Sportfreunde Lotte 1-0 KFC Uerdingen
Regionalliga West
connectM-Arena
15 March 2014
Have you have ever been driving from Osnabruck towards the Netherlands on Autobahn 30 and wondered what the small modern stadium on the right hand side is? Well wonder no more. I can confirm it is the modern home of Sportfreunde Lotte of Regionalliga West (4th tier). Today they played host to the next installment of KFC Uerdingen's attempt to get out of the relegation mess they have pretty much caused themselves through poor home results (Velbert, Wattenscheid, Koln II Verl) and losing the points they earned from the away win on the first day of the season. KFC's poor home form was to the fore earlier in the season when today's hosts (currently second in the league) ran out winners 7-0.
There was no such gulf in the teams today as the home side just about deserved to win, adjusting to the strong wind slightly better. KFC gave it a good go and could easily have found an equaliser to the home side 55th minute penalty (which admittably I did not see being awarded). But alas some wayward finishing and the woodwork prevented this.
The ground itself is small, modern and, in alot of ways, reminded me of some of these newer 2nd and 3rd tier Belgian grounds belonging to smaller town sides. All very un-German. The away car park was someone's courtyard. To our right there is just advertising, but by the looks of things, further development is taking place (although with home support barely breaking the 500 mark, you have to ask yourself why). The original oval shape is still just about visible down this end. The away seats (for which you paid a full 5 euro more) were two rows of benches behind the segregation terrace.
And so the team from Krefeld returned home empty handed and for the first time this season I sensed an element of frustration among the 200 red and blue faithful. But I remain confident they can still pull this off. I write this on the eve of a massive four days when they face the U23 teams of Borussia Monchengladbach in Grotenburg and Bochum in Wattenscheid. Two good showing here and the world will look a much better place.
And in the somewhat unusual world of German Football, their fate may also lie in events at the foot of Bundesliga 2. But here's hoping it doesn't come to that.
There was no such gulf in the teams today as the home side just about deserved to win, adjusting to the strong wind slightly better. KFC gave it a good go and could easily have found an equaliser to the home side 55th minute penalty (which admittably I did not see being awarded). But alas some wayward finishing and the woodwork prevented this.
The ground itself is small, modern and, in alot of ways, reminded me of some of these newer 2nd and 3rd tier Belgian grounds belonging to smaller town sides. All very un-German. The away car park was someone's courtyard. To our right there is just advertising, but by the looks of things, further development is taking place (although with home support barely breaking the 500 mark, you have to ask yourself why). The original oval shape is still just about visible down this end. The away seats (for which you paid a full 5 euro more) were two rows of benches behind the segregation terrace.
And so the team from Krefeld returned home empty handed and for the first time this season I sensed an element of frustration among the 200 red and blue faithful. But I remain confident they can still pull this off. I write this on the eve of a massive four days when they face the U23 teams of Borussia Monchengladbach in Grotenburg and Bochum in Wattenscheid. Two good showing here and the world will look a much better place.
And in the somewhat unusual world of German Football, their fate may also lie in events at the foot of Bundesliga 2. But here's hoping it doesn't come to that.