The best offensive in the league travels to the Böllenfalltor. So far this season, 1. FC Köln has stood for one thing in particular: lots of goals. So far, 33 goals have been scored in games with “Effzeh” participation, a record. There are 31 goals in games in which the Lilies take part. So it's quite possible that spectators can expect some hits on Friday evening (06.10/6:30pm). Before the clash, we took a closer look at Köln.
Last season both teams met in the Bundesliga, now they meet in the German second division. So far, the Lilies have won two games against 1. FC Köln, one of them in the last meeting on matchday 30 of the previous season with a 2-0 away win. Now the cards have been reshuffled and two “new” teams are competing. So that you know about the upcoming opponent, here are a few key factors for you in the opponent check.
| Top Scorers | Assists |
| Damion Downs (8 Games/ 4 Goals) | Leart Paqarada (8 Games/ 6 Assists) |
| Timo Hübers (7 Games / 3 Goals) | Tim Lemperle (8 Games/ 4 Assists) |
| Tim Lemperle (8 Games/ 3 Goals) | Linton Maina (8 Games / 4 Assists) |
From the insurance industry to a professional coach, via Austria, England, New York to 1. FC Köln – a career path that might surprise many fans. Gerhard Struber wouldn’t be seen on the visitors‘ sidelines at the Bölle this Friday if it hadn’t been for Austria’s national coach Ralf Rangnick. A test match between SV Kuchl and Salzburg was the decisive moment for his move from insurance to professional coaching. „After the game, Ralf Rangnick invited me to talk. With his enthusiasm and persuasiveness, he suggested that I take the path of becoming a full-time football coach. That was a very brave decision at the time, because I had a really good job with the best prospects,“ reports the now 47 year old.
As he once did in Barnsley, Struber now looks after one of the youngest squads in the league in Köln. The Austrian has been very familiar with dealing with and supporting young players for years. For a long time he shaped the youth academies in Salzburg and coached young talents at the highest level. Struber is best known for his offensive style of play – a style that he successfully demonstrated at the beginning of the season. No team has currently scored more goals in the second division than the “Billy Goats”. In the last home game against Ulm, Struber also showed that he can give the full offensive a certain balance. From a stable order, the “Effzeh” won 2-0 against the promoted team and remained without conceding a goal for the second time this season.
The highlight of 1. FC this season is the outstanding offensive. With 20 goals scored, the Domstadt team has the most goal-hungry attack in the league. Eight different players have already been able to get on the list of goalscorers, the most successful shooter so far is Damion Downs with four goals. A total of five players are among the top 17 of the top scorers and three more are among the ten best scorers in the league. After the KSC, the next demanding challenge awaits the Darmstadt defense line.
…Eric Martel. Hardly any other player covers as many meters on the pitch in the second division as the 22-year-old. He runs an impressive 12.25 kilometers on average in the 90 minutes of a game. He has long since become an indispensable support in the midfield of 1. FC Köln.
The captain of the German U21 has been a permanent part of the squad since 2022. At that time he moved from the East, from Leipzig, to the Rhineland. Martel made his debut in the DFB Cup at the age of 18 under current national coach Julian Nagelsmann. After a loan to Austria Vienna, he finally found his way to 1. FC Köln, where he signed long-term. Even after relegation to the second division, Martel remains committed to the club: „The FC and especially the fans here are something very special. I identify 100 percent with the city and the club. I will give everything for that and I’m happy I am delighted to be able to continue playing for this great club in the future.“
After 13 unbeaten second-division matches, SV Darmstadt 98 suffered their first defeat this Friday evening. Three unfortunate minutes just before halftime, during which Patric Pfeiffer was sent off and Vincent Vermeij scored twice, paved the way for Dresden's victory. After the match, the focus was primarily on the differing assessments of two very similar incidents by the refereeing team – incidents which both coaches subsequently evaluated identically.
For the first time since October, Darmstadt 98 finished a league match without any points: SV 98 lost 3-1 (2-0) to SG Dynamo Dresden. After a controversial red card against Patric Pfeiffer (42nd minute), the home side scored two goals in first-half stoppage time to secure the victory.
Under the floodlights at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadium. On Friday evening (February 27th/6:30pm), Darmstadt 98 will play away against Dynamo Dresden. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting eleven. Raoul Petretta makes his first start, replacing Fabian Holland. Luca Marseiler starts in place of the suspended Marco Richter, and Hiroki Akiyama replaces Fraser Hornby, who is sidelined with a thigh injury. Fabian Nürnberger, Matthias Bader, and Bartosz Bialek remain unavailable due to injury.
A floodlit match at the Rudolf-Haribig-Stadion is always something special. Darmstadt 98 are aiming to take three points back to southern Hesse this Friday evening (February 27th). Kick-off is at 6:30pm. All the important information about the 24th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga is clearly summarised for you in our "Matchday Guide".
Darmstadt 98 aim to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games in Friday evening's match against Dynamo Dresden. While Darmstadt's potent attack has resulted in a respectable goal tally, they are wary at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. The Saxons have been on an upward trend since the winter break and will have a vociferous home crowd behind them. We've compiled all the facts and figures surrounding this clash in this report. Here you'll find the key facts for tomorrow's match.
Darmstadt and Dresden are 598 kilometres apart. On Friday evening (February 27th, 6:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will travel to the Saxon capital for the 24th matchday of the 2nd Bundesliga. The next away game will take place under the floodlights at the historic Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. You can find all relevant fan information here.
Before SV Darmstadt 98 plays under floodlights in Dresden on Friday evening (27.02/18.30), Florian Kohfeldt spoke at the press conference about the strengths of Dynamo Dresden and the special atmosphere in the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion.
Raoul Petretta joined SV Darmstadt 98 in the winter and already feels very much at home. He talks about his arrival and his goals. Besides their sporting focus, the Lilies are also committed to sustainability: On March 15, 2026, over 3,500 trees will be planted as part of the fifth "In the Sign of the Lily" tree-planting campaign. In our "Lilies Across the Board" section, we provide you with the most important news from SV Darmstadt 98 every week.
Numerous Dynamo Dresden fans flock to the stadium on home match days. But one day, they came for a single reason: What should their stadium be called in the future? Tens of thousands of supporters gathered in front of the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, ready to cast their votes. In cooperation with regional partners, Dynamo Dresden's management took the unusual step of letting the club's supporters decide for themselves.
WirLilien – Together for nature conservation! Together with our partner Krombacher, we will once again plant more than 3,500 trees on Sunday (March 15th) – under the banner of the Lily. You can still register for the event at short notice.
On Friday (February 27th, 7:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team begins the second phase of their Hessenliga season. With 23 points after 20 matchdays, the Lilies are currently in 14th place. Following intensive weeks of winter training, the team aims to start the upcoming challenges with renewed energy and secure crucial points.
A fast-paced, thrilling exchange between SV Darmstadt 98 and Fortuna Düsseldorf reached its ecstatic climax in the 88th minute. Thanks to Matej Maglica's header, Darmstadt secured a 2-1 victory in a wild battle that resembled a 12-round boxing match, with both sides neglecting their defences and constantly searching for the next hook or punch. A day later, sv98.de looks back on what was probably the most exciting home game of the season so far for the South Hessian side.