U21 Derby Defeat

Darmstadt traveled to Dreieich knowing they would be facing the strongest team in the Hessenliga. In the first half, Frankfurt pressed with tremendous intensity, varied attacks, and a multitude of set pieces. Darmstadt defended deep and had their work cut out for them, especially with Frankfurt’s powerful set pieces. The sheer number of corners repeatedly caused the Lilies problems. Both goals conceded came from dead-ball situations. In the 16th minute, Maluze headed on a corner, and Sonnenwald tapped it in from close range to give Frankfurt a 1-0 lead. Shortly before halftime, another corner led to Eintracht’s second goal, with Kirchhoff heading the ball on and Dills tapping it in at the far post (45+1). Thus, Darmstadt went into the break trailing 2-0.

After the break, Darmstadt 98 showed a different side. The team played with more courage, repeatedly creating attacking opportunities and having two great chances to make the game exciting again. Twice the Lilies found themselves one-on-one with Siljevic, but were thwarted by the Frankfurt goalkeeper or their own lack of precision. A potential penalty for a foul on Mika Schlosser was not awarded – a decision that sparked much debate. Daniel Petrowsky, coach of the Lilies‘ U21 team, summed it up later. „What striker goes down when he’s through on goal?“ he asked, adding: „We’re going through a difficult period, but the lads didn’t give up. We didn’t fall apart here.“

And that was precisely the point: Despite falling behind, despite Frankfurt’s sharp set pieces, Darmstadt showed resilience, remained solid, and never gave up. As the second half progressed, Darmstadt increasingly neutralised Frankfurt’s attacks, found better solutions in possession, and repeatedly pushed forward. Frankfurt remained dangerous, especially through Ochojski’s precise crosses, but Darmstadt’s defense now held firm. The Blue-Whites ultimately had to concede defeat to the league leaders, but they displayed remarkable character, particularly in the second half.

The winter break comes at just the right time: time to recharge, clear their heads, hit the reset button – and then come back strong in the second half of the season.