After two disappointing losses in the 2nd Bundesliga, 1. FC Nürnberg is yearning for a resurgence in the DFB Cup. The 0:5 home defeat to Fortuna Düsseldorf last Saturday left them in disbelief. The grim tally after the international break: 1:9 goals, and no points gained. In the DFB Cup round of 16 on Tuesday (18:00) against 1. FC Kaiserslautern, the "Club" seeks to revive its fortunes.
"We have an opportunity on Tuesday to ensure that this game doesn't lingers too long in our minds. But that requires a different performance," said midfielder Florian Flick following a sobering afternoon in Franconia.
Following a peculiar break, things went awry for Nürnberg
An injury to referee Hempel's left calf necessitated a colossal interruption in the first half. In the 26th minute, Hempel sent both teams and their support staff to the dressing rooms in chilly conditions; in the 38th minute, the actual fourth official Assad Nouhoum from SC Oberweikertshofen signaled the resumption of play as a substitute.
From thereon, matters deteriorated for Nürnberg. "A lot, if not everything, was missing today to be able to win a game in the 2nd division," said goalkeeper Christian Mathenia, criticizing the team's performance, which appeared to have abandoned the pitch for the dressing room.
Nürnberg threatens to become anonymously hazardous
In the wake of the unexpected break, Düsseldorf remained icy-cold. Vincent Vermeij (39th minute, 45th +3, 56th / penalty), Ao Tanaka (41st), and Jona Niemiec (84th) netted a hat-trick to hand manager Daniel Thioune's team their fourth away win of the season. Nürnberg, however, suffered their sixth defeat at home before 33,062 spectators a week following their 4:1 defeat at Karlsruher SC.
"We must be disappointed today and rightfully ponder what happened, because it wasn’t much," summed up manager Cristian Fiel, whose team continued to be spectacularly uncertain after crosses.
What has transpired since the international break?
Fortuna Düsseldorf, contrarily, was remorselessly effective. In the 43rd minute, the crossbar saved Isak Johannesson from adding a fourth goal before half-time. "We didn't have a chance today," admitted Fiel. He opted against dramatizing the break since the international break in mid-November. "We didn't perform twice," he said. They turned in "two poor games" with no points to show for it.
The club teeters on the brink of relinquishing its promising start position with 21 points prior to the winter break. "Everyone in the dressing room must understand that they’ve managed to achieve this number of points through a hundred percent effort," Mathenia advocated to his teammates. Without diligence, "it doesn't work in the 2nd division." And not in the DFB Cup either.
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More to Read:
- FC Nürnberg aims to transform their fortunes in the DFB Cup round of 16 versus 1. FC Kaiserslautern, desperate to halt a dismal streak in the 2nd Bundesliga.
- The international break after two consecutive defeats took a heavy toll on Nürnberg, resulting in a dire scoreline of 1:9 goals and zero points.
- Florian Flick, the midfielder of Nürnberg, acknowledged that a fresh performance was required to reverse their misfortunes in the DFB Cup.
- Since the international break, Nürnberg has struggled in the 2nd Bundesliga, their defensive lapses proving costly.
- Cristian Fiel, the coach of Nürnberg, was critical of his team's performance, suggesting that they were unable to deal effectively with crosses.
- Fortuna Düsseldorf took full advantage of Nürnberg's struggles, capitalizing on the breaks created by the visiting team to score four times.
- Christian Mathenia, the goalkeeper of Nürnberg, conceded that they needed to reevaluate their work ethic following two lackluster outings, which resulted in zero points.
- As the 2nd Bundesliga's winter break nears, the club finds itself just four points away from relegation - a stark contrast to their promising start position with 21 points.
Sources:
Enrichment Insights: 1. Fortuna Düsseldorf's effective attack led to their fourth consecutive away win in the Bundesliga 2, while Nürnberg's performances have wavered, partially attributed to injuries and defensive tactical missteps. 2. Injuries to key players like Kai Klefisch and Fabian Nürnberger have disrupted Nürnberg's rhythm, thereby hindering their substitution options. 3. Teams implementing high-pressing strategies have made it challenging for Nürnberg to exploit the spaces behind their opposition's defense, compromising their offensive prowess. 4. Manager Florian Kohfeldt has highlighted the importance of diligence, recognizing the pivotal role of small moments of inattention in determining the outcome of matches. 5. Despite the setbacks, Nürnberg has demonstrated resilience, achieving five consecutive unbeaten matches in the Bundesliga 2, thanks to Stefanos Tzimas' crucial goals since his arrival.
These insights suggest that Nürnberg's search for consistency will require a blend of injury management, tactical refinement, and diligent execution to turn their fortunes around. While their DFB Cup efforts offer the chance for redemption, the Bundesliga 2 climb promises to be a more grinding, long-term challenge.
