HSV have been a busy one: A whopping 38 goals were scored – an average of 3.45 goals per game. But that wasn’t enough: The referees also awarded five penalties and showed a red card four times in these matches. Overall, the two teams met in 21 competitive matches, with HSV scoring a goal in each. But the Lilies also failed to score in only three of the 21 competitive matches.
Darmstadt and Hamburg, the two teams with the strongest counterattacks in the 2nd Bundesliga, will face off. While Darmstadt has already scored seven counterattack goals this season, Hamburg has taken advantage of their opponents‘ offensive play a whopping nine times.
144 won aerial duels. Aleksandar Vukotic wins the most aerial duels in the league. This strength, along with that of his teammates in the defensive unit, will certainly be put to the test on Saturday. The Red Shorts, the former corner-kick champions of the 2. Bundesliga, are coming to the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The Hanseatic League has scored eight times from corners – a league best. Darmstadt, on the other hand, scored three times following corners.
When it comes to crosses, both teams seem to choose different strategies to achieve success. SV 98 attempts to use fewer, but high-quality crosses. On average, every 26th cross from the South Hesse side results in a goal – the best rate in the 2. Bundesliga. The Hanseatic League, on the other hand, has the third-most crosses in the 2. Bundesliga with 366 – and they’re no less successful: 14 times, the Hamburg team has scored from open-play crosses – another top stat in the 2. Bundesliga.
One Hamburg player should still be a familiar face to most of the Lilies: goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes returns to the Böllenfalltor on Saturday. Heuer Fernandes played a total of 72 competitive matches for the Lilies from 2016 to 2019, keeping a clean sheet in 17 of those matches.
In the duel against Hamburger SV, two Lilies will face their former youth club: Alexander Brunst and Fabian Nürnberger both have their football roots at HSV. Reserve keeper Brunst came through the Hanseaten’s youth systems from 2008 to 2014. During this time, he made a total of 55 appearances for the U17 and U19 teams, as well as 25 games for the HSV reserve team. Fabian Nürnberger also wore the Rothosen jersey in his youth career. In 2015, he moved to the U17 team of FC Eintracht Norderstedt – and from there embarked on his further path to professional football.
Aleksandar Vukotic (9), Matej Maglica (4), Fabian Nürnberger (4), Killian Corredor (4), Fraser Hornby (4), Sergio Lopez (4), Andreas Müller (4), and Kai Klefisch (4) have already been booked. A further yellow card for any of the players would result in a suspension.
| Games | Wins | Draws | Defeats | Goals | |
| Home | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 9:20 |
| Away | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 19:22 |
| Overall | 21 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 28:42 |
Autographs, photos, and personal encounters with the Lilies: You'll have the opportunity to do so on Thursday (May 7th) from 5pm to 6pm. As part of an autograph session presented by Merck, Patric Pfeiffer, Kai Klefisch, and Fynn Lakenmacher will be at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. You'll also receive a ten percent discount in the fan shop during this time.
Darmstadt's 2-1 defeat at Karlsruher SC also ended any remaining theoretical hopes the South Hessian club had of finishing the season in the top three. The loss at the Wildpark stadium served somewhat as a symbol for the past few weeks, during which SV 98 had only managed one point from five matches since the international break in March. Following the game on Sunday afternoon, the Darmstadt players addressed the assembled media representatives with mixed feelings.
Three points! SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team secured a victory in the Lotto Hessenliga on Saturday afternoon (May 2nd). In their match against Hünfelder SV, the young Lilies overcame an early deficit to clinch a convincing 3-1 win. This result puts the U21 team currently outside the relegation zone. "Our trend is clearly upward," said a delighted U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt.
The successful collaboration between the Hessian Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association (HBRS) and SV Darmstadt 98 will continue long-term: Both partners have extended their existing agreement to promote inclusive sports indefinitely. This sends a clear signal for the sustainable development of inclusion and disability sports in Hesse.
A bitter end in Karlsruhe: After 90 entertaining minutes in which both teams sought salvation in attack, Darmstadt suffered a narrow defeat. The final score was 2-1 after a late goal from the home side, following Isac Lidberg's earlier equaliser. After the match, the players were particularly frustrated with the missed opportunities in the first half.
The away form continues to be poor: SV 98 suffered a 2-1 (0-0) defeat against Karlsruher SC. Lidberg scored the equaliser for the team from southern Hesse in the 70th minute.
Darmstadt 98 visit Karlsruher SC on matchday 32 (May 3rd, 1:30 PM). Florian Kohfeldt has made five changes to his starting lineup. Killian Corredor replaces the injured Fraser Hornby, Aleksandar Vukotic comes in for the suspended Patric Pfeiffer, and Fabian Holland starts in place of Matej Maglica, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Merveille Papela and Niklas Schmidt also join the team, replacing Sergio Lopez and Yosuke Furukawa. In addition to Hornby, Pfeiffer, and Maglica, Darmstadt will also be without the injured Matthias Bader, Fabian Nürnberger, and Luca Marseiler.
Finally, the weekend is here, finally Sunday! On Sunday afternoon (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will face Karlsruher SC away. What do the two coaches have to say about the match, who will be refereeing, and where can you watch it if you're not at the stadium? All the important information about the Lilies' 32nd matchday is compiled for you here in "Matchday Guide".
Continuity in sporting management: SV Darmstadt 98 has extended Paul Fernie's contract early and for the long term. As part of the contract extension, the current sporting director will move into the club's management board and will now serve as managing director of sport.
Our head coach spoke at the press conference before the away game against Karlsruher SC (May 3rd/1:30pm) about the mental freshness of his team, the course of action for the remaining games and his coaching colleague, whose commitment to KSC will end after six years this season.
Left hook, 'One hundred and eightyyyyyyy', and hand over the baton. Doesn't sound like football – and that's true. KSC is often associated with professional football, but with the sheer number of titles the club has won, it's worth looking beyond the pitch. Titles from Baden-Württemberg to Rome.
In a rescheduled Lotto Hessenliga match, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team hosted SV Hummetroth at their youth academy on Wednesday evening (April 29th) but unfortunately came away empty-handed. Despite a spirited performance and playing with one man less, the score after 90 minutes was 3-1 in favour of Hummetroth.