Darmstadt secured three points in southern Hesse against SC Preußen Münster. After several chances went begging in the first half, Corredor scored the winning goal with a header in the second half. How do the players view the final home game of the year, and what did Darmstadt head coach Florian Kohfeldt have to say about the match? We've compiled all the reactions for you.
„For me, Münster is one of the best possession-based teams in the league, purely in terms of their structure and courage. They’re among the hardest to beat. Accordingly, Münster was the tough nut we, as the coaching staff, had to crack during the week. It’s fun to watch and analyse Preußen Münster. We wanted to defend the centre and wait for opportunities to win the ball back. That worked out quite well. Overall, we had the clearly better scoring chances today – especially in the first half, but we also had our moments in the second half. Therefore, we deserved to win overall. We showed great discipline and passion defensively today, defending against Preußen Münster’s chances. We didn’t get flustered, but remained man-oriented. Apart from Mees‘ shot that hit the post, we didn’t allow anything dramatic. That was very good from us.“
„We knew beforehand what a strong home team we were up against and how energetic the game would likely start with. And that’s exactly how it played out. In the opening phase, we had a bit of luck in one or two situations. After that first fifteen minutes, however, we got into our rhythm and controlled the game with a lot of possession, although without creating any truly clear-cut chances. We had our moments. When you have so much possession around the box, you naturally have players who can create decisive opportunities from it. That didn’t quite work out today, though. In the end, we lacked the finishing touch from promising positions, and we need to deliver more crosses into the box from more interesting positions. Ultimately, I feel there was more in it for us.“
„Games we win without conceding a goal are the best for defenders. It was fun today to give everything to keep the three points here. We had a clear plan. We didn’t want to press Münster too high up the pitch because they integrate a lot of players into their build-up play, making them difficult to press. We didn’t allow anything except the shot that hit the post. But today it wasn’t just the defence that delivered a top performance, but everyone on the pitch.“
„We knew this could be an ugly game for us. It’s not about playing beautifully, it’s about winning. That was our primary goal, and we achieved it. That’s why we’re overjoyed. It doesn’t matter who we play against, we want to win. That was the case today, and it will be the same next week. If we have 35 points under the Christmas tree after the Paderborn game, that would be fantastic. If you want to be a good team and get a lot of points in this league, then it’s important to have a fortress at home. We’ve built that this year together with the fans. It’s tough to beat us here at home.“
On his position in central defence:
„It was a good plan of ours that worked out. It’s a different position than centre-back. But I think it’s a proven tactic for us. Because we can change so much, it makes us difficult for the opponent to predict. Playing with a back five does come at the expense of our attacking options a bit, but the most important thing is to withstand that. It’s about winning tackles and launching counter-attacks.“
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.
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.
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.
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.