FSV Frankfurt vs. TSG Hoffenheim II 2:1

After a hard-fought 1:1 draw at SGV Freiberg last Saturday, things didn't get any easier for the team from Bornheimer Hang a week later. This Saturday afternoon, the Black & Blues welcomed the current leaders of the Regionalliga Südwest for a top-of-the-table clash: TSG 1899 Hoffenheim U23. With a win today, FSV could close the gap to the leaders and be just one point away from the Kraichgauers.

Defensive midfielder Lukas Gottwalt was missing today through yellow card suspension, while Ben-Luca Fisher and Gwangin Lee sat out today due to injuries. FSV tried to build the game up in the opening minutes, while the white-clad visitors from Hoffenheim pressed. Both teams tried their luck with duels in the center, but also with long balls. Cas Peters received a long ball in the seventh minute of the match, but was unable to get his foot to the ball as an opposing player defended attentively. In the eleventh minute of the match, TSG's U23s dared to take a shot on goal through Umut Tohumcu, but FSV captain Tim Weißmann cleared for a corner. Two minutes later, Hoffenheim's Ayoube Amaimouni took a shot from in front of the home penalty area but ultimately missed the target. Over the course of the first half, Vincent Wagner's team played more offensively and tackled more intensively. The Black & Blue defense, on the other hand, was alert and prevented TSG from scoring their first goal, as they had a little more possession at that point. But Görner's team also tried to score the first goal through transitional situations, which they initially failed to do. In the 37th minute, Birkan Celik headed the ball to Cas Peters from a free-kick, who was unable to reach the ball in the five and Weißmann, who was free at the far post, scored the 1:0 lead. Hoffenheim tried to score the equalizer in the final minutes of the first half, but the home team's defence prevented the visitors from doing so. Both teams went into the half-time break with Bornheim leading 1-0 after two minutes of stoppage time.

Just under five minutes after the restart, the Black & Blues were given the chance to extend their lead, but they did not take it particularly well and the U23 team regained possession. In the 60th minute, Birkan Celik outplayed all his opponents in the penalty area and fired a low shot at Hoffenheim keeper Eric Verstappen's goal. Verstappen stretched as he fell to catch the ball, which rolled past the right-hand goalpost. Celik narrowly missed extending the lead. Eight minutes later, the visitors almost equalized after Noah König's header touched the goalpost and the ball went past the goal line. Weißmann intervened to prevent the early 1:1. In the final quarter of an hour, TSG countered into the home side's penalty area. Following a stretched leg by Timo Hildmann, Hoffenheim's Luka Duric went to ground and referee Sebastian Hilsberg then pointed directly to the penalty spot. Duric, who was fouled, took the ball and converted into the left corner to equalize. Justin Ospelt chose the right corner, but the FSV goalkeeper was unable to get to the ball in time. During the final phase, the 1,660 spectators in the PSD Bank Arena witnessed a dramatic and exciting top-of-the-table match. Both teams were not satisfied with a draw and pushed back into the opposing half. In the six minutes of stoppage time, the visitors pushed forward again, but FSV counter-pressed and kept their defensive line compact. In the long and dramatic six minutes, Bornheim had the chance to finally put the lid on the game, but Hassan Mourad, who had been substituted in the meantime, shot well over the goal. In the final action of the game, TSG went for another corner kick, but the home side quickly cleared the ball out of the danger zone. The referee then blew the final whistle.

FSV Frankfurt won 2:1 against a committed Hoffenheim side in a hard-fought and exciting top-of-the-table duel, defending second place in the table and reducing the gap to the league leaders to just one point. Next Saturday, March 8, the Black & Blues play host to Bahlinger SC. Kick-off at the Kaiserstuhlstadion is at 2 pm.