November Rain

November 2017

Before any League matches take place, the German Cup 3rd Round draw was held. We can look forward to a home tie against Bundesliga side Freiburg.

German 2nd Div. – Wehen v Frankfurt (Away)

We create an early chance from a corner but it is headed well over the bar. Wehen go on to pass the ball around well and on 7 minutes take the lead with an easy finish.

A lucky deflection guides our equaliser past Wehen’s flailing ‘keeper at the 14 minute-mark. Some more fine one-touch play opens us right up and Wehen retake the lead just a minute later.

A lovely cross from the right is met by the diving head of Lebedynski to restore parity on 23 minutes. Wehen’s striker completes a First-Half hat-trick in Injury Time. An exciting half of football finished 3-2 in favour of the home side.

Into the Second-Half now, and a short Free Kick almost works for us, forcing a decent save at the near post for Wehen’s custodian.

We eventually draw level again on 81 minutes, newly-subbed striker Aas the scorer. Lebedynski had a half-chance late on to steal 3 points but his shot is saved well.

A thoroughly entertaining match for the neutral and a decent Away point for us.

Final Score: Wehen 3-3 Frankfurt (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Frankfurt v Aalen (Home)

Lebedynski misses an easy chance in the opening minutes, but makes up for it 20 minutes later with a precise finish.

A First-Half of near complete dominance ends with a scrappy section, allowing Aalen their first few shots of the match, luckily with no result.

The Second-Half is much tighter but the pressure is relieved at the 80 minute-mark as a penalty is awarded and converted.

Final Score: Frankfurt 2-0 Aalen (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Asian Cup Qualifier – Hong Kong v Iraq (Away)

An Own-Goal off the heel of a Hong Kong defender nets us our opener on 14 minutes. Our 2nd comes just before Half-Time, a low cross met at the back stick for a simple tap-in.

A lovely finish from a tight angle blows the score out to 3-0 with 74 minutes gone, but Hong Kong capitalise on a  spilled save not long after, and the margin is back down to 2.

Nothing too brilliant about this match, but it is our first win for this campaign and hopefully the kick-start we need to ensure it is a successful one.

Final Score: Hong Kong 1-3 Iraq (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

International Friendly – Iraq v Philippines (Home)

Our first match in Baghdad in a few months, I was hoping to reward the fans with an entertaining affair.

Almost got off to a great start, being awarded a penalty 4 minutes in, but shot straight at the ‘keeper. We eventually take the lead on 18 minutes with some good interplay between the front pair.

An unfortunate deflection for Philippines results in our second goal with 24 minutes gone. Apart from the 2 goals, nothing much of note. Handed a 17-year-old Left Winger his debut which will hopefully stand him in good stead for matches with more than pride at stake.

Final Score: Iraq 2-0 Philippines (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Erfurt v Frankfurt (Away)

Things do not start well for us, conceding a penalty just 4 minutes in after a lunging tackle. The spot-kick is converted. Another penalty given away after 25 minutes, once again scored.

The score is quickly 3-0 within 30 minutes as a rocket is launched from the edge of the area, giving our Goalkeeper no chance. Centre-Back Jovanovic cops his 2nd Yellow card in the First-Half to really leave the remaining 10 players with a task.

To rub salt into the wound, the resultant Free Kick from Jovanovic’s foul is tucked away to give us absolutely no hope of a comeback.

The 2nd Half was a lot tighter defensively from our standpoint, but we didn’t trouble Erfurt and they walk away with a breezy 4-goal win.

Final Score: Erfurt 4-0 Frankfurt (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Next month, Next blog

December kicks off with 3x League matches – Gladbach and Leipzig come calling and an away match at Dusseldorf.

We also have the 3rd Round of the German Cup as we welcome Freiburg for a Boxing Day clash.

Slip ‘n Slide

September 2017

German 2nd Div. – Frankfurt v Augsburg (Home)

Just 9 minutes in and a straight red card to striker Lebedynski puts us immediately on the back foot. As expected, visiting Augsburg try to make the most of their numerical advantage, but spurn a few decent chances. The scores remain locked 0-0 at Half Time.

