SV Elversberg narrowly miss out on home win against KSC
For a long time SV Elversberg looked like the sure winners, but missed a few opportunities to clinch victory and therefore ended up drawing 2:2 against Karlsruher SC. Nevertheless, Horst Steffen was happy with their performance.
In the impressive surroundings of the URSAPHARM Arena on Kaiserlinde in front of 1,102 spectators, fans enjoyed a dramatic game. SV Elversberg led 2:0 for much of the game and seemed on track for the win, but were set back by missing numerous big opportunities to score a third goal. In the final stages, visiting team Karlsruher SC managed to equalise with two late goals and take home a lucky point.
Coach Horst Steffen had to make two changes to his starting eleven compared with their previous defeat by Köln. Robin Fellhauer replaced Elias Baum, who was suspended following a red from two yellows, as right midfielder. This was the captain’s first appearance in the startling eleven since the team’s 4:2 win over Hamburger SV on 26 October, after an ankle injury knocked him out of contention for a long period of time. Steffen deployed Luca Schnellbacher as striker, replacing Fisnik Asllani (suspended following his fifth yellow card). Nevertheless, there was some good news from Asllani: on Friday evening, before the match against Karlsruher SC, he confirmed to Sky that he would be remaining with Elversberg until the end of the season. The 22-year-old goal scorer had attracted interest from various clubs, including 1. FC Köln and Union Berlin However, sports director Nils Ole Book did not want to allow him to transfer early, as Asllani has played a vital role in Elversberg’s strong season with involvement in 15 goals (ten goals scored, five assists in 19 games).
Karlsruher SC also changed two of their players: coach Christian Eichner put Lilian Niclas Egloff and Bambasé Conté in the starting eleven. A few players were out due to injury or illness, including Dzenis Burnic, Leon Jensen and Nicolai Rapp.
Both teams began very willing to keep things moving, but initially struggled to create clear goal opportunities. In the 17th minute, KSC play maker Wanitzek set up his teammate Schleusener, but the final shot hit the outside of the net. Elversberg then immediately gained their first promising opportunity: Lukas Petkov gained a strong position in the penalty box, but his curled shot was blocked by KSC’s goalkeeper Weiß (23rd minute). Just a minute later, a strong save by Nicolas Kristof prevented a goal, swiping a shot by Jung over the crossbar. The next major opportunity also went to Elversberg: a cross from Fellhauer only narrowly missed Petkov (29th minute).
We played a good Karlsruhe team today and let almost nothing through, then were rather unlucky to concede goals.
Horst Steffen
Things continued in the same vein until just before half time: Petkov took a pass from Fellhauer and fired it in from a tight angle to gain a well-earned 1:0 lead. This remained the scoreline as the teams headed into the locker rooms. ‘This 1:0 shortly before half time was a setback’, Wanitzek confessed. The away team’s coach Eicher described the first half as ‘a tough struggle on a difficult surface’. The turf was not in good condition.
KSC got off to a better start in the second half. A messy pass by Petkov prompted Kaufmann to fire a shot in from towards the right, hitting the top of the crossbar. But Elversberg coolly struck back: after a foul on Schnellbacher, Carlo Sickinger converted the subsequent penalty to put the score at 2:0 (50th minute).
The away team were now under pressure to hit back. Schnellbacher initially fired a lob into the post (59th minute), before being beaten one-on-one by Weiß shortly after. In the 70th minute, Fellhauer only narrowly missed out on scoring a third goal when his shot from the right swept past the goalpost.
But then the tables suddenly turned. After a corner, Wanitzek fired a ball perfectly past the far post to score (75th minute). ‘We came back from nothing, thanks to the guys who were substituted on’, Eichner appreciatively said. Karlsruhe then took control of the midfield, won an increasing number of head-to-heads and ramped up the pressure. The equaliser came in the 86th minute: following a pass from Pfeiffer, Wanitzek scored once again with a shot that was deflected slightly and landed in the net.
Captain Wanitzek had plenty of praise to offer after the match: ‘Big compliments to the team for fighting their way back. The guys who were substituted on deserve a particularly huge compliment. These three boys turned the game around. They did well and wanted the ball.’ Coach Eichner also appeared relieved: ‘They cannot imagine how important it is, not just for my state of mind but especially for the boys.’ He emphasised the challenges that the team had faced: ‘We lost our top strikers, which is not easy.’ That makes gaining this point in Elversberg even more valuable: ‘I would say that all in all, both teams were ultimately fortunate to take a point home, and perhaps we were the more fortunate of the two.’ Nevertheless, the point will only be valuable ‘if we manage to build on it on Sunday.’
We need to try and concede fewer goals and start winning matches again, and we will try hard.
Horst Steffen
This result was somewhat less satisfactory for Elversberg. ‘Our play was better organised for significant portions of the game, and after 2:0 we had numerous opportunities to up the score. It was clear to me throughout that Karlsruhe could fight their way back with a goal, which happened’, was coach Horst Steffen’s summary. ‘Of course, I am not happy that we squandered this lead, but the team put in a good performance that we can continue to build on. We will try and take home three points once again this week in Darmstadt.’
When asked about their lack of results, he replied: ‘I have to look at these things individually. We played a good Karlsruhe team today and let almost nothing through, then were rather unlucky to concede goals. We cannot deny our opponents, but we also missed opportunities with the ball during the match. That can always happen.’ Nevertheless, the strategy is clear: ‘We need to try and concede fewer goals and start winning matches again, and we will try hard.’ SV Elversberg have their next opportunity to do so against Darmstadt this weekend.