SVE move forward as favourite in cup match
SV Elversberg showed no weakness in the DFB cup and move through to the second round in magnificent form.
The 47-year wait was over: for the first time since the 1977/78 season, VfV Hildesheim once again qualified for the DFB cup via the Landespokal cup. To achieve this sensation, the Oberliga team’s coaching duo of Marcel Hartmann and Marc Vucinovic relied on players such as Hassan El-Saleh (who trained at VfL Wolfsburg) and Yilmaz, who made nine appearances for Viktoria Berlin in the 3. Liga during the 2021/22 season. SV Elversberg, on the other hand, qualified for the cup via the pro pool for the first time, so a win was a must – especially given their mixed start to the season with two points from two games. Coach Horst Steffen only made one change following the 2:2 against 1. FC Köln: Feil was suspended after his yellow card in the first round of the DFB cup last year against Mainz 05 (0:1), so Asllani started up front.
This turned out to be an entertaining game of football right from the starting whistle. The underdogs from Hildesheim played an open game and posed a few issues for SVE at the beginning of the match. ‘We were not hugely focused in the early stages, but then things got better’, SVE‘s coach Horst Steffen noted. After strong combination play, Schnellbacher gave the Saarland team a 1:0 lead in the 17th minute. As the game went on, the underdogs increasingly lost any foothold they had: Henze initially managed a strong save against Asllani, but was lucky that the striker narrowly missed the empty goal from 35 metres out after an unlucky trip, then missed from up close. By half time things were 3:0, thanks to a Fellhauer shot following a cross by Gerezgiher, and a curious own goal by Schulze with a flying header. Four more goals put the final score at a magnificent 7:0 win – securing a ticket to the second round. ‘I wanted to avoid conceding any goals, and we managed it’, Elversberg’s coach Horst Steffen explained to Sportschau.
II wanted to avoid conceding any goals, and we managed it
‘Every goal we scored wore down their resistance, and then we played very cleanly and well.’ On the Hildesheim side, all was well despite the result: ‘It was a fantastic atmosphere, I enjoyed it and had fun. Even if we ultimately lost 7:0’, Hildesheim’s captain Can Gökdemir said to Sportschau after the game. ‘I have only positive things to say.’
Despite the clear result, the fans sent the Hildesheim team off with generous applause. Just the opportunity to play this match in the cathedral city was something truly special. ‘The spectators rewarded our performances’, Horst Steffen noted. Marcel Hartmann echoed these words of praise: ‘It was fun to play against such a high-quality opponent. We will take the positives forward with us to our upcoming Oberliga games.’
Next up for SV Elversberg is a 2. Liga away game against Karlsruher SC on Friday.