It was a pleasure, San Antonio!
The Lilien will be in San Antonio from September 25th to October 1st. In this USA diary, we will keep you updated on the trip and SV 98's experiences.
29.09.2026 / English
Late penalty stuns Young Lilies
SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team suffered a 3 – 2 (2–2) defeat against FC Bayern Alzenau in the Hessenliga. In a hard-fought match, the Lilies took an early lead and created several chances to score a third goal, particularly after the break. A late penalty ultimately put the visitors on the path to victory.
Early lead
SV 98 got off to the better start and was rewarded after just five minutes, with Mark Meier putting the Lilies ahead 1–0 early on. However, the match subsequently opened up, and the visitors ruthlessly punished two errors by the Darmstadt side.
The Lilies were caught on the counter-attack following a corner of their own, with Nicolas Pusch Rodriguez equalising in the 17th minute. About fifteen minutes later, Alzenau capitalided on a Darmstadt turnover in midfield to take the lead, as Jahid Boutakhrit made it 2 – 1 in the 33rd minute.
Nevertheless, the young Lilies squad did not let this knock them off their stride and stepped up the pressure again before the break. In the 43rd minute, U19 player Johannes Fritz finally scored the deserved equaliser, sending the teams into the dressing rooms at 2–2.
Decision from the spot
After the break, SV 98 increasingly took control and had several opportunities to turn the match back in their favour. Diogo Dos Santos Pereira and Vincent Hofer, among others, produced good efforts on goal, but the decisive third goal for Darmstadt failed to materialise.
Alzenau posed little attacking threat for long stretches of the game but managed to create a crucial opportunity in front of the Darmstadt goal shortly before the end. Following an incident in the penalty area, the referee awarded a penalty to the visitors. Lucas Sitter converted the spot-kick in the 86th minute to make it 3- 2. The Lilies threw everything forward in the closing minutes. In stoppage time, they were mere centimeters away from equalising again, only for Hofer to see his shot strike the post.
Patrick Kurt: „Once again, we let a game slip away that we had completely under control; despite various absences, we were able to assert our dominance. Now, the focus must be on playing more decisively in both our own and the opposition’s penalty areas—because that is the key to getting back to picking up points.“
League Standings and Outlook
The Lilies remain in ninth place with 15 points. On Saturday (October 3, 3pm), SV98 will visit Hünefelder SV. The hosts have collected 19 points from their last eleven matches and currently sit in sixth place.
Line-Up: Ebert – Meier (Miura, 84′), Keranovic (Makwaya, 76′), Hofer, Dos Santos Pereira, Held (Pace, 76′), Fritz (Hartelt, 73′), Ballmert, Rauch (Maier, 67′), Stark, Pfister
2026 Fair Play Award hosted by the Lilies
On Monday (September 28th), SV Darmstadt 98 hosted the LOTTO Hessen Fair Play Award ceremony at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor for the first time. During the event, long-time captain Aytaç Sulu was named a Fair Play Ambassador.
Starting Friday: Member pre-sale for Elversberg
On Tuesday (October 27th), the Lilien will visit SV Elversberg at 8:45pm. Advance ticket sales for club members begin on Friday, October 2, at 12pm.
Sulu becomes Fair Play Ambassador | Böllenfalltorhalle goes wild
A fair-play award featuring Lilies legend Aytaç Sulu, Headis action at the Böllenfalltorhalle, and a successful Lilies team marathon—there is plenty happening at SV 98 beyond the day-to-day routine of the second division. Plus, there are updates on the fan convoy to Nürnberg and ticket sales for the home match against FC St. Pauli. As always, "Lilies Across the Board" brings you all the latest news and stories from life at SV Darmstadt 98.
Lilien Journeying Together
Lilien convoy to Nuremberg! SV 98 is picking up fans from across the Lilien region right from their doorsteps to travel to Franconia with the greatest possible support.
Lilien visit Focused Energy in Austin
During their stay in Texas, Volker Harr and Arnd Zinnhardt visited the Austin site of premium partner Focused Energy. At the US branch of the Darmstadt-based company, the two vice presidents gained insight into Focused Energy’s operations and its research into a technology that could make a significant contribution to the future energy supply in the long term.
Matchday!
The Lilien will be in San Antonio from September 25 to October 1. In this USA diary, we will keep you updated on the trip and SV 98's experiences.
Seven goals against partner club
A fitting victory for the Lilies: SV 98 prevailed 7–0 (4–0) against San Antonio FC. Lee, Smit (twice), Duijvestijn, Kehl, El Kadiri, and Herbst scored for the South Hessian side.
An Evening Among Friends
On the eve of a very special friendly match, SV Darmstadt 98 brought together—once again, in San Antonio—all those people who have breathed life into the connection between Darmstadt and its Texan sister city over the past few years.
The Lilies as matchmakers between Darmstadt and San Antonio
SV Darmstadt 98’s partnership with San Antonio has long been forging connections that extend beyond football. This became evident once again on Monday (September 28).
Successful second edition of the Lilien Team Marathon
Clocking up kilometres together, experiencing team spirit, and crossing the finish line at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor: the second edition of the Lilien Team Marathon took place on Sunday (September 27). Runners of all ages took to the starting line for various distances around the "Bölle" stadium. For every participant in the adult races, SV Darmstadt 98 is donating one euro to the "Run for ME/CFS" initiative. The initiative is driven by a group of dedicated Lilien fans who aim to raise awareness of the chronic illness ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and advocate for those affected by it.