SVWW narrow defeat to Champions in season finale
Pros |
SV Wehen Wiesbaden brought in their third home win in succession against Hansa Rostock. Benedict Hollerbach scored a brace to secure the three points for the hosts at the BRITA Arena (34’ and 48’).
SVWW manager, Rüdiger Rehm, made three changes to the team that started in the defeat to Unterhaching. Marvin Ajani, Marc Lais and Benedict Hollerbach replaced Moritz Kuhn, Tobias Schwede and Phillip Tietz in the starting XI for the Red and Blacks.
However, it was the guests from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern who got off to a better start. After a few intense duels in midfield, John Verhoek intercepted a back-pass, crossed to Maurice Litka, who, however, was crowded out by SVWW keeper, Tim Boss, preventing a dangerous finish (4’).
After about seven minutes of play, Gianluca Korte sent the first warning shot towards the goal of Ex-SVWW man, Markus Kolke. After a firm pass from Sascha Mockenhaupt, the ball flew by the Hansa goal.
In the initial phase, neither team gave way in the one-on-one challenges, allowing a physical but fair game to develop, in which the Red and Blacks settled more easily into the game. But, Hansa continued to be dangerous, moving forward at pace. The next top-class move was carried out by the team from the Baltic Sea. The ball came to Verhoek, via Korbinian Vollmann and Bentley Baxter Bahn, who was stopped by yet another brilliant reflex reaction by Tim Boss (17’).
SVWW were now finding it difficult to win the challenges against a fast-connecting Rostock team, and were having a problem getting the ball out of their own danger zone given the slippery pitch. But, the Rehm XI were able to rely on Tim Boss. The keeper was in the right place in all situations resulting from direct play and for the dangerous set piece by Bahn (23’).
On the opposite side, Chato tested Kolke from 18 metres - no problem for the FCH keeper (28’). Rostock continued to be the dominant team with more possession but the SVWW defence always managed to trip them up at the last minute. Added to this, the Red and Blacks looked more and more threatening with their counter attacks. Having won the ball, Korte came up the left wing, put a sharp cross into the centre where in a quick reaction Chato let the ball pass on to Hollerbach. The young forward didn’t hesitate but drew out and - with a bit of luck - put the deflected ball into the top left-hand corner of the net – 1:0 (34’).
SVWW remained dangerous. Hollerbach, rushing forward, was fed by Korte, but he more than met his match this time from 16 metres – the next huge opportunity for the hosts (42’). The Red and Blacks were now in full swing and they were closer to the 2:0 than Rostock was to the equaliser. Lais and Hollerbach combined well up to the box, where the ball came to Malone, whose short shot was stopped by a strong Kolke reflex (45’). They went into the break with SVWW just about ahead.
The improved performance of the Red and Blacks towards the end of the first half continued into the second half. Assertive in their duels and confident in passing, the Rehm XI posed a big problem for the guests. Lais muscled his way through the centre, fed Malone at the edge of the box, but the forward’s shot with his right foot sailed just past the post (47’). But, not even a minute later, the ball was in the net. A wonderful attack where Korte, Niemeyer and Chato fed Malone directly, and Hollerbach in the centre converted again to make it 2:0 (48’)! After a strong assist by Malone, the 19-year old only had to tip the ball in for his first professional brace.
The Rostock team needed a few minutes to recover from the shock of conceding a goal, but fought their way back into the game with robust challenges. For a while, a long shot by Lukas Scherff far above the SVWW goal was the only time FCH came near the goal at the start of the second half (57’).
The hosts were clearly feeling confident with their two-goal lead. The SVWW defence was tight and the passing among their own players was fluid and fast. But, FCH suddenly struck back during a phase in which it was actually the Red and Blacks who were in control of the game. Out of nowhere, the substituted Manuel Farrona Pulido gave an assist to Verhoek in the centre who scored to bring them within one goal of the hosts (68’).
With the tailwind of the goal behind them, Rostock now braced themselves with all their strength against impending defeat. But SVWW also played a forward game, trying to reclaim their original lead. An intense final phase developed with the teams evenly matched but with little action in either penalty area. Vollmanns cross from the right sailed past friend and foe and into touch, while the substituted Tietz kept the Hansa defence on its toes (79’).
Malone had the best SVWW opportunity ten minutes before the final whistle. His header from five metres was scraped off the line at the last minute by Kolke. At the other end of the pitch, Vollmann had the makings of the equaliser, but his short volley missed the goal (84’).
The guests again threw everything forward in the last few minutes. The Red and Blacks can thank their captain, Sascha Mockenhaupt, that the ball didn’t land in the SVWW net. Mockenhaupt saved twice, off the line and with a header - brilliant work (86’). Right to the end of extra time, one high ball after the other came in towards Tim Boss, but nobody managed to get past him again. With this third home win of the season, SVWW took all three points at the BRITA Arena.
SVWW: Boss –Ajani, Carstens, Mockenhaupt, Niemeyer – Hollerbach (73’ Tietz), Lais, Medic, Chato, Korte – Malone.