After the break, an open, back-and-forth affair ensued. Now it was the hosts who fought their way back into the game. Following a corner, Walldorf equalised through Redl to make it 2-2 (57′). Goals followed in quick succession: A free kick from Doganay initially put RW in the lead (63′), but the young Lilies once again demonstrated their resilience: After a swift counter-attack, substitute Milian Herbst slotted the ball home to level the score at 3-3 (65′).
In the closing stages, coach Daniel Petrowsky’s team withstood the increasingly dominant Walldorf attack. It seemed as though Darmstadt would be rewarded with a point for their spirited performance. However, shortly before the end of regulation time, Enders scored the winning goal for Walldorf from close range, making it 4-3 (89′).
Petrowsky was understandably disappointed after the game: „It’s really bitter to concede the 4-3 goal in the 89th minute and then go home with nothing.“
Despite the defeat, the U21 team put up a good fight in the South Hesse derby and are now focusing on their next away game. In their next match, the 12th-placed SVD will face league leaders Eintracht Frankfurt. Kick-off is at 2pm on the grass pitch at Am Bürgeracker 24, 63303 Dreieich.
