Tough wrestling: In the first leg at RW Koblenz (left: Leon Müller), Florent Bojaj (right) and Offenbacher Kickers had a hard time and ultimately had to be content with a goalless draw.
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Those responsible for the regional soccer division Kickers Offenbach have ticked off the title, but are still hoping for promotion. “Who knows what second place can be for?” Says Managing Director Thomas Sobotzik before the home game against RW Koblenz.
Offenbach – Kickers Offenbach’s dream of winning the title in the Südwest regional football league broke after the recent 3-0 defeat in the pursuit duel at SV Elversberg, but those responsible have not yet completely given up hope of promotion. “Who knows what a second place can be good for,” says Managing Director Thomas Sobotzik.
You have “seen many times in the past” that surprisingly doors still open. “You should therefore not give anything away. We are still focused and will continue what we have been working on, ”clarifies Sobotzik.
The fact that the sovereign league leaders SC Freiburg II (36 games, 82 points) renounces promotion in the event of a title win can be described as excluded. After all, the Breisgauer had recently made it clear that they would very much like to play with their reserve in the 3rd division. However, there is speculation that this season in the west and south-west seasons could also entitle second rank to promotion because the season in the other three groups was canceled early. It’s a vague hope, no doubt, a straw that the kickers cling to. And so Sobotzik emphasizes almost defiantly: “There are still five games that are all important for us.” Especially since the OFC (37 games, 74 points) is one point behind SV Elversberg (37/75) as third and in TSV Steinbach Haiger (36/72) and SSV Ulm 1846 (35/69) have a duo up their necks that would overtake if they win their catch-up games.
Sreto Ristic therefore blows in the same way as Sobotzik. “This season is far from over,” says the OFC coach. “Above all, we want to try to finish our three home games successfully.” The first is the hardest on paper. On Saturday (2 p.m.) the surprise team of the league in Offenbach will be visiting TuS RW Koblenz. In addition, the Kickers will receive Astoria Walldorf (June 1) and, at the end of the round, Mainz 05 II (June 12). In addition, there are the games at FSV Frankfurt (May 22nd) and at VfR Aalen (June 5th).
Koblenz was actually already relegated last season (22 games, five points), but kept the class by breaking off the season and started the current season under the new coach Heiner Backhaus (nine second division appearances for the OFC in the 2005 season / 06) through. As tenth in the table (37/52), the team has long been in safe territory. In the second half of the ranking, Koblenz even took sixth place (16 games, 27 points). This is no surprise to Ristic, however. “We saw how tough it is to play against them when we were 0-0 in the first half of the season,” says the Kickers coach. “Koblenz is a strong team that defends well as a collective and then switches quickly. They underpin that with points. “Even top teams had problems against the Rhineland-Palatinate, emphasizes Ristic. Elversberg and Ulm had to be content with a 1-1 draw against Koblenz this year. The FSV Frankfurt lost 1: 2. “At home we want to win against everyone,” says Ristic, but at the same time makes it clear: “It won’t be an easy task.”
Especially since the personnel situation is still tense. In addition to the long-term injuries Charles Laprevotte (shoulder joint dislocation), Francesco Calabrese (ankle joint) and Tim Dierßen (cruciate ligament tear), Marco Fritscher is also absent. The right full-back has torn a muscle fiber in Elversberg. The season is probably over for him. Elia Soriano, who continues to have problems after a blow to the back of the knee, and Ronny Marcos (irritation of the Achilles tendon), who had only completed rehab training until yesterday, is also unlikely. “It’s painful, but I am positive that I will be able to play again soon,” said the left-back.
Meanwhile, after Maurice Pluntke (1.FC Bocholt), the next departure for the new season is certain: Dominik Draband, last season the clear number one in the OFC goal, since this round only a substitute behind Stephan Flauder, is returning to TSG Hoffenheim II. In 2019 he moved from SV Elversberg to Kickers (23 appearances). (By Christian Düncher)
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