The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team failed to secure any points away at SV Weidenhausen on Saturday (March 28th/3pm). Despite leading at halftime and putting in a strong effort, they ultimately suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat.
One pre-match goal was definitely achieved: to carry the energy from the second half of the previous match against Waldgirmes into the second half. „As far as energy is concerned, it was a fantastic first half,“ coach Sebastian Schmitt told sv98.de. Despite several absences from the squad, the players remained focused, embraced the challenge on a weather-beaten pitch, and „really gave it their all,“ Schmitt added. And it paid off: In the 38th minute, Smail Kadrijaj converted a penalty for the young Lilies. With a 1-0 lead, SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team went into the break with a well-deserved advantage.
However, the game subsequently took a different turn. The intensity of the first 45 minutes, which Sebastian Schmitt’s team bolstered by several U18 and U19 players had shown, couldn’t be maintained throughout the entire match. As a result, „the momentum shifted in Weidenhausen’s favour as the game progressed,“ said Schmitt. Weidenhausen created numerous chances from set pieces, one of which they converted into a goal in the 54th minute. After a set piece, the ball wasn’t initially cleared decisively, and then the opponent’s second wave of attack led to the equaliser. A quick free kick then gave the home side the winning goal, making it 2-1 in the 77th minute.
In contrast to the first half, the young Lilies lost many challenges after the break, which Schmitt identified as the main reason for their defeat. „The one-on-one duels were the key moments in the loss.“ Shortly before the final whistle, the young Lilies had another opportunity to reward themselves with a point by scoring, but missed the target. Thus, what Schmitt described as „probably their best performance in the last three weeks“ ultimately yielded no points.
Next Thursday (April 2nd/7pm), SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team, currently fourteenth in the table, will host SV Hummetroth, who are in thirteenth place. „We’re looking forward to a home game,“ said Schmitt, who added: „We want to give it our all again.“
Line-Up: Börner -, Karakayar, Jaadar (Mignano, 61′), Kadrijaj, Klappich, Meier (Schnerring, 80′), Herbst (Kunstmann, 61′), Görtler (Smailji, 85′), Merx, Arnold, Pfister.
The pairings for the first round of the DFB Cup have been drawn: SV Darmstadt 98 will face FC Carl Zeiss Jena away from home. The draw took place on Saturday evening (June 6th) at the German Football Museum in Dortmund. Under the supervision of DFB Vice President Peter Frymuth, Referee of the Year 2026, Deniz Aytekin, who acted as the draw's host live on ARD, drew the match between Darmstadt and Jena.
From the warm opening ceremony to the awards ceremony: The German Football ID Championship in Darmstadt offered exciting games, many wonderful encounters and a well-deserved German champion in the Hesse selection, which also included players from the SV 98 ID team.
The first dates for SV 98's preparations for the 2026/27 second division season have been set: On June 25th, the professional team will return to the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor to undergo various medical tests and performance diagnostics. The first team training session will take place on June 27th in the Odenwald region.
Who will SV Darmstadt 98 face in the first round of the DFB Cup? This question will be answered this coming Saturday (June 6th). The draw for the first round will be broadcast live on ARD's Sportschau. We'll be taking a look and providing you with all the information. We'll also be celebrating with the fan team's survival in the Kreisklasse B (eighth tier) and taking a look across the border to Texas in the USA. All this and more for you in "Lilies Across the Board" on Wednesday.
Fraser Hornby's time at Darmstadt 98 comes to an end after three years. The Scottish attacking midfielder is moving to VfL Wolfsburg. Both clubs have agreed to keep the transfer fee confidential.
An eight-goal thriller to close out the season. The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team took to the pitch one last time this season on Saturday (May 30th) – away against FC Eddersheim. The young Lilies secured a 5-3 victory in Eddersheim, finishing the 2025/26 Hessenliga season in eleventh place. Even more remarkable, however, was the U21's run at the end of the season: the Blue and Whites won their last five matches, scoring an impressive 22 goals in the process.
Barcelona, Spain. A global city right on the Mediterranean. Over 1.7 million people live here. And one of them is Clemens Riedel. The 22-year-old former Darmstadt player moved from SV 98 to Espanyol Barcelona last summer – from youth academy to professional in the Spanish first division. We spoke with Riedel about his first year in Barcelona, the past season, and his still close ties to Darmstadt.
SV 98 can continue to rely on the services of Fabian Nürnberger. The Lilies have extended the expiring contract with the Bulgarian international.
Grayson Dettoni will continue to wear the SV 98 jersey. The Lilies have exercised their option to buy the defender, who was previously on loan from FC Bayern Munich.
The German Football Championship for People with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) kicks off on Sunday – and it's taking place in Darmstadt's Bürgerpark! Last week, the Darmstadt 98ers' home ground offered a different kind of sporting event: a karate demonstration. We also take a look at the opponents for the new season and celebrate two birthdays this week. You'll find all this and much more about Darmstadt 98 in our usual "Lilies Across the Board".
„I’m proud of you,“ were the words of U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt to the team after they secured their place in the Hessenliga. On Saturday (May 23rd), SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team had the chance to stay in the league against Turabdin Babylon Pohlheim – and they seized it impressively! The young Lilies delivered a convincing 5-1 goal fest, but at the same time still needed help from other teams to guarantee their survival. However, because their direct rivals, CSC 03 Kassel, narrowly lost in Stadtallendorf, the U21 team was finally able to celebrate.
For the fourth time, the Haftpflichtkasse insurance company and SV Darmstadt 98 have jointly awarded four clubs with the Volunteer Award. The award ceremony, including the presentation of the checks, took place last Sunday (May 17th) before the home game against SC Paderborn at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The Volunteer Award, established in 2023 by the Haftpflichtkasse and SV Darmstadt 98, aims to strengthen volunteer engagement and promote outstanding projects.