Press conference on Thursday (September 25th) with Florian Kohfeldt. The head coach of SV Darmstadt 98 was available to speak to journalists in the press room of the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor ahead of the Lilies' home game against SG Dynamo Dresden (September 26, 6:30pm). Kohfeldt discussed the team's anticipation, the upcoming opponent, their own approach, and the squad situation. We've summarised the most important statements for you.
Personnel update: Paul Will and Matthias Bader are out. Fabian Nürnberger is injured, and his availability for Friday is still uncertain. All other players are available.
Dresden is a team with a clear game plan and plays combination football out from the back. They often look for the flanks to cross into the penalty area. Dresden has the right players for this up front with Daferner, Kutschke, and Vermeij. On the wings, they have players who can both occupy the box and engage in one-on-one situations. When they lose possession, they try to win possession early. Their idea is to be proactive.
It will be important for us to build pace after winning the ball deeper. At the same time, set pieces will also be an important aspect of the game, as we define ourselves offensively not only by our height, but also by a certain variety of play. What’s special about Dresden is that they make small adjustments depending on their opponents; for example, they changed their system against us in the cup last year. We tried to anticipate such changes and are prepared for them.
It’s great to be top of the table, and we enjoy it. It’s nothing to be ashamed of or to reflexively say, ‚Watch out, it’s dangerous.‘ That can motivate you to keep going. You want to feel the same way we felt after the game in Düsseldorf. That’s why being top of the table is a great thing. It doesn’t mean anything for the outcome of the season, but we’re happy about it and use it as an incentive to keep going. And, ideally, even go one step further.“
I think it’s really great that we have so many players who have a legitimate claim to be in the starting lineup. This is especially great because the players in the starting lineup know they can’t afford to make too many mistakes – in a negative sense. Of course, it also requires a lot of moderation, and talking about it with the guys takes a lot of energy.
Fraser knows he’s been involved in a lot of goals. He also creates space and orchestrates our pressing. Fraser is undoubtedly one of the most important players on our team and, in my opinion, has had an outstanding season so far. And there will be games where he scores goals in several games in a row. He’s absolutely at his best.
Darmstadt 98 lost to Hannover 96 while playing with ten men and must continue to wait for their first win of this second division season. Read our analysis to find out what positives remain and why Darmstadt 98 had factored in setbacks on their chosen path.
Around the time of the home game against Hannover 96 on Sunday (August 30th), the Jonathan Heimes Square was officially inaugurated. Before kickoff, club president Markus Pfitzner and Martin Heimes, father of Jonathan Heimes, who died of cancer about ten years ago, gave speeches highlighting "Johnny's" importance and his commitment to people with cancer.
The Lilien Team Marathon is not just about athletic performance and the shared experience around the Böllenfalltor stadium – but also about making a difference together.
The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team drew 2-2 (0-1) against SV Unter-Flockenbach. After a heated home game, the young Lilies had to settle for a frustrating, but ultimately deserved, draw. In this extremely balanced league, Patrick Kurt's team continues to grow week by week, gaining valuable experience.
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.
