Showing great spirit – game turned around

SV Wehen Wiesbaden has landed its second consecutive away win with this midweek match. The Red and Blacks came from behind to beat 1. FC Magdeburg 2:1 in this 7th fixture of the 3rd Liga. The goal scorers were Paterson Chato (63’) and Maurice Malone (74’).

After a convincing performance by the Red and Blacks against Uerdingen during the week, there was no reason to change a winning team. So, SVWW head coach Rüdiger Rehm started the same XI.

With a clear away win at their backs, SVWW began briskly, looking to push forward right from the first whistle. Physically, Magdeburg did everything it could to secure a second victory after their disappointing start to the season. And, the physicality of the team from the city on the Elbe was a problem for the Red and Blacks. In the first five minutes, Christian Beck had to be stopped three times by SVWW keeper Tim Boss. The first attempt from about 35 metres wasn’t a problem for Boss, and then, with a strong reflex action, he did a double save of the FCM captain’s header from five metres out (5’).

Fired up by almost 3,500 spectators, the hosts were much bolder and more agile over the next few minutes. SVWW was having difficulty structuring their game against a Magdeburg team that was pressing early. It wasn’t until after a first strong quarter of an hour that the Red and Blacks popped up dangerously near the host goal. Keeper Morten Behrens just about saved from Gianluca Korte and then pushed a finishing shot from 16 metres out from Benedict Hollerbach round the post (17’ and 18’). Only three minutes later it was Korte again who hit the post after a wonderful pass from Dennis Kempe (21’).

Seconds later, the Rehm XI had to deal with a setback. Johannes Wurtz, who had scored a brace at the match on Tuesday, had to go off injured and was replaced by Phillip Tietz (21’).

The two teams now met as equals and neither team was giving an inch. Tackling was hard but fair and both teams proved their skill again and again. Korte, agile in midfield but also moving out time and again to the wings, crossed to Tietz in the centre, but Andreas Müller saved ahead of the SVWW number 9 for a corner (30’). At the other end of the pitch, keeper Boss scraped a sharp, long-range shot from Raphael Obermair off the line, before Jakov Medic rescued the ball for SVWW (33’).

Just before the break, a long ball over the guest defenders was the final dangerous move of the first half. Luka Sliskovic managed to control the ball well with his chest but came up short once again from a sharp angle against Boss (43’). Despite the great entertainment value, the match was scoreless going into the break.

The second 45 minutes began with the same intensity as the first half. Despite the fact that there were very few set pieces, the first goal came from a free kick by the hosts. Korbinian Burger got away from the SVWW defence and slid the ball into the guest net to take the lead (50’).

But, SVWW didn’t take long to recover from this setback. Rehm brought on a fresh pair of legs in Moritz Kuhn in attack, and Phillip Tietz came increasingly into his own in midfield. The number 9 came close to the Magdeburg goal with a header from a Kempe cross, but it came to nothing (57’). Nonetheless, the Rehm XI now managed to put more pressure on the FCM defence. Magdeburg was no longer as aggressive in direct tackles and SVWW made full use of that.

Kempe hit an assist to Paterson Chato who had moved up field, and from 16 metres he put the equaliser in the back of the net (63’). The goal gave the guests more courage when attacking. Shortly after the 1:1, Korte put the ball into the box for Maurice Malone, but then the low shot by the striker brushed past the post of keeper Behrens (65’). The Magdeburg goalie was kept busy almost minute by minute. Korte took a shot from a half-left position - corner (66’). SVWW was now well on the way to a well-deserved lead.

It wasn’t until the 74th minute that they found the back of the Magdeburg net for the second time: Marc Lais sent Malone up field who came off the winner against two FCM defenders and shot a low ball towards the far post - 2:1.

The hosts only looked to go forward again when they went a goal down, but the SVWW defence held strong. After that, just one header by the substituted Kai Brünker found its way towards the Boss goal, but the keeper had no problems with the bounce (79’). In the dying moments, the Blue and Whites threw everything forward, but the combined strength of the Rehm XI held up against all attempts by the hosts to shoot. And so, the score stayed at 2:1!

SVWW: Boss – Mockenhaupt, Carstens, Medic, Kempe – Chato, Lais – Hollerbach (54’ Kuhn), Korte (81’ Walbrecht), Malone – Wurtz (21’ Tietz)