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.“
A bitter end in Karlsruhe: After 90 entertaining minutes in which both teams sought salvation in attack, Darmstadt suffered a narrow defeat. The final score was 2-1 after a late goal from the home side, following Isac Lidberg's earlier equaliser. After the match, the players were particularly frustrated with the missed opportunities in the first half.
The away form continues to be poor: SV 98 suffered a 2-1 (0-0) defeat against Karlsruher SC. Lidberg scored the equaliser for the team from southern Hesse in the 70th minute.
Darmstadt 98 visit Karlsruher SC on matchday 32 (May 3rd, 1:30 PM). Florian Kohfeldt has made five changes to his starting lineup. Killian Corredor replaces the injured Fraser Hornby, Aleksandar Vukotic comes in for the suspended Patric Pfeiffer, and Fabian Holland starts in place of Matej Maglica, who is sidelined with an ankle injury. Merveille Papela and Niklas Schmidt also join the team, replacing Sergio Lopez and Yosuke Furukawa. In addition to Hornby, Pfeiffer, and Maglica, Darmstadt will also be without the injured Matthias Bader, Fabian Nürnberger, and Luca Marseiler.
Finally, the weekend is here, finally Sunday! On Sunday afternoon (May 3rd, 1:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will face Karlsruher SC away. What do the two coaches have to say about the match, who will be refereeing, and where can you watch it if you're not at the stadium? All the important information about the Lilies' 32nd matchday is compiled for you here in "Matchday Guide".
Continuity in sporting management: SV Darmstadt 98 has extended Paul Fernie's contract early and for the long term. As part of the contract extension, the current sporting director will move into the club's management board and will now serve as managing director of sport.
Our head coach spoke at the press conference before the away game against Karlsruher SC (May 3rd/1:30pm) about the mental freshness of his team, the course of action for the remaining games and his coaching colleague, whose commitment to KSC will end after six years this season.
Left hook, 'One hundred and eightyyyyyyy', and hand over the baton. Doesn't sound like football – and that's true. KSC is often associated with professional football, but with the sheer number of titles the club has won, it's worth looking beyond the pitch. Titles from Baden-Württemberg to Rome.
In a rescheduled Lotto Hessenliga match, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team hosted SV Hummetroth at their youth academy on Wednesday evening (April 29th) but unfortunately came away empty-handed. Despite a spirited performance and playing with one man less, the score after 90 minutes was 3-1 in favour of Hummetroth.
Lilies at the Wildpark! SV Darmstadt 98 will be playing away against Karlsruher SC this coming Sunday (May 3rd/1:30pm) for the 32nd matchday of the 2. Bundesliga. Will Darmstadt's positive record from recent encounters continue? Will Florian Kohfeldt and Isac Lidberg extend their scoring streak against KSC? And will Fabian Schleusener finally stop scoring against SV 98? We've compiled all the facts and figures for you.
SV Darmstadt 98 will be playing away against Karlsruher SC on Sunday (May 3rd/1:30pm) at the Wildpark Stadium for the 32nd matchday. To ensure you are well prepared for your trip to KSC, here is a summary of all the important information for your visit to the stadium.
To ensure a smooth and convenient journey to Karlsruhe this weekend, SV 98 is offering a special train service that will transport Lilies fans directly from Darmstadt to Karlsruhe and back. Additionally, SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team will host SV Hummetroth at their home academy this Wednesday evening (April 29th). For more news and updates, check out our usual "Lilien Across the Board" – all the latest news about the club, gathered here for you.
