Flip-flopping Darmstadt Set to Stir Up Stumbling HSV in Promotion Battle
Darmstadt's moves threaten to derail HSV's push for promotion. - Darmstadt poised to disrupt HSV's path towards the top league's summit
Kick back and relax, Darmstadt 98's place in the 2. Bundesliga is already secured. Yet, the Lilies ain't ready to put their feet up quite yet. "It ain't just a short break," said coach Florian Kohfeldt, following Darmstadt's 1:1 draw against Preußen Münster. With the deal sealed for another year in the second division, the team now aims to rattle promotion hopefuls Hamburger SV.
"A highly pumped HSV will be on our doorstep," warned Kohfeldt ahead of the home game this Saturday (13:30 CET/Sky). The Lilies' main mission is to smother that initial onslaught, according to the 42-year-old.
The stumbling HSV has "tremendous individual talent"
With three matches yielding just a point, concern's growing for the Hamburg side. Nevertheless, Kohfeldt can't help but show respect. "HSV's got superb individual talent within their team. Every position, from goalkeeper to striker, it's all top-notch," said Kohfeldt.
That Kohfeldt used to play for Werder Bremen doesn't add any extra spice to the mix. "Doesn't matter to me. I'm the coach of the Lilies," stated Kohfeldt, who's eying his first Darmstadt win against the Rothosen at the Böllenfalltor.
- 2. Bundesliga
- Darmstadt
- SVD
- HSV
- Promotion race
- Florian Kohfeldt
- Hamburger SV
- Relegation
- Preußen Münster
In recent matches, Darmstadt is 12th in the league, collecting 39 points and presenting a mixed bag of results, But after a 1-1 draw against a fellow relegation-threatened team, inconsistency's been highlighted in their performances. On the flip-side, HSV's holding strong in 2nd place, accumulating 53 points. They've shown strength away from home, especially against Darmstadt, with no defeats in their last 7 matches.
Kohfeldt holds HSV in high regard, emphasizing that there's "both absolute individual top quality and depth on their roster."
While Kohfeldt's former club Werder Bremen adds no additional drama, the Lorzenblau hope to make history and hand HSV their first loss at the Böllenfalltor since 2015.
In their previous 14 encounters, the H2H stats have shown the teams winning 5 times each, with 6 draws. The most recent match saw a 2-2 draw on December 8, 2024. Darmstadt has scored in 10 of their last 11 matches against Hamburg.
Statistically, over 2.5 goals have been scored in seven out of eight games between them, while Both Teams To Score (Yes) is favored by bookmakers due to their consistent goal-scoring pattern.
With Hamburg's strong away form and Darmstadt's inconsistent performances, the Red Shorts might be slightly favored. However, the history of high-scoring matches and Both Teams To Score suggests that feelings could be mixed in this game. Thus, both teams scoring (Yes) and over 2.5 goals is a predicted outcome for this match.
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- Despite Darmstadt's secure position in the 2. Bundesliga, coach Florian Kohfeldt stressed that the team's main focus is on remaining competitive, particularly against promotion hopefuls like Hamburg SV, such as during the upcoming matchday.
- Kohfeldt noted that Hamburger SV boasts tremendous individual talent, which makes them a formidable opponent, even for a seasoned coach like himself.
- In their promotion race, the Lilies will need to put forth a strong defensive effort to counter HSV's quality playing style and aim for their first win against the Rothosen at the Böllenfalltor since 2015.
