Back at Kaiserlinde – Elversberg welcome Braunschweig and look to the future
The target has been reached, the minimum goal achieved – but SV Elversberg have long since set their sights higher. Vincent Wagner’s team are heading back to Kaiserlinde with 40 points and a 2:1 win in Dresden under their belts. On Saturday (1 p.m.), SVE are welcoming Eintracht Braunschweig to the URSAPHARM Arena – and beginning one of the season’s most crucial weeks.
‘We definitively secured our spot in the division in Lautern. If you manage such a confident away win as we did in Kaiserslautern, it is definitely a little silly to be talking about trying to stay in the division.’ Wagner’s comment at the press conference marked a turning point – the caution of recent months has disappeared, although the team still have their feet firmly on the ground. Goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof put things more dispassionately: ‘We are taking one match at a time and want to put in consistently good performances.’
We definitively secured our spot in the division in Lautern. If you manage such a confident away win as we did in Kaiserslautern, it is definitely a little silly to be talking about trying to stay in the division.
Vincent Wagner
The figures offer arguments for both self-confidence and caution. Third most goals, third least goals conceded, best away team after 22 match days. However, SVE have also had some setbacks: three goals conceded against Nürnberg to kick off the second half of the season, three more in an unlucky loss in Berlin. They have only achieved one win in the first four matches of the year, alongside two defeats and a draw. However, their response in Dresden highlighted what Wagner values about his team. ‘I love working with a team that has come together’, the manager recently said. The team, coaching staff and support staff have formed a cohesive unit – which should now also carry them through against Braunschweig.
The first-leg match in September 2025 is still clear in the memory – with the 4:1 scoreline more definitive than the actual events of the match. ‘It was a hard fight. Braunschweig were flowing particularly well. The match had two or three tipping points where things could have gone in a different direction’, Wagner said about the game. ‘We managed to turn the match in our favour. But it was not easy.’ In fact, the match remained open for a long time. Braunschweig got off to a bold start and created opportunities, then equalised with a header after falling behind early on and kept play evenly matched until well into the second half. A red card around an hour in finally made securing the win an easier task. Braunschweig fought on with reduced numbers, but Elversberg took advantage of their extra man in the final stages to seal the final score.
Eintracht have made a few staffing changes since then. Over the winter, they gained numerous attacking players on loan (Jovan Mijatović, Faride Alidou, Grant-Leon Ranos and Ken Izekor), as well as some permanent signings such as Aaron Opoku and Andi Hoti. These were offset by the loss of Christian Conteh, Sven Köhler and Mohamed Dräger. Köhler’s departure left a gap in the defensive midfield. The team are also missing some other key players in the form of Aydin (suspended after five yellow cards) and Tempelmann (who has a long-term injury).
As Wagner put it: ‘Fundamentally, it is no bad thing for us that he isn’t playing’, he said about Aydin, but also noted the breadth of their opponent’s squad. And he warned: ‘Heiner Backhaus has once again succeeded in ensuring that his team are still a close-knit community.’ 2:2 against Darmstadt 98 last weekend reinforced this assessment. ‘In any case, we are facing an opponent who will stretch us to our limit. But we are looking forward to the match and to Kaiserlinde.’
In any case, we are facing an opponent who will stretch us to our limit. But we are looking forward to the match and to Kaiserlinde.
For Elversberg, this duel against the 13th-placed team marks the start of a trailblazing period. Braunschweig are followed by matches against Kiel, Magdeburg, Fürth and Bielefeld – all teams in the bottom half of the table. In the first half of the season, SVE won four of these five matches, losing only to Arminia. Staying at the top means keeping streaks like this going – as they will be followed by Hannover, Schalke and Darmstadt at virtually weekly intervals.
But first come the matches against supposedly weaker opponents. Finding the right solutions in tight spaces will be crucial. At times this season, SVE have struggled more against opponents who sit deep than they have against teams who play more openly. Given this, in training they have focused more strongly on precision in the end third and on clear position play. Rest defence will also play a vital role. When Braunschweig win the ball, they quickly try to carry it forward – so it will be important to prevent counterattacks early on and defend consistently behind the ball.
In staffing terms, it is not yet certain who Wagner will be able to deploy. Felix Keidel, Maximilian Rohr and Jan Gyamerah are injured and currently question marks, but there is no-one definitively out.
Wagner was clear about their aims: ‘We are aiming to get better, consistently better, sustainably better, and therefore win matches more often.’ And then he hit the nail on the head with a seemingly casual thought: ‘We do all we can to win because winning is the most fun. Of course, sometimes you lose, but losing all the time isn’t all that great.’
Heading into the 23rd match day, the situation is clear but not simple. Elversberg are the favourites but stand warned. They have secured their spot in the division, but this season is about more than just security. The coming weeks will show whether SVE are simply stable – or are ready to take the next step. The next touchstone awaits on Saturday at the URSAPHARM Arena an der Kaiserlinde.