Heading confidently to Ulm: SVE target third win in a row
The plan for the away game against SSV Ulm is clear: use their momentum to score a win. But despite the team’s starting positions in the table, caution is advised: Ulm are fighting to stay in the division and showed in the first leg match how dangerous they can be.
With two wins in a row under their belt, on Saturday SV Elversberg are heading out to face SSV Ulm 1846 for an away game. This match for the 23rd day of play in the 2. Bundesliga will kick off at 1 p.m. in the Donaustadion. Coach Horst Steffen’s team are heading into the match with confidence, even if a look at the table positions suggests what would appear to be a clear division of roles. At 17th place, Ulm are in a relegation spot, but the SVE coach strongly warns against underestimating them: ‘They do not deserve to be right at the bottom. They are very organised and agile, and consistently good in the attack.’
Good performances against opponents despite defeat
Despite two recent defeats by SC Paderborn (0:2) and 1. FC Nürnberg (0:2), SV Elversberg still need to be cautious. Ulm had to play both matches short-handed after red cards. Ulm absolutely had the opportunity to take a point home during their 2:3 defeat in Düsseldorf. Steffen’s analysis: ‘They could have achieved a draw in Düsseldorf. The match also had plenty of opportunities for Ulm.’
The first leg match last September ended in a 1:3 defeat for SVE, serving as a crucial warning. ‘We want to do things differently this time and play better than in the first leg’, Steffen emphasises. The aim will be to turn crucial moments to their own advantage in order to shift the balance away from Ulm.
We want to do things differently this time and play better than in the first leg.
Horst Steffen
In terms of staffing, SV Elversberg will have to manage without Frederik Jäkel and Lukas Petkov in Ulm (due to suspensions following red cards after two yellows). Whether or not Luca Dürholtz (ill) and Fisnik Asllani (injured) will be fit to play will be decided at the last minute. Despite these gaps, the team is well prepared and planning to bring its strengths to the pitch.
Ulm fighting to stay in the division
The situation for SSV Ulm is clear: following some unlucky defeats, they urgently need to gain points to avoid falling behind in the battle to stay in the league. Coach Thomas Wörle looks back happily at their first win of the season in the first leg against Elversberg (3:1), but does not see this as a guarantee: ‘Of course, we know that it was our first win in this division. It gave us real momentum at the time. But this is a new game, we are playing at home and looking forward to it.’
Ulm are aware of SVE’s attacking quality. Wörle emphasises: ‘Elversberg have the fourth-best attack in the division and the fifth-best defence. They have high-quality individual players and clear processes in their play. If you give them too much space, it can quickly get dangerous.’
Elversberg have the fourth-best attack in the division and the fifth-best defence. They have high-quality individual players and clear processes in their play. If you give them too much space, it can quickly get dangerous.
Course of play will be down to the detail
SSV want to stay compact whilst still actively attacking. Wörle believes that avoiding individual mistakes will be a crucial factor in this: ‘We want to consistently learn from our experiences. I do not think that there is much that can be trained here, it is just a matter of concentration.’ He is particularly critical of the recent red cards and the goals subsequently conceded late on: ‘Until the sending offs, the games were balanced. But then you are underpowered, and in this division, it is savagely difficult to last for 30 or 40 minutes with a man down.’
Elversberg as role model?
One comparison frequently drawn between the two teams is their similar route, having been promoted from the Regionalliga through to the 2. Bundesliga. Although Wörle notes certain parallels, he warns against applying SVE’s path of development directly to Ulm: ‘Before they were promoted, they were always one of the top teams in the Regionalliga. Our route was quicker. Nevertheless, we can still take a leaf out of their book in terms of how they have established themselves in the second division.’
Whilst Ulm’s top priority is to stay in the league, a win for Elversberg would move them up a step and extend their current winning streak. Coach Steffen and his team understand the difficulty of the task, but are confident that they can get their own back after their first leg defeat. Only SVE will be able to decide who emerges victorious on Saturday.