Great at the front, bad at the back: Karlsruher SC was lucky to win against SV Elversberg in the 2nd Bundesliga at the end of the first half of the season.
That was from the perspective of the KSCfans nothing for weak nerves. The Baden team won 3-2 (2-1) against newly promoted SV Elversberg on Sunday (December 17th, 2023). Dženis Burnić (6th minute) and Budu Zivzivadze (16th) quickly gave KSC a comfortable lead, Paul Wanner (29th) scored the next goal for Elversberg. Igor Matanovic (53′) increased for Karlsruhe, Luca Schnellbacher (63′) brought the SV closer again.
The KSC is now twelfth in the table with 21 points, four points clear of the relegation place, Elversberg remains in ninth place with 24 points and is the best newcomer in the midfield.
Dream start for the KSC
The ambitious Karlsruhe team, who fell well short of their expectations in the first half of the season, started the game perfectly. SV goalkeeper Nicolas Kristof slapped a shot from Leon Jensen forward, and Burnić, who was lurking in the backcourt, sank the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal. Ten minutes later, Zivzivadze followed up with a cross pass from Philip Heise and made it 2-0 from the turn.
Elversberg’s Wanner dusts off
As a result, that felt team Coach Christian Eichner was too confident and slowed down. The Saarlanders found their way into the game better and scored the next goal with their first well-played attack. After cross from Maurice Neubauer jumped Schnellbacher higher than Heise and Robin Bormuth. KSC goalkeeper Patrick Drewes wiped his header off the line, but he was powerless to stop Wanner’s shot from close range. The goal conceded once again revealed Karlsruhe’s problems in defense.
Patrick Stricker, Sportschau, December 17, 2023 3:40 p.m
The Baden team allowed more and more, but were lucky that Elversberg didn’t consistently finish a number of counterattack opportunities. Shortly before the break, KSC could have restored the old distance – a shot from Matanovic (45.+3) Kristof bounced forward and Zivzivadze sent the follow-up shot into the sky.
Schnellbacher hits the crossbar for Elversberg
Immediately after the restart, Karlsruhe’s carelessness was almost punished with the equalizer. After a cross from the right, Schnellbacher (47th) placed the ball directly on the lower edge of the crossbar. Six minutes later, KSC seemed to be safely back on the winning road. Kristof couldn’t hold on to a shot from Zivzivadze, Matanovic won 3-1
Hair-raising Karlsruhe defense
Again Matanovic (59.) could have made everything clear after a corner, but only hit the crossbar. And then the KSC defense failed again. Paul Nebel misused the ball on the edge of the penalty area, Schnellbacher accepted the gift and sank the ball into the far corner.
Elversberg pushed for the equalizer. Wanner (66th) lobbed over KSC goalkeeper Drewes, but only hit the post. As a result, the Baden team at least managed to calm the game down again, but they always seemed vulnerable defensively. Nebel (90th) missed the huge chance to make the final decision, so that the KSC had to tremble until the end to secure a narrow victory.
KSC after the winter break against Osnabrück, Elversberg against Hannover
The Karlsruhe team will now have VfL Osnabrück visiting in the new year (Friday, January 19, 2024 at 6:30 p.m.). Elversberg welcomes Hannover a day later at 1 p.m.