The first home win in 383 days is in the bag after SV Darmstadt 98's 5-1 win against 1. FC Köln. Will this be the second three points in a row in front of the home crowd? SV 98 will play their next home game on Sunday (October 27th/1:30pm). The Lilies welcome SSV Ulm in the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Two home wins in a row? The Darmstadt team last managed this in April 2023. You can read all the interesting facts and figures about the upcoming game in our Top Facts.
Did two Lilies look for each other and find each other…? Fraser Hornby scored two goals and prepared another goal against 1. FC Köln. Overall, SVD’s number nine has three goals this season and two assists. He achieved this in the last four games alone. He owes a goal against Köln to Isac Lidberg, who made it 2-1 before the break. When he scored to make it 4-1, the Scot finally thanked him and headed the ball to his Swedish strike partner, who just had to put the ball in. For both attackers, things are simply going well. Lidberg now has seven goals this season and, together with Robert Glatzel (HSV), shares first place in the top scorers list in the 2nd Bundesliga.
It is not the first time that SSV Ulm and SV Darmstadt 98 meet in the 2nd Bundesliga. However, you need to be of a certain age to have been there for the last duel. The last second division meeting between the two teams was well over 30 years ago. In the 1987/88 season, SV 98 and SSV dueled for the last time in the German lower house of football. In the home game, the Lilies won 1-0 thanks to a goal from Gerhard Lachmann. In Ulm the score was 2-2.
No other offensive department has been more successful in the last five games than SV Darmstadt 98. Since Florian Kohfeldt took over as head coach at the Lilies, his men have already scored a strong 15 goals – together with Hamburger SV, the league’s best in this phase. If you look further at the points tally under Kohfeldt, the Darmstadt team collected eight points under him. If you only look at the last five games, the Lilies would even be in sixth place in the Kohfeldt table.
The newcomer from Ulm only had to concede twelve goals in the current season. Not a bad figure for a newcomer to the league – only four teams have conceded fewer goals in the first nine match days to date. SSV Ulm’s defense was particularly solid in the away games. Only leaders Fortuna Düsseldorf (2) can beat the Spatzen’s four away goals. In any case, the people from Ulm are more stable on foreign terrain. While the SSV suffered four defeats in five games at home, they achieved one win and one draw away from home with only two defeats.
…in two respects. Dennis Chessa plays in the attacking midfield at SSV Ulm and knows how to impress with his overview. He has already initiated an Ulm goal three times. He is also not above defensive work. Chessa led the most direct duels of all second division players – 264 in number.
Aleksandar Vukotic currently has four yellow cards. A further warning would result in a one-game ban.
| Record | Games | Wins | Draws | Defeats | Goals |
| Home | 12 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 22:20 |
| Away | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 9:22 |
| Overall | 23 | 9 | 4 | 10 | 31:42 |
The second consecutive away game, and the last of the season, is upon us. Once again on a Sunday (May 10th, 1:30pm), Darmstadt will be playing away – this time against SC Preußen Münster. Everything you need to know for your final away trip of the season to the LVM-Preußenstadion, about three and a half hours away, can be found here in the usual fan information section.
There's a lot going on at the Bölle. The 98th Darmstadt baby of 2026, along with their family, visited the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, and they weren't the only ones. Where else the Bölle gang has ended up, and many more news items about the club, can be found here in our "Lilies Across the Board" section, as every Wednesday.
SV Darmstadt 98 informed all season ticket holders about the season ticket procedure for the 2026/27 season on Wednesday (May 6th) and would also like to share this letter on the club's own website.
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.