The feeling of victory

The 2–1 goal: Lance Duijvestijn’s strike may not have been the day’s most beautiful, but it was certainly the most important. Less than two minutes after the hosts had scored a spectacular equaliser, the Lilien provided the perfect response. „It was important that we regained the lead after the equaliser,“ reflected Milan Smit, who had set up his compatriot in the 41st minute. Duijvestijn powered past his marker and scored from a tight angle to make it 2–1 to the South Hessian side.

In doing so, the Dutchman instantly dampened the euphoria that had erupted at the Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld following the equaliser. Although the match remained tense right up to the final whistle, that decisive goal—scored just before halftime—massively reduced the likelihood of a cup upset.

The feeling of victory: SV 98 had gone eleven competitive matches without a win, spanning across seasons—a statistic frequently discussed within the Lilies circle in recent days. „I’m glad that issue is behind us,“ Florian Kohfeldt said, adding: „It was the third competitive match for a newly assembled squad following a complete overhaul. It’s good to be able to build on wins.“

Especially since the victory in Jena secured a spot in the second round of the cup—another very positive takeaway. „That’s what mattered today,“ said Marcel Schuhen; while he understandably could have done without the tension that lasted until the final whistle, the manner of their progression ultimately didn’t matter to him. Upsets and tight matches against lower-league teams are part and parcel of the first round of the cup, and this year saw a few favourites stumble as well. All the more reason to celebrate the fact that the Lilien have now advanced from the first round for the third consecutive year.

Ultimately a commanding performance: There is no question that the Lilien’s opening ten minutes were far from good. The goal they conceded—however spectacular it was—could also have been prevented in the build-up. Yet, beyond that, the South Hessian side put in a solid defensive display in Jena, allowing the hosts only one dangerous shot after the break. Even during the typically tense closing stages of such a cup battle, Kohfeldt’s team defended with focus and „saw the narrow lead home in a controlled manner,“ as kicker summarised it.

Attacking plays in the first half: What might sound negative at first—and will be addressed again in the „What didn’t go well“ section—actually has a positive side: the Lilien really should have put the game to bed before the break. Manolo Merx missed a chance one-on-one with the keeper (14′), Lance Duijvestijn saw a shot blocked (28′) and was later denied by the impressive Liesegang, while Butzen cleared a Vukotic header off the line (36′). „We created several scoring chances through counter-movements—something we’ve worked on for a long time,“ Kohfeldt summarised. Although the head coach was frustrated by the missed opportunities, he also noted the progress his team showed in their attacking play before the halftime whistle. Yet, as Kohfeldt made clear: „We still have plenty of work to do.“

The first 10 minutes: „We didn’t settle into the game well; we lost possession too often and failed to win second balls,“ Milan Smit frankly admitted after the final whistle. Errors in their own build-up play had invited the hosts into the game during the opening phase. „We lost possession four times leading up to Jena’s first four attempts on goal. That shouldn’t happen to us,“ said Kohfeldt, whose captain also criticised the „simple misplaced passes“ in the opening minutes. Smit’s goal sparked a turnaround after those initial struggles; following it, the Lilien enjoyed „more control and possession“—a fact recognised by more than just the goalscorer himself.

Efficiency: „We could have swung the game in our favour early on,“ reflected Florian Kohfeldt, noting the numerous chances (see „What went well“) his team squandered during the first half. It was a conclusion Milan Smit fully endorsed: „We should have scored more goals in the first half and effectively decided the match then and there.“

„We missed that opportunity, so the game remained undecided right to the end,“ Schuhen rightly summarised, particularly since his team failed to create any further major chances after the break. This observation leads us to the final point in this category: the attacking play in the second half. Florian Kohfeldt: „The second half wasn’t good because we chose the wrong approach. We sat deep and played long balls.“ This resulted in a rather sluggish second period; while the Lilien remained defensively solid, their attacking play lacked the fluidity and patterns that had created their chances before the break. We therefore conclude with the head coach’s overall assessment, summarising the 90 minutes in Jena as follows: „I am satisfied with parts of this game and glad that we’ve reached the second round.“