SV Elversberg on the rise: decisive 4:0 win against Hertha BSC
SV Elversberg dismantled Hertha BSC to score a clear 4:0 victory over the capital club. This scoreline was achieved in an astonishing first half – against a desperate Berlin defence.
A glance at the Berlin media shows how SV Elversberg took the capital club apart on Sunday: there is mention of role reversals, dismantling and debacle. The village club played like a capital club whilst Berlin played like a team from the village, a metaphor that is hard for Berlin to digest. SV Elversberg, on the other hand, demonstrated once again what can be achieved with continuity within a club and honest hard work. The match against Berlin serves as a blueprint for the sensational work put in by the sporting staff, coach and team. ‘Although we feel we have arrived in this league, it is always fantastic for us to play against names like this’, SVE’s coach Horst Steffen said before the game. ‘I am delighted that we have another opportunity against Hertha to show what we can do as the underdogs’, Horst Steffen noted. And SVE did just that – in spectacular form.
Although we feel we have arrived in this league, it is always fantastic for us to play against names like this
Horst Steffen
Elversberg’s coach Horst Steffen made two changes from the starting eleven used in last week’s goalless draw against SSV Ulm 1846 Fußball. Florian Le Joncour replaced Maximilian Rohr (following a yellow card ban) in the central defence. In addition, Steffen deployed Lukas Petkov instead of Manuel Feil in the right midfield. In his first away game in charge of Berlin, coach Stefan Leitl used the same starting eleven against SV Elversberg as he sent out to face 1. FC Nürnberg for his debut match. However, Hertha had two last-minute striker gaps on the bench: Luca Schuler was missing due to muscular problems whilst Smail Prevljak suffered a blow to the ankle during training.
The game was over in the first half with the balance of power made abundantly clear. The hosts enjoyed a perfect start to the match: just eleven minutes in, Muhammed Damar started the goal tally with a lovely lob over Hertha’s keeper Tjark Ernst. The goal came after a swift counter-attack that allowed the Elversberg player to run unimpeded towards the goal. Hertha seemed shocked and with no way of preventing Saarland’s play. In the 29th minute, Robin Fellhauer increased the score to 2:0 with a dream goal. After a throw-in and Linus Gechter’s failure to properly clear the ball away, Fellhauer hammered it unstoppably into the bottom left corner. Eight minutes later, Tom Zimmerschied upped things to 3:0. After beautiful combination play via Elias Baum, the Elversberg player skilfully chipped the ball over Ernst’s head (37th minute). Shortly before half-time, Semih Şahin put the icing on the cake of a perfect first half for Elversberg by scoring a penalty. Following VAE review, the decision to award a penalty was upheld – and Şahin did not give Ernst a chance (45th+3 minute). They headed into the locker rooms with a historic score of 4:0 – Elversberg’s highest ever at half-time in the 2. Bundesliga. Elversberg were exceptional, Berlin desperate. The Berlin fans responded in kind to their team’s performance: the flags were put away and support largely dried up.
The home team shifted down a gear in the second half, but without losing control of the match. Although Hertha tried to ramp up the pressure, they remained largely harmless. Berlin’s best opportunity went to Derry Scherhant in the 57th minute, but his shot was saved by Elversberg’s keeper Nicolas Kristof. Elversberg confidently defended their lead and did not allow any other major opportunities through. The match bubbled on to the end without any other highlights.
‘I think we were all lacking core virtues’, Reese said to pay-TV broadcaster Sky. The 27 year old added that Hertha were outclassed across all parts of the team. Leitl therefore remains without a win in his second game as Hertha’s coach, following a 0:0 draw in his debut against 1. FC Nürnberg. This means that the team is just four points above the relegation spots on the 24th day of play. ‘Every single member of the team needs to face this truth’, Reese said, raising the alarm regarding their position in the table. After the match, Leitl congratulated their opponents on a ‘well-deserved win’ and seemed brutally disappointed: ‘We were not able to carry over the energy from our respectable home game against Nürnberg. We prepared the team for everything in terms of tactics, but we were never able to implement it. The second half was more stable. Overall it was very disappointing. But we will continue on.’
Horst Steffen, on the other hand, was of course very happy with his team’s performance. ‘I am very happy with how we played and used the space, how we took advantage of opportunities, and how much the boys were enjoying it. We did not allow much through and offered clean combination play with plenty of running. I watched the boys play a great game for 90 minutes and am delighted with their fantastic performance today.’ Steffen was particularly impressed with how his team got things started: ‘We defended so well up at the front that we never encountered any major issues at the back.’ And particularly interestingly: Watching the coach’s facial expressions, it was impossible to tell who won or lost today – let alone that it was such a historic result. But perhaps that is exactly why SV Elversberg are where they are. Horst Steffen will also have had the upcoming Betzenberg match in mind: on Friday, SVE have an opportunity to make their mark once again in an absolute top 2. Bundesliga game. Theoretically, this could even move them up to the direct promotion spots.
I watched the boys play a great game for 90 minutes and am delighted with their fantastic performance today
Horst Steffen