A floodlit evening at Bielefeld's Alm stadium. The date is May 19, 2014: The atmosphere is electric, Arminia Bielefeld the clear favourite – especially after their 3-1 victory in the first leg of the relegation play-off. Darmstadt 98, accordingly, the massive underdog. And yet, on this evening, SV 98 makes both Lilies and football history. After 120 minutes, a spectacular 4-2 scoreline is displayed on the scoreboard. Darmstadt is promoted, Bielefeld is relegated. And a Darmstadt motto becomes legendary: "You have to fight. Nothing is lost yet."
Despite the disappointment, Arminia Bielefeld reacted with remarkable unity. Relegation triggered a wave of support in Bielefeld and the entire region. Within just a few days, the club experienced a huge increase in membership. The sense of community in East Westphalia remained unbroken.
Arminia entered the 2014/15 season with a significantly changed squad. Under coach Norbert Meier, the team played a convincing first half of the season but finished the first half of the season in a non-promotion position. The team continued their strong performance in the second half of the season and climbed to the top of the table. On the penultimate matchday, they secured immediate promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga. A 2-2 draw at home against Jahn Regensburg was enough to seal their return to the second division.
Arminia Bielefeld started the current season as a newly promoted second-division team, having reached the DFB Cup final last season as a third-division side. After ten matchdays in the second division, Arminia sits in a strong ninth place with 13 points. Now, the two teams meet again. May 19, 2014, seems like a long time ago, but it still evokes goosebumps and provides motivation.
We’ve analysed this weekend’s opponent for you in our opponent check.
| Top Scorers | Top Assists |
| Joel Grodowski – 5 Goals | Mael Corboz – 3 Assists |
| Isaiah Young – 2 Goals | Monju Momuluh – 3 Assists |
| Joel Felix – 2 Goals | Joel Grodowski – 2 Assists |
| Noah Sarenren Bazee – 2 Goals | Marvin Mehlem – 2 Assists |
| Tim Handwerker – 2 Goals | Christopher Lannert – 2 Assists |
Michél "Mitch" Kniat
Head coach at Arminia BielefeldIntensity. Bielefeld sets the standard in this category: With 7,732 high-intensity runs, Arminia Bielefeld are unchallenged at the top of the statistics. An impressive testament to the team’s endurance and tireless commitment. Schalke follows closely behind with 7,158, and Kiel with 7,094 – strong figures, but still not quite matching Bielefeld’s intensity. For Darmstadt, this means they must prepare for an intense match.
It’s a Sunday morning in the 2016/17 season, somewhere on a dusty pitch in the Kreisliga A (eighth tier of German football). The lines on the field are barely visible, the goalposts rattle with every shot, and the stands consist of just a few benches along the sidelines. A striker is running onto the pitch – his name is Joel Grodowski. With every step, you can feel his indomitable will; with every shot, his precision. Among most of the players in this league, who simply play for fun, Grodowski immediately stands out. But how does a centre forward from the Kreisliga make it to professional football? And in just a few years, no less?
Joel Grodowski began his football career in the youth academies of Schalke 04, Rot Weiss Ahlen, and VfB Waltrop. In 2017, however, he was still playing in the Kreisliga A for PSV Bork. There he revealed his goal-scoring prowess: In the 2016/17 season, he scored an incredible 53 goals in just 30 games – a number that made him one of the most striking talents in the region in the amateur sector.
His performances did not go unnoticed, and in 2017 Grodowski took the plunge and moved abroad to Bradford City in the English League One, the third tier of German football. Although his playing time was limited, this move marked his transition from amateur to professional football. After a year in England, he returned to Germany and joined Hammer SpVg in the Oberliga Westfalen (fifth tier). There, he confirmed his goalscoring prowess with 15 goals in 28 games and continued his steady progress. In 2019, Grodowski transferred to Preußen Münster. Initially playing in the Regionalliga West (fourth tier), and later in the 3. Liga (third tier), he developed into a key player for the team. His goals were crucial in helping Preußen Münster consistently stay within striking distance of the top of the table.
Present day. Now he plays in the 2nd Bundesliga for Arminia Bielefeld and, with his five goals this season, has already done a lot for the newly promoted team. Nevertheless, he fondly remembers his time in the Kreisliga (district league): „That time is still very present. I haven’t played there for a while now, but the Kreisliga still holds a special place in my heart. I still really enjoy watching the games. Some of my old friends are still playing for PSV Bork. Every now and then I’ve wondered what would have happened if I had gone through a youth academy. But perhaps it’s precisely my time in the Kreisliga that makes me stand out as a player,“ he said in an interview with the DFB (German Football Association). His extraordinary development from a Kreisliga player to a key performer in professional football shows that talent, combined with perseverance and hard work, can pave the way to professional football even from the lowest leagues.
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.
