BAt Darmstadt 98 there is this cozy feeling that professionals appreciate and fans love: to be in the middle of a streak of success. Before the game at FC Schalke on this Sunday (1.30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the 2nd Bundesliga and on Sky), to present yourself not as a small plant, but as a large, radiant lily in the most well-known second division in history. The southern Hessians are currently making their home games at Böllenfalltor public holidays in series. And play football that is not only successful and good to look at, but with which the supporters can fully identify.
Why is the team so successful all of a sudden? Victories make you self-confident. And make it easy for every professional to look good while playing in a structure that works as if it is oiled. “If it works, then it works”, says the long-time “Lilien” player Tobias Kempe in a nutshell. The Darmstadt team experienced a truly golden October, in which they scored ten out of a possible twelve second division points. Attacker Luca Pfeiffer played a decisive role in this with six goals alone. Her storm duo, for which she envies the league, is the pioneer of the upswing of the “lilies”.
With Pfeiffer (nine goals) and Philip Tietz (eight), the SVD has two shooting brothers par excellence in its ranks. Two players who were previously barely noticed in the second division and are now flourishing under Darmstadt’s wing. Nobody is talking about the loss of last year’s league top scorer Serdar Dursun. Rather, the topic is the impressive home strength of the team. 6: 1, 4: 0, 1: 0, 3: 0, 2: 0 – these were the results of the last five games at the local Böllenfall goal.
Strength and impact with standards
There haven’t been five home wins in a row (16: 1 goals) for 30 years. Ultimately, the South Hesse have built on the most successful second half of the club’s history – 2021 is so far a sporting success story. In the first few weeks under head coach Lieberknecht there is also a special atmosphere: Not only are spectators allowed to come to the Böllenfalltor again, they also create a special atmosphere.
The team currently combines a few characteristics that are traditionally guarantors for a full point account in the second division. In short: snapping strikers, stable defensive behavior at the back, good set pieces, tactical flexibility. What is striking is the devoted, hands-on defense work – “not perfect”, as Lieberknecht says, but very thorough around his own penalty area.
The strength and impact of set pieces has already resulted in eleven goals. In addition, the Darmstadt-based company can play fast-paced football as well as hard-working football or switch between the two approaches. Your mix of styles means that you can choose to act successfully or aggressively. That they can work well against the ball as a team, but also know what to do with the ball. The “Lilien” year 2021/22 represents an unpleasant and unpredictable ensemble for the opponents.
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