SV Elversberg lose to promoted team Ulm with missed opportunities
SV Elversberg did not play badly, but ultimately suffered a deserved loss to SSV Ulm. The players and coach appeared disappointed after the final whistle.
This encounter on Kaiserlinde between the two most recent third division champions began at a fast pace with some intense scenes. The Ulm team in particular managed several goal shots early on and put pressure on the home team’s defence. However, it was SV Elversberg who had the first real goalscoring chance of the game, after around twenty minutes. The protagonist was Luca Schnellbacher, but his shot (18th minute) sadly failed to reach the net. Despite this early opportunity for the hosts, it was Ulm who made the first real mark not long after.
Rohr fouled Krattenmacher, and the referee unhesitatingly awarded a penalty. Captain Reichert stepped up and magnificently converted the penalty kick into 1:0 for the visiting team (28th minute). This was also Ulm’s first away goal of the current season – coach Thomas Wörle made three changes in response to the team’s bitter 1:2 defeat by 1. FC Nürnberg.
With a lead under their belt, Ulm shifted things down a gear and increasingly allowed Saarland to take control of the game. Whilst the visiting team were focusing on defensive play, SV Elversberg took command and used their ball possession to repeatedly join forces moving forward and threaten the opposing goal. In the 34th minute, Petkov nearly managed to equalise following a well-timed pass from the midfield – missing by just a few centimetres. Luca Schnellbacher then had another fantastic opportunity just before half time. Petkov sent a cross, but Schnellbacher missed the half-height pass that arrived slightly behind him and shot the ball over the virtually empty goal (40th minute).
At this point, an equaliser was still up for grabs, and would not have been undeserved given the distribution of opportunities. Nevertheless, the teams headed into half time with a narrow 1:0 lead for Ulm. Schnellbacher was visibly frustrated after the final whistle: ‘Normally, you can wake me up at night and I’ll shake it off. Things just didn’t work out today, and you have to say that what we did today was quite simply bad’, he self-critically explained.
Things just didn’t work out today, and you have to say that what we did today was quite simply bad
Luca Schnellbacher
After half time, the hosts quickly made it clear that they wanted to turn the game around. Elversberg began with plenty of verve and put Ulm under increasing amounts of pressure. As early as the 53rd minute, Asllani put Ulm’s goalkeeper Ortag to the test, but the goalie was able to repel the shot safely. Although Elversberg were pushing to equalise, once again it was the away team that struck. Higl, who was substituted on after half time, took Ulm’s first opportunity in the second half by scooping a free kick directly into the corner of the goal (60th minute). Kristof, who had initially guessed the wrong direction, was unable to reach the ball – putting things at 2:0 to Ulm.
However, Elversberg did not take long to respond. Just three minutes after the second Ulm goal, Neubauer escaped the away team’s defence and set up a perfect header for Schnellbacher to slam into the net, putting the score at 1:2 (62nd minute). An intense exchange of blows followed that was in some cases lacking a little precision. The home team pushed to equalise, and had some luck in the 69th minute when Sahin was cautioned for a tackle on Strompf that the TV images showed illegally brought the Ulm player down. Referee Patrick Schwengers reviewed the situation after a VAR tip-off, but decided not to revise his original decision – no penalty, a tricky choice that was fortunate for SVE.
Just a few minutes later, Strompf was back in the spotlight, but this time in the opposition’s penalty area. Following a precise pass by Chessa, the Ulm player beat out his marker Pinckert and headed the ball in to achieve 3:1 for his team (77th minute). It was the decider in an exciting match that SSV Ulm ultimately deserved to win. In the final stage, the away team left nothing to chance and secured their first second division victory since 20 May 2001.
‘I don’t think it was undeserved. We threw everything at it to finally gain our first win’, was the summary by Ulm’s visibly relieved coach Thomas Wörle after the match. His counterpart Horst Steffen, on the other hand, appeared disappointed in his team’s performance: ‘Today was quite simply not good enough. Of course, we could have converted our goal opportunities, but our rest defence and our build-up were quite simply weak.’ Elversberg’s captain Robin Fellhauer had similar things to say: ‘Today was just annoying. We had significantly more potential than Ulm, but we didn’t bring it to the pitch.’ Coach Steffen added: ‘Right from the start, we were not in the game as we know we can be. We were lacking some of our light touch today.’
We were lacking some of our light touch today.
Horst Steffen
SV Elversberg’s next opportunity to demonstrate their real potential comes on Sunday: the Saarland team are facing Hertha BSC in the Olympiastadion at 1:30 p.m. for the seventh day of play in the 2. Liga.