22.09.2025 / English
Fortuna curse broken
"Best regards to Uwe Kuhl!" With a broad grin, Marcel Schuhen waved to the camera after the final whistle and sent a message to the current representative of the Lilies' board, who had scored in the Lilies' last away win in Düsseldorf in September 1988. Almost exactly 37 years later, SV 98 finally won again at Fortuna. Well-deserved, mind you. Especially due to a strong second half. We take a closer look at this almost historic victory in our analysis.
Scene of the game:
Nine minutes. Between the 65th and 74th minutes, the Lilies scored four goals, three of which found their way onto the scoreboard. Hiroki Akiyama, Fabian Nürnberger, and Isac Lidberg decided the away match in Düsseldorf during this period. „We took advantage of the mistakes and scored the goals with ice-cold precision,“ said Marcel Schuhen, who witnessed this „rush“ from around 100 metres away and also placed the hat-trick in the overall context of the second half: „After the break, we did a lot of things very well.“
Head coach Florian Kohfeldt even spoke of „the best half of the season,“ which deservedly culminated in the three goals. „Düsseldorf gave us a bit more space after the 1-0 lead, and then one attack after another became dangerous,“ Nürnberger summarised on the SKY microphone, and shortly afterwards, with a broad grin in the mixed zone, declared: „It’s just fun to be with this team.“
Schuhen’s save. The first half was also a game of goalkeepers. Florian Kastenmeier prevented Hornby and Patric Pfeiffer from going behind with sensational saves, but Marcel Schuhen also had his moment in the 33rd minute. The goalkeeper just managed to clear Zan Celar’s volley off the goal line. „Last week I put one in, today I was there. That’s my job,“ said the 32-year-old succinctly, while Nürnberger had high praise for his captain: „I don’t know if everyone can save it. That was absolutely outstanding.“
This went well:
The reaction to Lidberg’s disallowed goal. In the 8th minute, the Lilies celebrated their first goal, Isac Lidberg sending the ball over the line from close range. Just two minutes later, the disappointment followed. After VAR intervention, the goal was ruled offside, and the score was disallowed. A moment that could have destabilised SV 98 in this difficult away game. „That was bitter, but then we showed the right mentality, simply carried on, and were rewarded in the second half,“ Nürnberger summarised what all spectators witnessed on Sunday. While the Lilies were certainly self-critical during periods in the first half, the criticism was by no means based on uncertainty over the disallowed goal. When asked about this situation, Schuhen summed it up in his usual way: „We didn’t care at all.“ The Lilies remained the dominant team afterward, adjusted their play at halftime, and then took control of the game. Another indication of the South Hesse side’s strong mindset: Fraser Hornby’s apparent 3-0 goal in the 70th minute was also canceled. Lidberg responded with his goal less than three minutes later.
The second half. When Florian Kohfeldt speaks of the „best half of the season,“ it certainly has a certain significance, even on Matchday 6. In all post-match interviews, the head coach offered insight into his halftime speech, in which he had certainly become somewhat louder and addressed a team that wasn’t entirely satisfied with its performance in the first half. The Lilies certainly deserved a lead at halftime, as they had great opportunities to go 1-0 up through Hornby and Pfeiffer. But Kohfeldt wasn’t the only one who had recognised spaces in the first half that his team could have exploited and exploited even better, threatening Fortuna’s goal with even more determination and determination. The speech, combined with the substantive comments at the break, had its full effect after the break. „That’s when we played our game,“ explained Marcel Schuhen, looking back on the second 45 minutes, which ultimately led to the „well-deserved“ victory.
That didn't go well:
Phases of the first half. This point can be summed up almost entirely by Florian Kohfeldt’s assessment: „I didn’t like the 30th to 35th minutes at all. We lost our nerve a bit and didn’t believe that what we had done before would lead to success. We wanted to change something, even though it wasn’t necessary at all. We clearly addressed this again at halftime.“
The head coach rightly expressed his approval of the opening phase of the game: „The boys recognised what was necessary on the pitch in the first 20 minutes. We had to remind them of that again during the break.“
It speaks volumes for the Lilies that they were unanimously self-critical after the game about the first half, which was by no means bad, but didn’t satisfy the ambitious South Hesse team. „We could have played better there,“ said Nürnberger, and Schuhen added: „We were really dissatisfied at halftime.“
All the more impressive that the Lilies used the 15 minutes so constructively that they turned impressively onto the winning road after the break.
Quote of the day
"The boys realised what was needed on the pitch in the first 20 minutes. We had to remind them of that again during the break, and then we played the best half of the season."
Merck Autograph Session: With Pfeiffer, Klefisch and Lakenmacher
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.
Disappointment & pride
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.
Merx hat trick: U21 deservedly wins at Hünfelder SV
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.
HBRS and SV 98: Cooperation extended indefinitely
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.
„We must take the lead in the first half.“
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.
Lilies lose in Karlsruhe
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.
Team News: Five Changes in the Team
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.
Matchday Guide: All Information before KSC Game
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".
Paul Fernie extends his contract long-term and moves up to a management position.
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.
„You’ve seen horses vomit before.“
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.
Opposition Check: Karlsruher SC
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.
U21: A Herculean effort whilst down to 10 men wasn’t enough
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.