For the first time this season, SV Darmstadt 98 finished a match at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor without any points. The Lilies offered more resistance to Hannover 96's two goals in the second half. However, the pressure exerted by the South Hessians at the end proved fruitless. Read here what the players and both head coaches had to say about the defeat, which Darmstadt considered deserved overall.
„Congratulations to Hannover 96 on a well-deserved three points and a very good performance. I can’t really fault my team much. Hannover caused us problems, especially in our pressing. They were also extremely good in one-on-one situations in both directions, you have to acknowledge that. After going down 2-0, we had the feeling that things were going to get very difficult. But one character trait of my team deserves special mention: We don’t give up! That wasn’t rewarded, even though we didn’t deserve the equaliser today. We currently have some personnel issues, but we won’t use that as an excuse either. This team and this club have invested so much passion in this season and have had so much fun together, so there’s absolutely no way we’re going to do one thing: give up just because things are a bit bumpy right now. We saw a Darmstadt side that tried everything. That’s the foundation of this club.“
… about the fans:
“The support from our fans today was fantastic. I felt it was important to show my appreciation for them because I feel their connection. We truly value how they have supported us today and throughout the entire season. I’m looking forward to the coming weeks with them.”
„We beat one of the strongest opponents in the league today. One thing was clear before the game: we had to be solid defensively and close down the centre. We were able to thwart a lot of Darmstadt’s attacks. In transition, we had a few situations where we weren’t as clinical in front of goal. The 2-0 lead gave me a good feeling, but we were also aware of their long balls and how dangerous they could be. I think we deserved to be the winners thanks to our work rate and the intensity we showed. I wish Darmstadt all the best for the final stretch of the season.“
„The first half clearly belonged to Hannover. In the second half, we showed that we can compete and dominate. If we had scored the first goal, the game would have been different. Hannover was the better team overall today. Of course, we have some players out, but we can’t use that as an excuse. I have 100 percent confidence in the players who are on the pitch. We always want to give our all and always try to play well. The guys in the locker room are 100 percent focused before the game. They were a good opponent today; they defended well. We have to keep going.“
…Regarding the second goal:
„I positioned myself in front of the ball because I wanted to avoid what happened. The referee sent me away, they took the free kick short, and then scored. I have to accept his decision.“
„We hadn’t lost at home in a long time. Today we played against a top opponent. After conceding the first goal, we didn’t lose our heads and played well until halftime. We had a good to very good second half with chances, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Today we missed our top striker, with all due respect to Fynn, who did extremely well. We missed Kai, who is the heart of our midfield. And with Luca out, we’re missing our one-on-one player on the left wing. But these aren’t excuses.
The most important thing is that we have training tomorrow and we want to work on it. We also saw that those who came off the bench really made an impact. Furu had a truly outstanding game. Fynn did well from the start. We have to focus on the positives as well.“
An emotional match with many controversial moments unfolded on Sunday afternoon at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Ultimately, Darmstadt suffered their first home defeat of the young season. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you.
Tried everything, but to no avail: SV 98 came up short in their home game against Hannover 96. The final score was 1-0 (0-0) to the visitors, whilst the Lilies had to play with ten men after Vukotic was sent off in the 20th minute.
Home game against Hannover! On matchday 3, Darmstadt 98 will host the ambitious Lower Saxons at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the victory in Jena. Hiroki Akiyama replaces the suspended Kai Klefisch, while Nicolas Verkooijen (making his first start) and Yosuke Furukawa start in place of Carlo Sickinger and Manolo Merx.
Weekend, Lilies fever! On Sunday (August 30th/1:30pm), the Lilies have their third matchday on the schedule. Hannover 96, the club from the Lower Saxon capital, will be visiting the Bölle. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will be refereeing the match? And where can you watch the game? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the match against Hannover in our "Matchday Guide"
One day before their home game against Hannover 96, Darmstadt 98 have announced another new signing. William Mikelbrencis will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 22-year-old Frenchman was under contract with Hamburger SV until June 30th.
In the press conference before the second home game of the still young season, our head coach spoke about, among other things, our team's attacking play and the past week. As usual, you can find the most important statements before the match against Hannover 96 (August 30th/1:30pm) here for you.
A second-division team on the Berlin Mount Olympus: Hannover 96 achieved something unique in 1992. On May 23, the Lower Saxony club defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach in the DFB Cup final, securing another major title in the club's history 38 years after their German championship win in 1954. Hannover became the first and, to this day, only "true" second-division team to win the DFB Cup, causing one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.
A special place of remembrance for one of the most famous Darmstadt fans. Before SV Darmstadt 98's home game against Hannover 96 on Sunday (August 30th), Jonathan Heimes Square at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor will be officially opened.
Darmstadt's league campaign resumes on Sunday (August 30th). Their opponent? Hannover 96! Hannover 96 have lost more often to Darmstadt than to any other team in the 2. Bundesliga. All the other facts and figures surrounding the match can be found here.
On Sunday (August 30, 2026, 1:30pm), SV 98 asks you to take note of the following information for the upcoming home game. Starting this season, we will be offering women's entrances at the west entrances. Additionally, there is a Bölle Bande family entrance with easier access at the Karl-Hess-Platz entrance.
In Wednesday's media briefing, Nicolas Verkooijen spoke about his Kickbase team, communication within the squad, and the intensive training in Germany. A former Darmstadt 98 player had the opportunity to compete against the best footballers, and we report on the historic stadium tour as part of the Bundesliga's founding anniversary celebrations. All the latest news from SV Darmstadt 98 can be found, as usual, in "Lilies Across the Board"
A journey to the roots of the Lilies: Where churches, residential buildings, or clubhouses stand today, Darmstadt football history was once written. To mark the Day of German Football History, 35 participants set out on a special tour of discovery aboard the professional team's bus—tracing the path from the early pitches of FK Olympia and SC Darmstadt to the club's current home at the Böllenfalltor.