What a turbulent match, what jubilation in stoppage time! Despite trailing 2-1 at halftime, SV Darmstadt 98 fought their way back into the game and celebrated an away victory against Hannover 96 thanks to Hiroki Akiyama's last-minute goal (90+4). The joy over the result and the performance, especially in the second half, was correspondingly immense. We've gathered all the reactions to this spectacular away win for SV 98.
I’m very satisfied here for several reasons. For me, overall it’s a draw. That’s why I’m very pleased that we were able to score shortly before the end. But I’m also satisfied with the performance. We spent a long time considering how to play against Hannover. Last season, we also played against a Christian Titz team, Magdeburg. We decided then that we couldn’t press them. Today, we wanted to play from our own strength. We showed that in the first 15 minutes. We created scoring opportunities and then scored the goal.
Then we conceded a goal from a set piece, which was very unlucky. Hannover then got stronger and, to be honest, they had chances to extend their lead even further after going 2-1 up. But we rallied again just before halftime, and Akiyama had a great chance with his shot that hit the crossbar. We came out strong in the second half and played very well. We had more possession, which isn’t easy against a team like Hannover. The last 15 minutes turned into an open, end-to-end affair. That’s why we go to the stadium, to see a game like this. Today, we were fortunate to come out on top. In the end, we also had chances with Akiyama, even before his goal, and with Papela’s shot that hit the inside of the post and Hornby’s shot that struck the crossbar. I’m happy with the three points and very satisfied with the performance. I have enormous respect for Hannover and the way they play football. Hannover is a top team, and we put in a top performance today.
After going down 1-0, we went through a period where we had a lot of clear-cut chances and should have wrapped up the game by halftime. We can’t afford to regularly concede two or three goals in a home game. Then the overall scoreline becomes too high. I also think it was a good game and Darmstadt put in a good performance. But we set up our defence very specifically because we wanted to cover the space behind us. Then we conceded the first goal when a Darmstadt player ran clear on our goal. We immediately conceded the equaliser in a situation where we left space open, even though we had a numerical advantage. The third goal was the same. We then lost the game because we didn’t defend consistently. So I have to be clear: there are two sides to every story. Firstly, the number of chances, but also how we defended.
„The victory against such a superior opponent feels incredible. We are overjoyed. It was a crazy game – especially for the neutral observer. It was end-to-end. We had to endure a lot against Hannover; they did a great job with their constant positional changes. In the end, we scored the goal on a counter-attack, which has been a strong feature for us in recent games. In the first half, however, we were still too hesitant in the challenges and didn’t go into the duels with the absolute conviction. Then, of course, Hannover played very well in tight spaces. But we always believed in ourselves. The morale was unbelievable; we never gave up. We secured a very important victory against one of the top teams in the league.“
“It was an absolutely top-class match from both teams – especially in terms of the solutions they found with and without the ball. It was complex; two absolute coaching experts were playing against each other today. That was fun to watch. I was very pleased with the courage we showed away from home. And I’m very happy that we were able to translate that into a good result. Hannover had an extremely intense period of pressure towards the end of the first half, investing a lot of energy. That took its toll. After halftime, there was a break in the game. We were then back in control. Our performance against a really good team that demanded everything from us was excellent. When you put in as much energy as we did, the probability of winning is higher. And then, of course, you can snatch victory with a lucky punch just before the final whistle.”
„A victory couldn’t feel much better. In the final stages, it was an open game that could have gone either way. We are very happy about the lucky punch.“
Darmstadt 98 lost to Hannover 96 while playing with ten men and must continue to wait for their first win of this second division season. Read our analysis to find out what positives remain and why Darmstadt 98 had factored in setbacks on their chosen path.
Around the time of the home game against Hannover 96 on Sunday (August 30th), the Jonathan Heimes Square was officially inaugurated. Before kickoff, club president Markus Pfitzner and Martin Heimes, father of Jonathan Heimes, who died of cancer about ten years ago, gave speeches highlighting "Johnny's" importance and his commitment to people with cancer.
The Lilien Team Marathon is not just about athletic performance and the shared experience around the Böllenfalltor stadium – but also about making a difference together.
The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team drew 2-2 (0-1) against SV Unter-Flockenbach. After a heated home game, the young Lilies had to settle for a frustrating, but ultimately deserved, draw. In this extremely balanced league, Patrick Kurt's team continues to grow week by week, gaining valuable experience.
An emotional match with many controversial moments unfolded on Sunday afternoon at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Ultimately, Darmstadt suffered their first home defeat of the young season. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you.
Tried everything, but to no avail: SV 98 came up short in their home game against Hannover 96. The final score was 1-0 (0-0) to the visitors, whilst the Lilies had to play with ten men after Vukotic was sent off in the 20th minute.
Home game against Hannover! On matchday 3, Darmstadt 98 will host the ambitious Lower Saxons at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the victory in Jena. Hiroki Akiyama replaces the suspended Kai Klefisch, while Nicolas Verkooijen (making his first start) and Yosuke Furukawa start in place of Carlo Sickinger and Manolo Merx.
Weekend, Lilies fever! On Sunday (August 30th/1:30pm), the Lilies have their third matchday on the schedule. Hannover 96, the club from the Lower Saxon capital, will be visiting the Bölle. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will be refereeing the match? And where can you watch the game? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the match against Hannover in our "Matchday Guide"
One day before their home game against Hannover 96, Darmstadt 98 have announced another new signing. William Mikelbrencis will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 22-year-old Frenchman was under contract with Hamburger SV until June 30th.
In the press conference before the second home game of the still young season, our head coach spoke about, among other things, our team's attacking play and the past week. As usual, you can find the most important statements before the match against Hannover 96 (August 30th/1:30pm) here for you.
A second-division team on the Berlin Mount Olympus: Hannover 96 achieved something unique in 1992. On May 23, the Lower Saxony club defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach in the DFB Cup final, securing another major title in the club's history 38 years after their German championship win in 1954. Hannover became the first and, to this day, only "true" second-division team to win the DFB Cup, causing one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.
