Dampener for SV Waldhof Mannheim in the promotion race of the 3rd division: On the 29th matchday, the Kurpfälzer lost in front of their home crowd in the top game against VfL Osnabrück with 0:2 (0:1).
Waldhof and Osnabrück went into the third division top game with the same number of points. The Mannheimers not only wanted to keep close contact with the promotion ranks by winning, but also for the 0:5 removal from the first leg take revenge on the Lower Saxony.
VfL had the first chance of the game. After a cross from Omar Haktab Traoré, however, Lukas Kunze made a clear miss on the second post from a promising position. The SVW had their first dangerous shot a little later, but Fridolin Wagner shot just wide of the Osnabrücker Tor from a good 20 meters (15th).
Simakala doesn’t give Bartels a chance
The guests now dominated the game and put enormous pressure on. Consequently, they took a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute. Traoré was sent off steeply on the right. Waldhof’s Marten Winkler was unable to prevent the Osnabrück player’s cross and Ba-Muaka Simakala was there in the middle. SVW keeper Jan-Christoph Bartels was powerless against the powerful header of the 26-year-old former Bundesliga player (a mission for Mönchengladbach) from six meters. The 13th goal of the season for Simakala, who has already prepared seven goals this season.
Lower Saxony then gave Mannheim more possession, but coach Christian Neidhart’s team couldn’t do much against the well-stacked defense of the guests. Clear opportunities for the home side were still scarce – and that was until the half-time break. So the Waldhof went into the dressing room with a deserved 0:1 deficit.
VfL comes out of the cabin better
In the second half, Lower Saxony got off to a better start again. In the 50th minute, SVW keeper Bartels let a cross pass from Noel Niemann bounce off Kunze’s feet. Dominik Kother was able to fend off the shot from Osnabrück just before the line.
Kunze increased for Osnabrück
A little later, Kunze did better. After a back pass from Niemann from the baseline, the 24-year-old hit the far corner from seven yards out to make it 2-0.
As a result, the guests acted even more confidently, while the home side were shocked. Furthermore, little went forward for the Mannheimers, almost all creativity was missing. Osnabrück, meanwhile, was waiting for ball wins in order to create further chances by quickly switching games after counterattacks.
Even in the final phase, the SVW didn’t get enough. VfL didn’t do more than necessary, but Mannheim could hardly think of anything. So it ended up being the absolutely deserved 2-0 away win for Lower Saxony.
Waldhof Mannheim loses another top game
For SV Waldhof Mannheim, the home defeat in front of more than 12,000 spectators means a setback in the promotion race of the 3rd division. The Neidhart team had already lost a top game last week after a poor performance – at that time at SV Wehen Wiesbaden.
With 48 points from 29 games, the SVW is currently in seventh place. Osnabrück, meanwhile, can look forward to “big points” and is now fourth with 51 points.