„A thoroughly deserved defeat“
We have gathered reactions following the heavy away defeat against KSC.
19.10.2026 / English
U21 suffers late defeat in Hanau
On Sunday (Oct 18th), SV 98’s reserve side suffered a 1-0 (0–0) defeat away to SC 1960 Hanau. Despite creating good scoring opportunities of their own, it long appeared that the match would end in a goalless draw, until the hosts netted the decisive goal in stoppage time. Furthermore, the Young Lilies finished the match with fewer players on the pitch following two second-yellow (red) cards.
Pressure phase before the break
In a hard-fought match characterised by numerous duels and little fluidity, the Lilies created some good opportunities but were unable to convert them into goals. Manolo Merx, in particular—who, like Grayson Dettoni, was making his first appearance for the U21 side this season—had a chance to put his team in the lead. The match remained tight after the break as well. In the 75th minute, captain Markus Ballmert was sent off following a second yellow card. Despite being a man down, the Darmstadt side continued to carve out chances.
Late setback
In the 90th minute, Manolo Merx had a golden opportunity to secure a victory for SV 98. However, in a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, the forward lost his balance, sending the ball just wide of the right post. Immediately following this, the match was decided at the other end: a shot from about 16 metres out took an unfortunate deflection, leaving Benedikt Börner with no chance to make the save. Hanau took the lead in the fourth minute of stoppage time. In the fifth minute of added time, Marcello Maier was also shown a second yellow card—resulting in a red—leaving the Young Lilies to finish the match with only nine men and suffer an avoidable defeat.
„I saw a Darmstadt side that fought selflessly for 94 minutes and was desperate to come away with something to show for it. In terms of our actual play, however, this was one of our weaker performances this season. We will use the coming week to analyse the match and aim for a better performance against Marburg to get back to picking up points,“ concluded U21 coach Patrick Kurt.
League Table Situation and Outlook
Following this defeat, the U21 side remains in seventh place in the Lotto Hessenliga with 21 points. After securing two consecutive victories, the Young Lilies have now suffered another setback. Next Saturday (October 24th), the team will host VfB 1905 Marburg.
Line-Up: Börner – Meier, Dos Santos Pereira (Maier, 46′), Held (Hofer, 61′), Ballmert, Rauch, Stark, Herbst (Hartelt, 83′), Merx, Dettoni, Pfister (Carolei, 68′)
Heavy defeat against KSC
SV Darmstadt 98 suffered a clear 4-0 (2-0) defeat in Karlsruhe. As a result, the Lilies are still waiting for their first away point of the season.
Team News: Two Changes to the Team
The 8th matchday takes the Lilies to Karlsruhe. Florian Kohfeldt has made two changes to his starting eleven compared to the home win against Cottbus: Lance Duijvestijn and Hiroki Akiyama come in for Noah Weißhaupt and Nicolas Verkooijen. Weißhaupt (on the bench) and Verkooijen (absent from the squad) both missed parts of the week's training due to illness. Additionally, Yosuke Furukawa is sidelined with calf problems.
Matchday Guide: All Information for the Karlsruhe Game
On Sunday afternoon (Oct 18th, 1:30pm), SV 98 will visit Karlsruher SC for the 8th matchday of the season. What do the two head coaches have to say ahead of kickoff? Who will be officiating the match, and where can you follow the action live? As always, we’ve put together all the essential information for the game against KSC in our "Matchday Guide" feature.
„We want to continue this path in Karlsruhe“
On Sunday, the Lilies face a challenge in Baden: for the 8th matchday, SV Darmstadt 98 travel to take on Karlsruher SC. At the pre-match press conference, our head coach discussed the squad situation, the qualities of the opposition, and the team's motivation to get back to winning ways on the road.
Opposition Check: Karlsruher SC
On Sunday (October 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. KSC has a history that extends well beyond the confines of German football: the club from Baden once caused a stir on the European stage, writing a chapter that is still remembered today. But how did KSC manage to step into the international spotlight, and what made this success so special?
Fan Information for the Karlsruhe Game
The next away match is coming up: this Sunday (October 18th, 1:30pm), the Lilien will visit Karlsruher SC for the 8th matchday of the 2. Bundesliga. As always, you can find all the essential information regarding travel and your visit to the stadium in the fan guidelines.
The largest team photo in the history of the Lilien enters its second round
SV Darmstadt 98 invites all its members to come to the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on November 1st, 2026, starting at 11:30am. Together, we aim to once again create the largest team photo in our club’s history—with the professional players in the front and the entire Lilies family behind them.
Facts & Figures: The Top Facts before the Karlsruhe Game
On Sunday (Oct 18th), SV Darmstadt 98 will visit Karlsruher SC. The side from Baden differs from the Lilies in several key respects. Furthermore, the match will see SV 98 cross paths with a former player once again. Find out here about other connections between the two clubs, as well as some particularly interesting statistics ahead of the encounter.
Stolperstein tour commemorates Jewish club members
On Tuesday evening (October 13th), the SilberLilien took part in SV Darmstadt 98’s Stolperstein tour for the first time. Along the approximately six-kilometre route, the participants made several stops to learn more about the fates of Jewish club members who were persecuted and driven out during the Holocaust.
New breadth for the future and commemorating the past
From new grassroots sports offerings and a look back at the club's history to birthdays and the latest updates from the media briefing—there is plenty to report from SV Darmstadt 98 again this week. In "Lilien Across the Board," we round up the news, insights, and stories from life at the club.
