Relegation 2nd/3rd League, first leg: Almost abandoned game – Wehen Wiesbaden outclasses Arminia

Third division SV Wehen Wiesbaden shocked Bielefeld’s Arminia in the first leg of the relegation. The Hessians won on Friday (06/02/23) 4-0 (1-0). However, the game was temporarily interrupted due to fan riots. The club from the 2nd Bundesliga is one and a half legs in the 3rd division and also has to reckon with a severe penalty. Fabian Klos was devastated after the game, denied his team “the character” but ruled out his career ending quickly.

Ivan Prtajin gave the third division the lead in the seventh minute. The next goal came three quarters of an hour later when Johannes Wurtz raised for Wehen Wiesbaden (50′). Benedict Hollerbach scored the 3-0 for the supposed underdog (60th), which is worth seeing. The final point was set by John Iredale (82nd). After that, the game had to be interrupted, but was brought to an end after a long interruption.

“Our match plan worked out perfectly. You can’t do it any better”praised SVWW coach Markus Kauczinski, “We needed something, but then we did it very well.” “We were fresh, we were bilious, we were there from the start”said Hollerbach after the game on Sky, “It’s the character of the team, everyone in the dressing room had a smile on their face”, the goal scorer described the mood in the Wehen Wiesbaden dressing room before the game. Given the riots he would have “a queasy feeling” had, and he could imagine that the second leg could be played without spectators.

Bielefeld with personnel worries

Arminen coach Uwe Koschinat surprisingly did without captain Fabian Klos in his starting eleven. Jomaine Consbruch was suspended, Lukas Klünter, Masaya Okugawa and Guilherme Ramos had to sit out due to injury. So weakened, the East Westphalians didn’t get into the game in Hesse very well.

Marc Rzatkowski had the first vague shot chance for the guests (3rd minute), but Wehen Wiesbaden took the first trick. Brooklyn Ezeh crossed to the far post from the left. There Prtajin broke away from Andres Andrade and headed in from seven meters against the running direction of Arminia keeper Martin Fraisl on the top left.

Arminia does not get access

The decisive factor also happened early in the second half: after a free kick, Fraisl parried well against Ezeh’s shot, but Johannes Wurtz converted the rebound coldly from five meters. When Hollerbach increased to 3:0 after a remarkable solo from his own half, the Bielefeld defeat was as good as sealed.

The hosts didn’t give up, even when angry Bielefeld supporters in the away block threatened to storm the pitch. Captain Fabian Klos, who has since come on as a substitute, tried to calm the fans down. But when John Iredale single-handedly raised, some people from the Arminia curve were completely upset. Rockets and firecrackers forced referee Benjamin Brand to interrupt the game.

First, no police in the stadium

After firecrackers had already been fired onto the pitch after the 3-0, the referees ordered the game to be suspended. Two minutes later it continued. After the fourth goal, the situation threatened to escalate again. Klos burst into tears of disappointment as more smoke and firecrackers were fired.

The police concept remained unclear. During the game, the stewards in the stadium in Wiesbaden were busy keeping the situation under control. Some hooligans were particularly busy at a gate to the interior. But the police, who were apparently present with a hundred people in the area of ​​the stadium, only showed up in the interior after about ten minutes of the interruption.

Klos calms the situation and even collects fireworks waste from the field

Only then did the situation seem to calm down, and the referee team discussed how the game could be continued. Klos spoke again to the upset supporters and appealed to the spectators not to further disrupt the game. In addition, the leading player was not above collecting firecrackers that had burned off the pitch himself.

At this point there were still five minutes plus overtime to complete. At 10:47 p.m., Brand kicked off the game again. Fireworks were also set off after the game was over.

Interview: Klos devastated

“Thank God nobody got hurt”said Klos on Sky, “But the fans react to what the so-called team showed today. I’m realistic, but the thing is done. But I can’t face this team today.” And then the captain showed his desperation: “But in the past two weeks you have to deny the character of the team.” And when asked about his future, Klos said: “I’m not going to stop like that. I can’t say anything for sure, but if Arminia plays in the 3rd division next season, I’ll be there.”

Unfortunately, the fine performance of Markus Kauczinski’s team faded into the background, but the team was duly celebrated by its peaceful fans.