After a debacle in the relegation first leg overshadowed by fan riots, Arminia Bielefeld is threatened with relegation for the second time in a row.
Coach Uwe Koschinat’s team lost 0: 4 (0: 1) at third division club SV Wehen Wiesbaden and has their backs to the wall before the second leg on Tuesday (8.45 p.m. / Sky and Sat.1) in Bielefeld. A fall into the third division would have serious consequences for Arminia – in the final phase Bielefeld fans caused chaos and a minute-long interruption.
Firecrackers flew onto the field, a firecracker landed right next to Arminia’s athletic trainer Niklas Klasen. In tears, captain Fabian Klos tried to calm the situation and talked to the chaotic. Benjamin Brand sent the teams into the dressing room, after 20 minutes the referee continued the game.
In the second duel, Bielefeld faces a huge hurdle. After goals conceded by Ivan Prtajin (6th), Johannes Wurtz (50th), Benedict Hollerbach (60th) and John Iredale (82nd), Arminia have to catch up – and need a much better performance than in the first comparison on Friday in Wiesbaden.
Bielefeld gives up early
Koschinat’s team lost 4-0 at 1. FC Magdeburg on the last day of the game and put in an unbelievable performance. As compensation, the team paid for the admission to the first relegation game in Wiesbaden for their fans. “We will only be able to stay in the league together: team and fans together,” said captain Klos.
But the hosts only showed a bit of determination and will: Prtajin shocked Bielefeld with the early 1-0. The Croatian headed in effortlessly from a Brooklyn Ezeh cross – and it worked. Bielefeld allowed Ezeh to solo over half the pitch, only goalkeeper Martin Fraisl prevented the second goal (20′).
The guests did not achieve anything offensively. Wiesbaden was superior at all times – and increased immediately after the break. Fraisl parried a free-kick from Ezeh, and Wurtz pocketed the follow-up shot. The former junior national player Hollerbach followed shortly thereafter with the third goal.
Bielefeld’s best chance was missed by Sebastian Vasiliadis: Significantly, he first shot the substitute Klos, the second attempt rushed wide of the goal. After Iredale’s goal, the situation in the Bielefeld block escalated.