The ball rolled through the Elversberg defense for twelve minutes
As of 4:31 p.m
One hundred percent pass rate in the final minutes: SV Elversberg used a questionable method against Frankfurt to secure promotion
Source: pa / Eibner-Pressefot / Michael Schmidt / Eibner-Pressefot
A scandal broke out on the penultimate day of the Regionalliga Südwest. Since a draw is enough for both FSV Frankfurt and SV Elversberg, there are scenes like the shame of Gijón. Those involved are not aware of any guilt.
Dhe initial situation was clear to everyone involved. Sonnenhof Großaspach had to win the last home game of the season against second-placed SSV Ulm 1846 in order to still have a chance of staying up in the Regionalliga Südwest. After 34 of 36 games played, Ulm was only two points behind leaders SV Elversberg, who at the same time wanted to celebrate promotion at FSV Frankfurt, Großaspach’s direct competitor in the fight for relegation. So far so good.
After 76 minutes, Großaspach was 3-0 up and would have had the opportunity to stay up in the league with a win at RW Koblenz on the last day of the game. Frankfurt should have lost against Elversberg and next week at third-placed Kickers Offenbach.
Ulm, on the other hand, would only have had a realistic chance of promotion due to the defeat in Großaspach if Frankfurt beat the leaders from Elversberg and they lost at home to FC 08 Homburg on the last day of the game.
But all those theoretical gimmicks and calculations became superfluous about twelve minutes before the final whistle between Frankfurt and Elversberg. An unworthy spectacle followed. Elversberg’s coach Horst Steffen sent his team back into their own half when the score was 1-1. There, the Saarlanders happily pushed the ball back and forth for twelve minutes to the applause of their fans. The Frankfurters waited calmly on the center line. No FSV player touched the ball again in the final phase.
On the last day of the game, Elversberg is now three points and 19 goals ahead at the top of the table and can only theoretically be caught by Ulm, while Frankfurt with three points and a goal difference that is 14 goals better is almost certain to stay up.
Shame of Elversberg
The final minutes of the game are reminiscent of the “disgrace of Gijón” when Germany and Austria agreed at the 1982 World Cup in Spain after Horst Hrubesch made it 1-0 not to dribble the ball near the goal. Both teams then qualified for the next round.
Thomas Brendel, sporting director of FSV Frankfurt, defended the approach to the “FAZ” after the final whistle: “Elversberger didn’t play forward and we didn’t want to win the ball. I think that’s understandable. Two other teams would have done the same. Everyone would have been closest to themselves there.”
The two coaches didn’t see any problem in the playing style of either team either. Elversberg’s coach Steffen said: “It was clear that if we drew, we were as good as done. That’s legitimate.” Tim Görner, coach of Frankfurt, asked rhetorically: “The draw was enough for us. Why should we attack there?”
During the game, the FSV even tweeted about the strange scenes: “Madness. Since the ELV would have risen at the current table level and the FSV was saved, the ELV has been letting the ball run in its own ranks for 7 minutes. Incredible scene! The stadium honors this with applause!”
After the final whistle, both teams celebrated the achievement of their goals. On the last day of the game, of course, you want to give it your all again, emphasized Frankfurt’s Marcel Heller after the final whistle.
