The Offenbacher Kickers won the away match in the South West Regional Football League at Bahlinger SC after a 0-1 to 2-1 (1-1) deficit.
Bahlingen – When match winners Offenbacher Kickers embraced after their happy 2-1 (1-1) win at Bahlinger SC, goalkeeper David Richter just shouted a word into his colleague Rafael Garcia’s ear : “Important!” With a late goal by Garcia, OFC returned to winning ways in the Southwest Regional Football League after two games without a win. In the standings, coach Ersan Parlatan’s team improved from seventh to fifth place. The gap to leaders Ulm is still nine points. This didn’t matter to the Offenbachers immediately after the final whistle.
“There have been other games this season where we have been unlucky. Now we finally managed to win the dirty work,” said managing director Matthias Georg happily. And top scorer Garcia added: “Bahlingen was good in the second half. We were a bit lucky there. But I don’t care at all.”
Parlatan had made two changes to his starting XI since the 1-1 draw with FSV Mainz 05 II. Jayson Breitenbach, who could play again after a yellow and red suspension, replaced Jakob Zitzelsberger in central defence. And in Julian Albrecht (for Christian Derflinger) a second six came into play.
Both teams operated in a 4-2-3-1 system and quickly looked for the way forward. A lively exchange of blows developed from the start. After just three minutes, the ball went into the net for the first time. Bahlingen’s Hasan Pepic had shot from distance. OFC goalkeeper Richter was heading for the right corner, but the ball was unfortunately deflected and flew into the goal in a high arc – 1:0.
However, the Kickers weren’t shocked at all. Dominik Wanner was deflected into the penalty area (4′), but the equalizer came in the eleventh minute. Dejan Bozic prevailed on the left and passed the ball low in front of goal, where Jakob Lemmer was free to score to make it 1-1. This is the seventh goal of the season for the 22-year-old from Italy.
A little later also almost the management of Offenbach. Björn Jopek chipped the ball in the 16th. The ball bounced off Bozic’s chest to Dominik Wanner, who shot high from ten meters (20′). But Bahlingen continued to play happily. And the 1-0 scene almost repeated itself. This time, however, the deflected ball stops wide of the goal (34′). It was the best chance for the hosts in a small phase of urgency. In the closing minutes of the first half, however, OFC was closer to the lead again. First, Lemmer shot just wide of the far post (39′). And just before the half-time whistle, aluminum made a save for BSC: Semir Saric had thrown the ball in the direction of goal. The ball hit the post from Jopek’s side. Goalkeeper Marvin Geng grabbed the rebound (45th).
After the switch, Bahlingen initially made a more alert and aggressive impression, pushing the Kickers defensively. In the 56th minute the ball suddenly ends up in the hosts’ goal. But the flag still went – offside. Bahlingen continued to have more game. After a corner he becomes dangerous. However, Richter saved and Julian Albrecht finally hit the ball out of the danger zone (64th). The Kickers goalkeeper still has a lot to do and made two powerful saves in the 74th minute. He then saved again on Fischer (83′).
Earlier, Parlatan had made an attacking change and brought in a striker for a midfielder in place of Jopek in Philipp Hosiner. With success. There were also three jokers involved in the 2:1. Substitute Christian Derflinger caught the ball in his own half and passed it to Lemmer, who passed it directly to Hosiner. The Austrian has space on the right and passes behind the defense to Rafael Garcia, who also came on from the bench, and Geng has no escape with a low shot (88′).
“Bahlingen was closer to 2-1 than us. But this is football: we won with substitutes,” Parlatan said, happy with the three points.
