SVWW narrow defeat to Champions in season finale
Pros |
SV Wehen Wiesbaden got their 2020 off to a successful start by beating FC Erzgebirge Aue 1-0 in front of 4,037 spectators at the BRITA-Arena on Matchday 19 of the Bundesliga 2 season. The only goal of the game was scored by Paterson Chato in the 14th minute.
Head coach Rüdiger Rehm made three changes to the starting XI for the first match of the New Year, with Tobias Schwede, Manuel Schäffler and Stefan Aigner replacing Marvin Ajani, Gökhan Gül and Törles Knöll in the team.
SVWW came racing out of the blocks, attacking courageously from the first minute and pinning their opponents back into their own half. This lively start culminated in the Red & Blacks creating three clear-cut chances in the opening five minutes. Maximilian Dittgen had a first-minute effort kept out by Aue shot-stopper Martin Männel after being brilliantly teed up by Aigner, who himself fired narrowly over the crossbar from 14 metres out in the third minute. Aue defender Calogero Rizzuto then cleared Manuel Schäffler's close-range header off the line only two minutes later.
SVWW controlled the match following their stunning start and allowed their opponents little sight of their goal. Going forward, meanwhile, coach Rehm's charges continued to look lively with a series of quick counter-attacks. Dittgen again tested Männel in the 14th minute following a scramble in the FC Erzgebirge Aue box, but the 31-year-old tipped it behind for a corner.
The corner was taken by Kyereh, who picked out Paterson Chato on the edge of the six-yard box, and the midfielder rounded off the set-piece in style with a 14th-minute volley that deservedly put the hosts 1-0 ahead.
The visitors launched their first foray into the SVWW box on the 20-minute mark with Florian Krüger latching onto a diagonal through-ball and shooting towards the near post, but Heinz Lindner turned it behind for a corner.
The Red & Blacks dropped down a gear at this point, losing possession several times while going forward and allowing Aue to grow into the game – although even then they rarely threatened the SVWW goal with most of the action taking place in the middle third of the pitch.
It was not until three minutes before the break that the Veilchen registered their second attempt on Lindner's goal, but Clemens Frandrich's strike from 17 metres out was comfortably gathered and the Red & Blacks took in a 1-0 lead at the interval.
There were no changes to either team at the beginning of the second half and the match initially continued where the first half had left off. Both teams attempted to create opportunities going forward but neither could really make the breakthrough. Dimitrij Nazarov's 52nd-minute shot from long range, which sailed way over Lindner's goal, was the only notable attempt in the minutes that followed the restart.
SVWW were reduced to 10 men in the 69th minute of the match when Sebastian Mrowca unluckily slipped over prior to a challenge with Jan Hochscheidt and brought his opponent down. Referee Patrick Ittrich responded by sending the player off for a second bookable offence. Coach Rüdiger Rehm was also cautioned by the match official.
With all thoughts by now on defence, SVWW were repeatedly pushed back into their own half. Aue decided to take a gamble and brought on forward Christoph Daferner in place of defender Louis Samson. But it was ultimately a mistake at the back from SVWW that let the Veilchen in for their next opportunity. Röcker, who had briefly lost his bearings following a challenge, had a header well saved by Lindner in the 75th minute.
By this point, Aue were applying such pressure that SVWW were constantly under the cosh. But a backline now including substitute Jakov Medic continued to keep their visitors at arm's length.
The Red & Blacks threw themselves into the path of every FCE pass and, in the absence of defenders, Lindner was on hand in the box to pluck high balls out of the Wiesbaden night sky.
Aue's best opportunity came through substitute Pascal Testroet, whose 90th-minute header from eight metres out missed the target by metres. A Hochscheidt goal had been disallowed for offside shortly beforehand. In the end, SVWW managed to see their lead through until the final whistle and pick up their second victory on home turf this season.
SVWW: Lindner – Mrowca, Mockenhaupt, Dams, Röcker, Schwede –Chato – Aigner (Shipnoski, 65), Kyereh (Medic, 72), Dittgen – Schäffler (Tietz, 81)