Two farewell tours crossed paths on Sunday at the Böllenfalltor in Darmstadt. The one from the outgoing Freiburg coaching legend Christian Streich after many years in the Bundesliga and that of the “Lilien” after just one year in the Bundesliga.
After the 0-1 home defeat against the Breisgauer on Sunday afternoon, the SVD is twelve points behind in the relegation place and mathematically close to direct relegation. But what couldn’t spoil the mood of the Darmstadt football audience in the beautiful spring weather: Carpe diem – as long as things are still top-class on Nieder-Ramstädter-Straße, instead of mournful expressions, a little cheer was in order.
Compliments from Streich
Especially since the professionals didn’t let themselves down on the pitch after the crucial and capital 4-0 defeat in Mainz a week earlier. What SC coach Streich also emphasized: “Darmstadt has a good structure and an outstanding mentality,” he said. Given the current constellation, we have to “get it done first”.
Well, Streich is also a friendly person and is never at a loss for compliments. His counterpart in Darmstadt, Torsten Lieberknecht, is not one to overuse empty phrases and football sayings. On Sunday evening, however, he also said, looking at 22 games without a win for his team in a row: “You have shit on your hands.”
After the debacle in Mainz, the Darmstadt team started with a starting eleven that had been changed to six positions; professionals Skarke, Justvan and Manu were missing due to injury. There were a total of nine players in the starting line-up who were already part of the squad in the last second division season. That’s not even nominally enough.
“Lilies” cannot follow
The verbal admission by the Darmstadt team that their membership in the first division would soon end had the following result on the pitch: that little changed. As so often this season, they kept up well with their opponents and even got in front of the goal. But as harmless as the Darmstadt team are at the end, they are just as vulnerable at the back in crucial moments.
This happened in the 37th minute, when they were unable to follow a one-two from Gregoritsch and the strong Doan and the Japanese international scored precisely to give Freiburg the lead.
“A clean action by Freiburg, completed with conviction – and we are behind again,” said Lieberknecht. Not much would have been missing and the South Hesse team would have had the rare pleasure of their own lead this season.
But Oscar Vilhelmsson couldn’t find strike partner Aaron Seydel with his cross pass shortly before the goal (27′). When captain Fabian Holland later successfully acted as a ball thief and appeared free in front of the goal, he was thwarted by SC goalkeeper Atubolu’s strong reaction (43′). Two scenes that you have to take advantage of in the Bundesliga to have a chance of surviving.
The SVD got off to a good start in the second round. With plenty of possession and conquests, but, as so often, without really hurting the opponent. So the game rolled along quite uneventfully towards its end, which was good for Freiburg and, as usual, bad for Darmstadt. “It was good with the ball,” said the experienced Tobias Kempe: “But only up to the penalty area.”
The Breisgauers, who acted cautiously, could trust that the Darmstadt team would not score a goal. And they were right. Substitute Mathias Honsak had another good offensive move (75′), Seydel missed the ball again in the sixteen-yard box (85′) – that was it.
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And because Freiburg didn’t feel like counterattacking until deep into stoppage time, they ended up with a home defeat, their eleventh of the season. Midfielder Klaus Gjasula spoke of a “reflection of the season. Most of the games were similar to today.” With a final image in which the opposing players and fans are cheering.
