After Darmstadt took an early lead through Matej Maglica, Arminia Bielefeld grew into the game and created several chances. Shortly after the break, the East Westphalians equalised and later scored the winning goal for a 2-1 victory. What did the players and the two head coaches have to say about Saturday's match? Read their reactions here.
„Congratulations to Arminia Bielefeld on their well-deserved home victory. Arminia brought incredible intensity to the pitch right from the start. We struggled to find solutions in response. The 1-0 halftime lead didn’t reflect the first half at all. Bielefeld were clearly the better team and had numerous chances. They equalised immediately after the break – and deservedly so. Then there was a period of ten to fifteen minutes where the game was a bit more balanced. Overall, however, it was a well-deserved home win for Arminia over the 90 minutes. We failed to implement the game-changing elements – winning second balls, playing clean passing, and maintaining our structure. Nevertheless, this team has earned an incredible amount of trust over the course of the season. We put in a superb physical performance today, considering our circumstances. You can’t deny that we didn’t want to win. But the little things just didn’t work. Today’s game is a blueprint for what we can expect in the last six matches.“
„Darmstadt makes it difficult for their opponents in almost every game. If you press them well, they play over the bar and have a good plan for second balls. We wanted to press high, win challenges, and be well-positioned for second balls. We did that very well from the start. After conceding a goal, a game can still turn around, but we brought a lot of energy to the pitch today. The game was perfect for us. The lads work hard every day, and that’s why they rewarded themselves. It was probably our best performance of the season today.“
„From the start, we didn’t show how we can play as a team. The lead at halftime was fortunate for us. We then discussed what we wanted to improve. But it wasn’t a good performance from us today. Credit to Bielefeld, they made it very difficult for us. We knew they were a team that plays with a lot of intensity. It’s very disappointing because we didn’t show what we’ve built up this season. Whenever you play away, you feel the support of the opposing fans, but that can’t be an excuse. Everyone needs to go home and look in the mirror. But we’re a really good group in the dressing room, and we definitely want to come back next week and show why we’re in this part of the table.“
„We talked about how it would be a difficult away game. We knew Arminia would put us under a lot of pressure and close down everyone with the ball. We had a tough time getting into the game after our goal. It was a difficult away game overall. We lost possession a lot, and then it’s hard to survive. Bielefeld then scored the equaliser after the break and then their second goal. In this league, there’s no team you can just easily beat. The table shows that. There’s no game you can just walk into and win. You have to give it your all in every game. And we’ll do that again next week.“
The first dates for SV 98's preparations for the 2026/27 second division season have been set: On June 25th, the professional team will return to the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor to undergo various medical tests and performance diagnostics. The first team training session will take place on June 27th in the Odenwald region.
Who will SV Darmstadt 98 face in the first round of the DFB Cup? This question will be answered this coming Saturday (June 6th). The draw for the first round will be broadcast live on ARD's Sportschau. We'll be taking a look and providing you with all the information. We'll also be celebrating with the fan team's survival in the Kreisklasse B (eighth tier) and taking a look across the border to Texas in the USA. All this and more for you in "Lilies Across the Board" on Wednesday.
Fraser Hornby's time at Darmstadt 98 comes to an end after three years. The Scottish attacking midfielder is moving to VfL Wolfsburg. Both clubs have agreed to keep the transfer fee confidential.
An eight-goal thriller to close out the season. The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team took to the pitch one last time this season on Saturday (May 30th) – away against FC Eddersheim. The young Lilies secured a 5-3 victory in Eddersheim, finishing the 2025/26 Hessenliga season in eleventh place. Even more remarkable, however, was the U21's run at the end of the season: the Blue and Whites won their last five matches, scoring an impressive 22 goals in the process.
Barcelona, Spain. A global city right on the Mediterranean. Over 1.7 million people live here. And one of them is Clemens Riedel. The 22-year-old former Darmstadt player moved from SV 98 to Espanyol Barcelona last summer – from youth academy to professional in the Spanish first division. We spoke with Riedel about his first year in Barcelona, the past season, and his still close ties to Darmstadt.
SV 98 can continue to rely on the services of Fabian Nürnberger. The Lilies have extended the expiring contract with the Bulgarian international.
Grayson Dettoni will continue to wear the SV 98 jersey. The Lilies have exercised their option to buy the defender, who was previously on loan from FC Bayern Munich.
The German Football Championship for People with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) kicks off on Sunday – and it's taking place in Darmstadt's Bürgerpark! Last week, the Darmstadt 98ers' home ground offered a different kind of sporting event: a karate demonstration. We also take a look at the opponents for the new season and celebrate two birthdays this week. You'll find all this and much more about Darmstadt 98 in our usual "Lilies Across the Board".
„I’m proud of you,“ were the words of U21 coach Sebastian Schmitt to the team after they secured their place in the Hessenliga. On Saturday (May 23rd), SV Darmstadt 98’s U21 team had the chance to stay in the league against Turabdin Babylon Pohlheim – and they seized it impressively! The young Lilies delivered a convincing 5-1 goal fest, but at the same time still needed help from other teams to guarantee their survival. However, because their direct rivals, CSC 03 Kassel, narrowly lost in Stadtallendorf, the U21 team was finally able to celebrate.
For the fourth time, the Haftpflichtkasse insurance company and SV Darmstadt 98 have jointly awarded four clubs with the Volunteer Award. The award ceremony, including the presentation of the checks, took place last Sunday (May 17th) before the home game against SC Paderborn at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. The Volunteer Award, established in 2023 by the Haftpflichtkasse and SV Darmstadt 98, aims to strengthen volunteer engagement and promote outstanding projects.
