SC Paderborn managed to claim three valuable points on the road, defeating SV Darmstadt 98 by a score of 1-0 at the Merck Stadium on January 27, 2025. The victory marked Paderborn's first win after four games without success and propelled them to sixth place in the 2. Bundesliga.
The match, watched up close by fans eagerly hoping for their home team's resurgence, saw the guests score the only goal of the game through Felix Platte, who had previously been part of the Darmstadt squad. Platte’s decisive moment came from a well-executed set piece during the first half, leaving the home team's defense struggling to contain the visitors.
Under the leadership of coach Florian Kohfeldt, Darmstadt started the match without any changes from their previous lineup, aiming for improvement against Paderborn. The first half witnessed intense action, initially culminating in confusion early on when Paderborn appeared to score, only to have the goal disallowed after the ball inadvertently struck Platte’s arm before crossing the line.
After several missed chances on both sides, Paderborn found the breakthrough from the corner kick taken by Marvin Mehlem. He laid off the ball for Platte to strike from just outside the box, resulting in solo difficulty for Darmstadt’s goalkeeper, Marcel Schuhen, who was unable to stop the attempt. Kohfeldt’s men seemed to lack creativity, failing to secure any clear-cut scoring opportunities throughout the opening 45 minutes.
Schuhen showcased remarkable goalkeeping skills, particularly during the final minutes of the first half when he made two outstanding saves to keep his team only one goal down. The first was from Raphael Obermair’s free kick, quickly followed by denying Filip Bilbija's rebound attempt.
Despite Darmstadt coming back onto the pitch with renewed enthusiasm for the second half, the creative spark was still absent from their game plan. The home team struggled to construct coherent attacking plays, with Paderborn sitting deep and defending resolutely, making it difficult for Darmstadt to penetrate their lines.
After the match, Coach Kohfeldt reflected on his team's performance, stating, "It was expected to be difficult against a very good opponent. We were well prepared, but we didn’t manage to play our game, especially in the first half." This sentiment mirrored the frustrations felt by the supporters, as the team failed to capitalize on any offensive momentum.
Kwasniok’s Paderborn enforced their style by maintaining control throughout the match, emphasizing the need for increased tempo and more decisive actions against the defense. He remarked, "Overall, both teams had problems stressing their opponents, but we kept our style of play with more players in our last defensive line and a more compact block." These tactics paid dividends, as they succeeded without much difficulty, holding on to their single goal advantage.
Despite late substitutions, including the introduction of newcomer Jean-Paul Boëtius, the Lilies could not find the equalizer they desperately needed. Their efforts resulted only in half-chances with Fraser Hornby struggling to get meaningful touches on the ball. The disappointing outcome left many to question the team's strategy and execution moving forward.
Overall, Paderborn's solid defense and ability to capitalize on set pieces secured their hard-fought victory against Darmstadt. The match served as a stark reminder for the Lilies of how quickly fortunes can change and the importance of clinical finishing as they seek to hone their skills for the challenges of the remainder of the season.