21.04.2024 / English
“Wear the lily on your chest with pride!”
Arm in arm, very close to each other. The left arm wrapped around the left, the right arm wrapped around the right next man. The heads are close together. The eleven lilies are in the team circle and they will play together in the Bundesliga game against 1. FC Köln from 3:30pm. Tobias Kempe speaks in the circle and looks deeply into his teammates' eyes. “Wear the lily on your chest with pride!” he says.
When Tobias Kempe reported this scene after the final whistle, there was a great deal of relief in his voice. SV Darmstadt 98 won. Finally. After 22 games without a win, the Lilies picked up three points again against 1. FC Köln. A long time without such a sense of success. The 2-0? “It feels brutally good,” said Kempe. “A great feeling,” said Christoph Klarer elsewhere in the mixed zone. “We’re just happy,” Torsten Lieberknecht revealed at the press conference, where this time he didn’t have to congratulate the opposing club on their victory first.
Images that the entire sports club and its supporters had longed for for so long were also taken on the square in front of the curve. “I am very pleased that we have once again given the city of Darmstadt and our fans a Bundesliga victory,” said the head coach. The impressions of the full, blue and white guest block were still in the minds of not only Lieberknecht, but also all Darmstadt protagonists who stepped in front of the microphones after the 2-0 win. “Winning in this stadium in front of so many Darmstadt fans who have traveled with us is good for us and the whole club,” said Klarer happily and added enthusiastically: “It’s really cool when you’re standing in front of the curve and the entire guest block is full to the brim with blue and white fans.” It was not a given that 3,500 lilies made their way to Köln. After all, the SV 98 fans have already had to go through so much disappointment this season. But this impressive block of guests once again showed the solidarity that exists in this club.
We will do everything we can to represent the club in the league with decency and honour.
And that despite the sporting situation. SV Darmstadt 98 is still bottom of the table even after beating 1. FC Köln 2-0. With a nine point gap to Mainz, who are in the relegation zone and who can still catch up on Sunday evening (April 21st/7:30 pm) away to SC Freiburg and have a significantly better goal difference, the Darmstadt team needs a really big football miracle. “We will do everything we can to represent the club with decency and honour in the league,” promised Klarer, but at the same time he had to admit: “We still know that we have dropped too many points in the past – especially in the season direct duels. That’s why we are where we are.”
Game on a knife edge
A direct duel was also the one against 1. FC Köln, who were also threatened with relegation. A game on the knife edge. SV 98 had not been able to win games like this so often in the last few weeks and months. But it wasn’t like that in the Rhineland. The Lilies finally showed themselves to be extremely efficient, scoring two goals despite fewer attempts on goal compared to their opponents. There was zero at the back. But more than that. The Darmstadt team showed “simply a good game,” as Kempe attested to his team. “We deserved to win 2-0,” said the number eleven from South Hesse.
“Wear the lily on your chest with pride!”
It was the sentence that Tobias Kempe chose in the team circle before kick-off. A good two hours later, after the final whistle, he stood in the mixed zone of Köln’s RheinEnergie Stadium and remembered his words. Wear the lily on your chest with pride. Kempe: “That’s exactly what everyone did today.”
Facts & Stats: The top facts about the Dresden game
Darmstadt 98 aim to extend their unbeaten run to 14 games in Friday evening's match against Dynamo Dresden. While Darmstadt's potent attack has resulted in a respectable goal tally, they are wary at the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. The Saxons have been on an upward trend since the winter break and will have a vociferous home crowd behind them. We've compiled all the facts and figures surrounding this clash in this report. Here you'll find the key facts for tomorrow's match.
Fan Information for the Dresden Game
Darmstadt and Dresden are 598 kilometres apart. On Friday evening (February 27th, 6:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98 will travel to the Saxon capital for the 24th matchday of the 2nd Bundesliga. The next away game will take place under the floodlights at the historic Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion. You can find all relevant fan information here.
