And the action comes thick and fast: Just one matchday after the 2-3 home loss to the 3. Liga champions and 2. Bundesliga promoted side, VfL Osnabrück, Coach Scherning’s SVWW will travel to face second-place Energie Cottbus on Saturday, May 9, at 2 p.m. Since the teams ranked second through fourth are still vying for the second direct promotion spot or a spot in the relegation playoffs, Coach Pele Wollitz’s team can’t afford to drop any points. A tough penultimate match for SVWW. 

Following the 2-2 draw in Aue, Wiesbaden coach Scherning made two substitutions, bringing on Schleimer and Greilinger for May (suspended) and Kalem. The action got off to a lively start at the Brita-Arena, as Kopacz had the first chance for the new Third Division champions in the fifth minute. And after 14 minutes, Wiesbaden’s Greilinger hit the post following a fine solo run. Just three minutes later, goalkeeper Stritzel made a spectacular save against Meißer to prevent his team from falling behind. Then, in the 32nd minute, Wiesbaden’s Gözüsirin scored a dream goal from 35 meters to make it 1-0 for SVWW. Just four minutes later, Flotho squandered a good opportunity, simply shooting the ball over the goal. The teams went into halftime with Wiesbaden leading 1-0. 

The visitors took control right from the start of the second half, but SVWW held firm at that point. The hosts, however, also tried to push forward in the opening stages. In the 59th minute, the moment arrived: the champions equalized through their youngster Badjie, his ninth goal of the season. And just two minutes later, Badjie nearly made it 2-1, but he missed the empty net after already beating Stritzel. But the lucky visitors from Lower Saxony were now on the attack and scored the 1-2 from Wiesbaden’s perspective in the 68th minute. To make matters worse, the 2-1 came via an own goal by SVWW defender Gillekens—a truly unfortunate turn of events after a strong first half. And just three minutes later, Meißner nearly extended the lead, but his shot went wide of the goal. