"Yaaas, yaaas!" echoed the fans of Holstein Kiel**, their joyous chants filled the air as they celebrated an impressive first half of the season. A crushing 3-0 victory over Hannover 96 on a chilly Saturday evening sealed their fifth consecutive win in the 2nd Bundesliga, propelling them to the top of the table. Grinning from ear to ear, coach Marcel Rapp proudly announced, "We're thrilled with our position, the points we've accumulated and the manner in which we've played. We've every right to be proud."
No one could have predicted this turn of events before the season kickoff: With a team comprised almost entirely of new faces, standouts like ex-captain Hauke Wahl, versatile defender Fin Bartels, and swift winger Fabian Reese were amongst the 15 players who waved farewell to the club last summer. But fear not, as in their stead, eleven fresh recruits joined the ranks of the holsteiner green and white. Miraculously, there were no growing pains. Fours wins out of five to start the season demonstrated the potential of the new squad, leaving spectators in awe.
Delighted by the new additions, striker Benedikt Pichler couldn't hide his excitement on match night. "I believe we've made some smart moves with our new signings, and I owe it to each one of them for their unwavering hunger and dedication to our cause." On Saturdays evening, the spotlight shone on young talents like 19-year-old full-back Tom Rothe, whom they secured on loan from Borussia Dortmund. The success story of another young challenger - 20-year-old Colin Kleine-Bekel - is worth mentioning. Training in Dortmund since the tender age of 12, he made a seamless transition to the club that welcomed him in the summer of 2022, already representing Germany U21 internationally.
Another strength of the squad - in particular, up front - culminated with the recent success of two shining stars. Benedikt Pichler, who has bagged an impressive 7 goals, and Steven Skrzybski, with his remarkable 5 goals, have been the main forces driving Holstein Kiel's forward movement. However, in times of need, Japanese international Shuto Machino and the ambitious Fiete Arp have stepped up to the plate. In their absence, Arp, the former star striker for both HSV and FC Bayern Munich, scored two electrifying goals against Hannover (27th and 45th minutes), while Timo Becker (25) netted the opening goal.
"For me, this is a fantastic way to wrap up the first half of the season because I've worked my ass off for it." Arp shared his sentiments regarding his contribution to the promotion race. "We aren't putting ourselves under enormous pressure, but we have a positive momentum. We maintain the self-confidence that we've earned and feel so satisfied with our hunger to get more points and remain at the top."
As the second half of the season kicks off on January 19, Holstein Kiel will yet again square off against relegation candidates Eintracht Braunschweig. They'll look to carry the wave of excitement and momentum with them into their clash and, hopefully, remain in contention for the coveted promotion spot.
