SV Darmstadt 98 remains undefeated and, after two opening wins, picks up a point against Hertha BSC: The Lilies drew 0-0 with the promotion favourites from the capital. What did the Darmstadt players say about the hard-fought 90 minutes at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor? What do both head coaches think of the game? We've compiled all the comments on the match for you.
„It was a game that should never have ended 0-0. But it certainly wasn’t a boring afternoon. We were a bit surprised at the beginning that Hertha was sitting so compact and deep. Accordingly, we had to change our strategy and relied more on deep runs and shifts away from the ball. That put us in a few situations. Overall, however, we had problems gaining defensive control on the wing in the 4-2-3-1. After switching to a back three, we were the better team and more courageous going forward, creating more chances. We had great chances through Bartosz Bialek, which Tjark Ernst saved superbly. In the final minute, we were lucky that Fabian Reese didn’t score. The scene showed that defending Hertha’s quality for 90 minutes is one of the toughest tasks in the 2. Bundesliga. Despite the last chance, we put in a good to very good performance. Either team could have won the game, even though I thought we had one or two more chances. We’ve had a very good start to the season. Now we’re looking forward to the duel at the Betzenberg.“
„I honestly don’t know exactly what to make of the 0-0 draw. Overall, I’m satisfied with our performance. It was our best performance of the season against a very strong and versatile opponent. We got off to a good start, initially relinquished control, and didn’t want to give the opponent any space to make deep runs. We ourselves played well. However, you still have to pay attention to Darmstadt’s individual quality and their set pieces. After the break, we were stable until the Lilies switched to a back three. After that, we initially struggled to adjust. Nevertheless, the boys defended everything and had some good chances going forward. Then we had two great chances: Tjark Ernst made an excellent save, and at the other, Fabian Reese nearly landed a lucky punch that we would have liked to have taken. Ultimately, our performance gives us confidence for the challenges ahead.“
„It was the tough game we expected, even if Hertha didn’t start quite as well as we did. You could see the individual quality Hertha brought. The game was a bit strange, it went back and forth. When it ends 3-3, no one complains. Usually, Fabian Reese scores his big chance just before the end. If we take our chances, the game can end differently – so I think it’s a fair point split. We wanted to keep the three points here, which unfortunately we didn’t manage. But fundamentally, we’ll take the point and not let our heads hang. In the end, you could definitely see that we still have energy to play on. Our pressing was also really good today.“
„Hertha sat very deep today and showed respect for us – you have to work for that. We pushed through our game, had good set pieces, and hardly conceded anything. Defensively, we were great, and I thought Mey Papela played a top game at right back today. The three-man defence allowed the defenders to defend forward, which made things a little easier for the defensive midfielders. After that, Hertha didn’t have much. That shows that we can play both systems. It was important for us that we didn’t lose our heads. Apart from the last move with Reese, we remained very stable against a good counter-attacking team. We wanted to win this game, and it showed. In the end, though, we take the point and the result. It was a better 0-0 today because we tried everything. We’ve got a good points average so far and are one round further in the cup – so we’re all happy.“
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.
