SVWW narrow defeat to Champions in season finale
Pros |
SV Wehen Wiesbaden lost its away fixture 1:4 (0:1) to MSV Duisburg. At the Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena, Michael Guthörl’s first goal for SVWW shortly before the final whistle was merely cosmetic (84’).
After the home win against Hansa Rostock, SVWW manager Rüdiger Rehm sent out the same starting XI against the “Zebras” and right from the start, they took up the fight against MSV. On a difficult terrain and against a very compact team, the signs were already there in the first few minutes that it would be an intense and physical match.
Both teams continuously sought to move forward but they had difficulty setting up a tidy passing game on the bumpy pitch of the Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena. As a result, there was a lack of precision with the final pass and no goal opportunities to begin with.
From nowhere, the first dangerous Duisburg opportunity after about 20 minutes put the Red and Blacks behind: MSV captain, Moritz Stoppelkamp, pushed up along the right wing and crossed into the centre. Vincent Vermeij stole in behind Sascha Mockenhaupt and netted the ball to put the hosts into the lead (19’).
It took the SVWW team a good ten minutes to recover from this goal, but the next goal opportunity was theirs. In the 29th minute, Gianluca Korte, seeing the big picture in front of the goal, lobbed to Michel Niemeyer running alongside him, but he didn’t manage to get past MSV keeper, Leo Weinkauf.
The Zebras and the Red and Blacks were now settling into the game well and were popping up in the opposition penalty area more often. But, when it came to that decisive pass, the guests lacked the necessary precision, which MSV more or less exploited at the opposite end of the field. At the end of another Duisburg combination, Arne Sicker attempted to score but Marvin Ajani intervened and prevented the MSV opportunity (32’).
After that, SVWW passed well through the centre but as soon as they got to the Duisburg defence area, that was the end of it. In contrast, Duisburg increasingly managed to switch direction quickly after winning the ball. Lobbing high crosses into the SVWW penalty area was a move that was popular with manager, Gino Lettieri’s team. But, Tim Boss was always on the spot, plucking the ball out of the air. So, the teams went into the break at 0:1.
The second half started decidedly bad. All of 37 seconds were played when Stoppelkamp passed to free up Ahmet Engin, but, with a strong reflex reaction, SVWW keeper Boss saved his team from conceding a second goal - for the moment. But, after the next corner, the SVWW number 1 was powerless. Again, Stoppelkamp brought the ball dangerously into the centre where Vermeij jumped highest and headed the ball in to make it 2:0 (47’).
Rüdiger Rehm reacted immediately, bringing on strikers Phillip Tietz and Michael Guthörl, which had an instant effect. Niemeyer and Maurice Malone just missed the MSV goal with two shots within two minutes before Weinkauf guided a curled shot from Tietz around the post (53’, 54’ and 56’).
With a two-goal lead at their back, the Zebras now focused on their work in defence. Positioned deep in their own area and lying in wait for a counter attack, the hosts allowed SVWW increased possession and waited to win back the ball. While Rehm’s men attempted to put their own stamp on the game, the fighting Duisburg defence usually managed to get a foot in.
The Red and Blacks were coming closer to a score that would bring them within one goal of the hosts. Guthörl missed a cross by Malone by only a few centimetres – almost the 1:2 (67’). But, the Red and Blacks didn’t let up. Again and again, the ball sailed towards the MSV penalty area, but again and again it lacked that final punch. Duisburg, on the other hand, made good use of the space against the pressing guests. Within three minutes, the hosts had three opportunities to counter attack. First Engin passed an assist to Vermeij, a little later Stoppelkamp to Engin, making it 4:0 (74’ and 77’).
After a wonderful forward pass from Tietz, Guthörl provided for a cosmetic improvement to the scoreline, but it didn’t alter the distribution of the points (84’). The SVWW had to head for home empty-handed.
SVWW: Boss – Ajani, Carstens (82’ Gürleyen), Mockenhaupt, Niemeyer – Hollerbach (54’ Tietz), Lais (54’ Guthörl), Medic, Chato, Korte – Malone.