The ball rolled through the Elversberg defense for twelve minutes
One hundred percent pass rate in the final minutes: SV Elversberg used a dubious method against Frankfurt to secure promotion
Source: pa / Eibner press photo / Michael Schmidt / Eibner press photo
A scandal broke out on the penultimate day of the Regionalliga Südwest. Since a draw is enough for both FSV Frankfurt and SV Elversberg, there are scenes like Gijón’s shame. Those involved do not know of any guilt.
Dhis initial situation was clear to all involved. Sonnenhof Großaspach had to win the last home game of the season against second place SSV Ulm 1846 to still have a chance to stay up in the Regionalliga Südwest. After 34 of 36 games played, Ulm was only two points behind leading SV Elversberg, who at the same time wanted to celebrate promotion to FSV Frankfurt, Großaspach’s direct competitor in the battle for relegation. So far so good.
After 76 minutes, Großaspach were ahead 3-0 and would have had the opportunity to stay up in the league with a win over RW Koblenz on the final day of the match. Frankfurt should have lost against Elversberg and next week in third place Kickers Offenbach.
Ulm, on the other hand, would only have had a realistic chance of promotion due to the defeat at Großaspach if Frankfurt beat the leaders from Elversberg and they lost at home to FC 08 Homburg on the last day of the match.
But all the theoretical gimmicks and calculations became superfluous about twelve minutes before the final whistle between Frankfurt and Elversberg. An unworthy sight followed. Elversberg’s coach Horst Steffen sent his team back on its own half of the field when the score was 1-1. There, the Saarlanders happily pushed the ball back and forth for twelve minutes to applause from their fans. The Frankfurters waited calmly on the center line. No FSV player touched the ball again in the final phase.
On the last day of the game day, Elversberg is now three points and 19 goals ahead at the top of the table and can theoretically only be overtaken by Ulm, while Frankfurt with three points and a goal difference that is 14 goals better is almost certain Stay up.
Shame on Elversberg
The last minutes of the match are reminiscent of “Gijón’s disgrace” when Germany and Austria agreed after Horst Hrubesch made it 1-0 at the 1982 World Cup in Spain not to dribble the ball near the goal anymore. Both teams then qualified for the next round.
Thomas Brendel, sporting director of FSV Frankfurt, defended the approach to “FAZ” after the final whistle: “Elversberger did not play forward and we would not win the ball. I think that is understandable. Two other teams would have done the same. All would have been closest on himself there. ”
The two coaches also saw no problem in the style of play for either team. Elversberg’s coach Steffen said: “It was clear that if we drew, we were almost done. That’s legitimate. “Frankfurt coach Tim Görner asked rhetorically:” The draw was enough for us. Why should we attack there? ”
During the match, FSV even tweeted about the strange scenes: “Madness. When ELV would have risen to the current table level and FSV was saved, ELV has let the ball run in its own ranks for 7 minutes. Incredible scene! The stadium honors this with applause!”
After the final whistle, both teams celebrated the achievement of their goal. On the last match day, of course, they will give everything again, emphasized Frankfurt’s Marcel Heller after the final whistle.