„Pure football romance“
Before SV Darmstadt 98 plays under floodlights in Dresden on Friday evening (27.02/18.30), Florian Kohfeldt spoke at the press conference about the strengths of Dynamo Dresden and the special atmosphere in the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion.
“Now I’m happy in Darmstadt!” | Lilies launch their 5th tree planting campaign
Raoul Petretta joined SV Darmstadt 98 in the winter and already feels very much at home. He talks about his arrival and his goals. Besides their sporting focus, the Lilies are also committed to sustainability: On March 15, 2026, over 3,500 trees will be planted as part of the fifth "In the Sign of the Lily" tree-planting campaign. In our "Lilies Across the Board" section, we provide you with the most important news from SV Darmstadt 98 every week.
Opposition Check: SG Dynamo Dresden
Numerous Dynamo Dresden fans flock to the stadium on home match days. But one day, they came for a single reason: What should their stadium be called in the future? Tens of thousands of supporters gathered in front of the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion, ready to cast their votes. In cooperation with regional partners, Dynamo Dresden's management took the unusual step of letting the club's supporters decide for themselves.
5th Tree Planting Campaign: Register now!
WirLilien – Together for nature conservation! Together with our partner Krombacher, we will once again plant more than 3,500 trees on Sunday (March 15th) – under the banner of the Lily. You can still register for the event at short notice.
U21: With renewed energy into the rest of the season
On Friday (February 27th, 7:30pm), SV Darmstadt 98's U21 team begins the second phase of their Hessenliga season. With 23 points after 20 matchdays, the Lilies are currently in 14th place. Following intensive weeks of winter training, the team aims to start the upcoming challenges with renewed energy and secure crucial points.
Analysis of the home victory: The resistance fighters from Bölle
A fast-paced, thrilling exchange between SV Darmstadt 98 and Fortuna Düsseldorf reached its ecstatic climax in the 88th minute. Thanks to Matej Maglica's header, Darmstadt secured a 2-1 victory in a wild battle that resembled a 12-round boxing match, with both sides neglecting their defences and constantly searching for the next hook or punch. A day later, sv98.de looks back on what was probably the most exciting home game of the season so far for the South Hessian side.
Krombacher Böllenfalltor GOAL bonus
For every home goal scored by the Lilies, SV Darmstadt 98 fans will be doubly rewarded in the 2025/26 season. In addition to the joy and excitement, the Lilies' supporters will also receive 98 litres of Krombacher Pils for every home goal scored by Darmstadt at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor.
„We held onto the belief in victory until the very end.“
In an intense 90 minutes between SV Darmstadt 98 and Fortuna Düsseldorf, the Lilies fought back to secure three points shortly before the final whistle. The early lead taken by the team from southern Hesse was quickly erased by the Rhinelanders. The match became increasingly wild and physical. The second half remained evenly contested, but in the end, SV 98 once again demonstrated their fighting spirit: Matej Maglica's late header sealed the three points. What do the players and the two head coaches have to say about this thrilling encounter? We've compiled all the post-match reactions.
Home win! Impressive winning streak continues at Bölle
SV Darmstadt 98 remain a force to be reckoned with at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor! The Lilies defeated Fortuna Düsseldorf 2-1 (1-1) on matchday 23. It's their sixth consecutive home win, bringing their total to 45 points. Hornby opened the scoring for the home side after just seven minutes, before Maglica (88th minute) netted the decisive goal in the second half.
Team News: Hornby and Lidberg Start
Darmstadt host Fortuna Düsseldorf! Florian Kohfeldt has made four changes to his starting lineup. Fraser Hornby (returning from illness) and Isac Lidberg (recovering from a thigh injury) return to the starting eleven, replacing Luca Marseiler and Merveille Papela. Niklas Schmidt starts in place of Hiroki Akiyama, and Fabian Holland replaces Fabian Nürnberger, who is unavailable due to a minor thigh injury.