The game changes around 60 minutes, as Augsburg strike via a counter-attack, dinking a shot over our hapless Goalkeeper. We could never really assert ourselves in this match with a man down, but certainly didn’t disgrace ourselves.

Final Score: Frankfurt 0-1 Augsburg (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Ingolstadt v Frankfurt (Away)

The counter-attacking style I employed from the start was working well, but a curling Free Kick on 25 minutes gives Ingolstadt the lead.

Their 2nd goal comes on 36 minutes after lazy defending left 2 men unmarked mere yards from goal. We claw one goal back just before the break, Central Defender Zukanovic rising high to head home from a Free Kick of our own.

We came out firing in the 2nd Half, and our equaliser arrives on 53 minutes. An initial shot is saved well, but the deflection falls to our 2nd striker who passes into the gaping net. Really start to take the match to the Home side, hitting the post 5 minutes later, before taking the lead on 60 minutes. Brazilian striker Johnathon rifles a strike into the roof of the net to have us thinking about an unlikely 3 points.

It wasn’t to be though, as Ingolstadt pull the sides level on 80 minutes, a corner partially cleared only to be sent back in to a goalmouth scramble.

Final Score: Ingolstadt 3-3 Frankfurt (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Frankfurt v St. Pauli (Home)

I tried to have the team control this match more than the last, taking advantage of the Home location. It backfired spectacularly, as we concede a penalty in under 10 minutes. 1-0 to St. Pauli. They were only denied a 2nd goal on 15 minutes by a stunning reflex save.

St. Pauli’s Goalkeeper makes an equally important save 25 minutes in to deny us an equaliser. The frame of the goal where crossbar meets post is all that stops the score from inflating, but a corner kick soon after does the deed.

Our defence look statuesque as St. Pauli pass it around to open us up and score their 3rd on 70 minutes.

Final Score: Frankfurt 0-3 St. Pauli (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Frankfurt v Hertha Berlin (Home)

We hold the ball well early on without creating much in the way of chances. Hertha take the lead on 9 minutes with a slide-rule pass unlocking our defence.

It becomes 2-0 after 40 minutes as a cross from Hertha’s left wing finds a late run from their attacker. A powerful downward header just before Half Time cannons back off the post to deny us a reply.

A goal-line clearance on 52 minutes again denies us, and soon after Hertha all but ensure victory with their 3rd goal; a powerful effort from outside the 18 yard box.

Things go from disappointing to downright terrible as our Left Back receives his 2nd Yellow and his marching orders at the 72 minute-mark.

Final Score: Frankfurt 0-3 Hertha Berlin (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Aachen v Frankfurt (Away)

Once again, it’s not long before we concede, just 8 minutes on the clock and Aachen power home a header from the first corner of the match. Nothing much else takes place in the rest of the Half, and the score remains 1-0 as the teams take a break.

Aachen score their 2nd with minutes remaining, lazy marking handing them a comfortable 3 points.

The excitement doesn’t end there, as Centre-back Zukanovic becomes the second of my players in as many weeks to cop 2x Yellow cards in short order. Disgraceful.

Final Score: Aachen 2-0 Frankfurt (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Next Month, Next Blog

I’m hoping a terrible month just gone is only a minor slip.

October has us playing 3x league matches; Home stands against Karlsruhe and Offenbach either side of an Away day at Offenbach.

The German Cup continues, with our 2nd Round match at Union Berlin.

7 outta 9 aint bad…

August 2017

German Cup, 1st Round – Frankfurt v Unterhaching (Home)

Unterhaching started well, creating a few chances but we began to come into the match, holding the ball better and carving out chances of our own. The scores remained 0-0 at Half Time.

Near-misses were costing us throughout the match, but some fine buildup play leads to our opening goal on 52 minutes; a 1-on-1 chance tucked away.

A defensive approach was taken for the last few minutes to see out the game, and ensure our progression to the next round of competition.

