No defeat after eight match days. 16 points in the account. A third place in the table. SC Paderborn could hardly have started the season better. The East Westphalia team got off to an impressive start on the first matchday by defeating Hertha in the Olympic Stadium. Hamburger SV also later had to settle for a lucky point against Paderborn in their home Volksparkstadion. It was a phase in which head coach Lukas Kwasniok's team seemed almost unstoppable. Even after their first defeat of the season against 1. FC Kaiserslautern, the team promptly responded with a 2-1 win over Bundesliga relegated 1. FC Köln – and Darmstadt also had to bite the bullet on the second matchday in the Home Deluxe Arena.
18 match days have now been played. And SCP is in eighth place in the crowded 2nd Bundesliga with a total of 28 points – just three points behind a direct promotion spot. Where does the SCP’s path lead this season? The duel next Sunday (January 26th/1:30pm) at SV Darmstadt 98 could provide answers – even if it is early in the second half of the season. Are East Westphalia keeping up with the top places? Or will they be overtaken by the Lilies? Before these and other questions are answered in the Merck Stadium at the Böllenfalltor, let’s take a closer look at the upcoming opponent.
| Top Scorer | Top Assists |
| Filip Bilbija – 5 Goals | Aaron Zehnter – 7 Assists |
| Raphael Obermair – 4 Goals | Filip Bilbija – 4 Tore |
| Ilyas Ansah – 3 Goals | Raphael Obermair – 3 Assists |
| Sven Michel – 3 Goals | Ilyas Ansah – 2 Assists |
| Koen Kostons – 3 Goals | Adriano Grimaldi – 2 Assists |
Honest. Direct. Authentic. Anyone who is given these three attributes in the football business will quickly be labeled as a “real guy”. A guy who is not above expressing his opinion clearly and concisely. Straightforward, without empty phrases. One person who does this image justice is Lukas Kwasniok, the head coach of SC Paderborn. “I’m probably one of those coaches where you have to worry that I’ll knock someone out,” the 43-year-old once told the Association of German Sports Journalists.
The native Pole also likes to show off his sense of humour. When rumours about FC Bayern Munich’s search for a coach arose well before the season, Kwasniok promptly gave the record champions a clear rejection with a wink. „Absolutely no way. “I’ll proactively join in and just cancel,” joked the SCP coach, who has been on the sidelines for East Westphalia since summer 2021.
The Paderborn team guided the football teacher from 1. FC Saarbrücken to North Rhine-Westphalia. With the Saarland team, Kwasniok had previously managed to win the championship in the Regionalliga Südwest and thus gain promotion to the 3rd league. The 43-year-old is also building on his successful past position at SC Paderborn. In recent seasons he has always managed to place the SCP in the upper midfield of the table – always within reach of the promotion places. Kwasniok has now been in the Paderborn head coach’s chair for more than 128 games – only Steffen Baumgart (166) and Günther Rybarczyk (209) coached more games for Paderborn.
SV Darmstadt 98 should be particularly vigilant as soon as the referee blows the whistle for the second half. From this point on, SC Paderborn is particularly in a goal-scoring mood. Of their 30 goals this season, the East Westphalians only scored eight in the first 45 minutes, while they scored the other 22 goals in the second half. The Lilies should pay particular attention to the final phase: In this phase, the Darmstadt team conceded eight goals – from the 76th minute to the final whistle. SC Paderborn has already been successful ten times in this phase – only Düsseldorf (11) has scored more goals in this phase of the game.
Without joy in the game there is no football. This realisation shapes Filip Bilbija’s career. He started at Berliner SC when he was just five years old. He not only spent ten years of his youth there, but also played under his father and together with his older brother. Nevertheless, playing football with his friends during school breaks was often what he enjoyed more than training in a club. After moving to Tennis Borussia Berlin, the then young player was in danger of completely losing sight of his dream of professional football. Only a viewing tournament brought the turning point and opened the doors. One thing was clear to Bilbija: “I won’t move to Hertha or Union. I have to get out of Berlin so as not to be distracted,” said Bilbija in an interview on the YouTube channel “EinfachSergen”.
Get out of the capital and go to Bavaria. FC Ingolstadt became his first professional station. Here he established himself in men’s football. In 2022, the offensive player moved to Hamburger SV. But a lack of playing time sapped his self-confidence. “There were two or three months in Hamburg when my self-confidence was pretty low,” admitted the now 24-year-old. A new start followed in 2023 with the move to SC Paderborn.
Here in East Westphalia, Bilbija found his way back to what excited him as a child: the pure joy of playing. With five goals and four assists, he is currently his team’s top scorer. Bilbija: “Paderborn is the first team in professional football where I am and still feel like a teenager. This makes me enjoy football more again.“
SV Darmstadt 98 informed all season ticket holders about the season ticket procedure for the 2026/27 season on Wednesday (May 6th) and would also like to share this letter on the club's own website.
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.