It was one of those moments that can literally make things explode. After an hour, Fraser Hornby moved decisively into the penalty area and confidently nailed his shot under the crossbar. 2-0, a blue and white crowd of cheers in front of the south stand, ecstasy in the stands. But less than two minutes later, the disillusionment came: after the video assistant intervened, Hornby's goal was taken back, the score was turned back to 1-0 and something happened to the SV 98 team that ultimately led to the guests from Braunschweig taking a point from the game.
"Football is not just tactics and not just individual quality. Football is also: How do I deal with special moments?"
„We said to the team beforehand: if something goes against us, like when we were denied 2-0, let’s continue to do what we discussed before. But I think they still flinched a little and then certain things no longer work. There was a moment where we were no longer able to take control,“ explained Florian Kohfeldt later when asked about the reasons for his team’s certain passivity during the second half.
It is entirely understandable that the Lilies are currently not a team that can overcome any resistance or let any circumstances throw them off course. Of the past 32 league games across the seasons, SV 98 was only able to win one game. „After the goal was taken back, you already noticed what had happened to the team in the last few months,“ analysed the new head coach and goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen, summing up: „With the lead behind us, the football plan was no longer the same after the break because we wanted to defend the result, of course. That’s also a mental issue, how you deal with something like that. In our situation, it changed something for one or the other, we wanted to play a little more safely and fell deeper.“
These insights from the game led Kohfeldt to make a general classification: „Football is not just tactics and not just individual quality. Football is also: How do I deal with special moments?“ After his debut, the 41-year-old also openly answered the question as to whether the area between the shoulders was currently a particularly important construction site for the Darmstadt team: „Of course we also have to influence the heads. This means trust in yourself and in the idea of the game are completely there and there will always be moments in which a game can tip over. It’s important that we don’t tip over as a team.“
And yet, despite the late equaliser, there were many positive things that SV 98 can take away from the home game. Detached from the moments that SV 98 is currently not meeting with the stability it had hoped for, the process that had been initiated under Kohfeldt was already clearly visible. Especially in the first half. “You could see a lot of our basic ideas,” said Kohfeldt, who emphasised “determination,” “paced actions” and a “stable basic structure.” Kohfeldt had already changed the basic formation, the Lilies acted in a chain of four and largely took control of the game in the first section.
Kohfeldt noted that “a lot of the content that we discussed and trained was already there.” The coach’s feeling when looking at the pitch was also shared by the protagonists on the pitch, as Schuhen said: “We’ve already implemented some of the coach’s plans as well. That shows that we feel this plan. If you can say something like that after seven days, that’s a good sign.“
For both the goalkeeper and the coach, it is now a matter of becoming more and more “automatic” in order to further strengthen the development that has been initiated and thus make the team more stable. “It’s a process,” summarised Schuhen, who also pointed out once again that the team had only been on the pitch together with Kohfeldt for the first time last Monday. „It’s not that easy to internalise a lot of things within a week of training. We’ve done quite well for that.“
Now a short week awaits the South Hesse team, who will be playing at FC Schalke 04 next Friday. A highlight that the Lilies and especially the head coach look forward to with positive thoughts: „We are continuing on the path and I am sure that we will have already taken another step at Schalke.“
The Lilies are still at the beginning of the process under Kohfeldt. But it seems as if this could progress quickly.
The second consecutive away game, and the last of the season, is upon us. Once again on a Sunday (May 10th, 1:30pm), Darmstadt will be playing away – this time against SC Preußen Münster. Everything you need to know for your final away trip of the season to the LVM-Preußenstadion, about three and a half hours away, can be found here in the usual fan information section.
There's a lot going on at the Bölle. The 98th Darmstadt baby of 2026, along with their family, visited the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, and they weren't the only ones. Where else the Bölle gang has ended up, and many more news items about the club, can be found here in our "Lilies Across the Board" section, as every Wednesday.
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.