We have been drawn against 3rd Division side Union Berlin for the German Cup 2nd Round.

Final Score: Frankfurt 1-0 Unterhaching (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Sandhausen v Frankfurt (Away)

My Frankfurt side took the game to the Home team from the off, creating more than a few half-chances. Despite this fact, the sides finished the 1st Half as it had started, Nil-all.

A good low save was forced out of our Goalkeeper early in the 2nd Half to keep the scores tied. Sandhausen were later denied by only the crossbar at around 50 minutes.

We are also held out by the woodwork on 78 minutes from a corner. The tide was turning late-on and several clutch saves were made by Sandhausen’s ‘Keeper.

Final Score: Sandhausen 0-0 Frankfurt (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Frankfurt v Braunschweig (Home)

Another nice start to a match and after creating a few chances, we finally take the lead on 25 minutes.

An Own-Goal after 54 minutes brings the sides back on level terms. 1st Half goal-scorer and Central Midfielder Holzhauser sees a straight red card at the 70 minute mark to make the task that much more difficult.

We showed great spirit to continue our run of form, a surging run and cross from the left picking out a Frankfurt player in the box to head home. The match was actually finished with just 9 men, as an injury after all 3 subs had been made forced our hand.

Still, we held on rather more comfortably than I had imagined, and won again in front of our home faithful.

Final Score: Frankfurt 2-1 Braunschweig (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Cottbus v Frankfurt (Away)

We had a chance to score in under a minute, but failed to put it away. After that, the 1st Half was all Cottbus as they did a good job of keeping the ball.

A goal-line clearance denied us an opener after 54 minutes, but a Free Kick soon after proved the breakthrough. With the ball delivered to the back post, Centre-back Zukanovic heads home to record his 1st League goal for the club in 85 appearances.

75 minutes in, and a 2nd goal is ruled out after a dubious offside decision. With the match becoming stale, I threw a 5th defender on in place of a Striker to see the match out.

Final Score: Cottbus 0-1 Frankfurt (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

League Table

(click to enlarge)

Next month, Next blog

Collecting 7 points from a possible 9 in the League, and progressing through to the 2nd Round of the German Cup made for a fairly successful month.

In September, we have no less than 5 League matches. Hosting Augsburg, St. Pauli and Hertha Berlin; and traveling to current League-leaders Ingolstadt and Aachen.

Under a New Sky

July 2017

German 2nd Div. – RB Leipzig v Frankfurt (Away)

Things were looking ominous in my first competitive game in charge as Leipzig created chance after chance. They eventually took the lead on 11 minutes.

We were 2-0 down in under 20 minutes as Leipzig kept pressing us deep into our own half. We hit back in 1st-Half Injury Time, a more direct approach leading to a 1-on-1 which was converted.

Ideas of a turn-around were quickly burst when Leipzig scored their 3rd to effectively put the result beyond doubt on 52 minutes.

Final Score: RB Leipzig 3-1 Frankfurt (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

German 2nd Div. – Frankfurt v Dusseldorf (Home)

The visiting Dusseldorf had a goal ruled-out on 11 minutes for obstructing our Goalkeeper. I didn’t see too much wrong with it to be fair, and we could count ourselves lucky. They kept creating chances in the 1st Half, and I was fairly content with the scores still locked at Nil as we went to the break.

After a more lively start from us in the 2nd Half, we were awarded a penalty 58 minutes in due to a Dusseldorf player pushing our striker in the back. Centre-mid Holzhauser dispatched the kick with ease, and we were 1-0 up.

Late on and with the score remaining the same, I substituted our 2nd striker for another defender in an effort to retain the slim advantage. It worked, and we saw out the match fairly comfortably. A good way to start in-front of 31,000 home fans.

Final Score: Frankfurt 1-0 Dusseldorf (screenshot below; click to enlarge)

Next month, Next blog

The German Cup begins in August, with our 1st Round match hosting fellow 2nd Division side Unterhaching.

There are also 3x League matches scheduled; Away days at Sandhausen and Cottbus, and a Home match against Braunschweig.