Game turned around, winning run extended

SV Wehen Wiesbaden won its home fixture 3:1 against Uerdingen under floodlights on the 25th match day of the 3rd Liga.  After going behind early on in an entertaining match, a goal each by Jakov Medic (20’) and Maurice Malone (32’) turned the game around for the Red and Blacks. With that, SVWW extended its winning streak to four wins in a row.

SVWW manager Rüdiger Rehm made two changes compared with the 1:0 away win against Waldhof Mannheim. Florian Carstens and Marc Lais returned to the team after suspension, while Ahmet Gürleyen was not available due to a groin injury and Phillip Tietz because of his fifth yellow card. Lucas Brumme was also missing because of an inflamed nerve.

The Red and Blacks didn’t have much time to settle into the game. Exactly 60 seconds were played when the ball smashed against the crossbar of SVWW keeper Tim Boss’ goal. Kolja Pusch had spun a sharp free kick into the centre where Patrick Göbel steered the ball dangerously towards the goal.

After a frantic start by the guests, SVWW recovered and attempted to put Uerdingen under pressure with some aggressive pressing. When in possession, the Red and Blacks sought out the tall striker duo, Medic and Gustaf.

Time and again, the hosts built up their game slowly from the back, but KFC was also pressing early on. After a throw in that was taken at lightning speed, Adriano Grimaldi got away behind the SVWW defence, crossed from the back line to Fridolin Wagner who tapped the ball over the line to put the guests in the lead (10’).

It took the Rehm XI a few minutes to digest going behind but then they went after physical challenges with determination and a lot of energy. After a quick counter attack, Nilsson tested Hidde Jurjus in the Uerdingen goal, but the volley from 25 metres wasn’t a problem for the Dutch man. It was a different story a few minutes later against Kevin Lankford. It took a great effort for Jurjus to tip the ball out from the far post for a corner (19’). And, the corner was really dangerous.

Marvin Ajani put the corner kick high into the centre where it was magnificently taken out of the air by Medic who didn’t delay for a second, turned, and netted the ball to equalise at 1:1 (20’). In this game of equals, an attacking exchange of blows developed. Neither KFC nor the Red and Blacks went for cover but attempted as quickly as possible to mark down the second goal for their own team. Initially, however, Mike Feigenspan on the one side and Lankford on the other side only had a few small chances (28’).

With their consistent and ongoing pressing, SVWW caused their opponents to lose the ball time and again while building up their own game, and they radiated more danger themselves when in possession. Marc Lais, distributing the balls well from the centre, found Maurice Malone at the edge of the penalty area. He put the ball into the far corner, a shot well worth seeing, to make it 2:1 – game turned around (29’).

The hosts had now finally turned up to play and were using their opportunities well. Carstens fought for and won the ball in defence; it passed to Kempe, then Nilsson and Medic and again to Malone who hammered a flat shot into the far corner to make it 3:1 (38’). Only three minutes after his second goal, the young striker had yet another chance to make it three, but this time KFC keeper, Jurjus cleared for a corner (41’). The teams went into the break without any more goals.

The second half began as lively as the first half had ended, but despite their greatest efforts neither team managed to make hay. It took just under 15 minutes of the second half until the substituted Muhammed Kiprit had the chance to close the gap. After a cross from Haktab Omar Traore, also substituted, the ball whizzed past Tim Boss’ goal (57’).

Nonetheless, the changes made by KFC coach, Stefan Krämer, were getting results, as he brought on Peter van Ooijen in addition to Kiprit and Traore. Again and again, Uerdingen broke through what was up to now a supreme red and black defence, but still nobody got past Boss.

SVWW threw everything into the challenges against the guests who were becoming more determined, and they - successfully - tried to make up for their slightly lower level of possession by means of physicality.  Their own attacking initiatives were more of a rarity. In order to address this, Rehm brought on some new attackers a good 20 minutes before the end of the game. Together with Gianluca Korte, Johannes Wurtz celebrated his comeback after months of injury.

Each of them got straight into the hosts’ game and provided for more control in the SVWW game through confidence on the ball and solid passing. Wurtz even scored from a scissors kick a few minutes after coming on, but as had been offside just before that and goal was disallowed (77’).

During the final moments of the game, Uerdingen fought like lions. Kinsombi twice tried it with his head through the wall before Tim Albutat was shown the second yellow card after a tactical foul. But, KFC kept going. Gustav Marcussen made a final attempt from a sharp angle, but Boss was on the spot and also saved the subsequent corner confidently, before referee Wolfgang Haslberger blew the whistle to end the game after four minutes of extra time.

SVWW: Boss – Ajani (90’+3 Guthörl), Mockenhaupt, Carstens, Kempe – Lankford (68’ Korte), Chato (68’ Wurtz), Lais, Malone (90’+3 Niemeyer) – Nilsson (80’ Kuhn), Medic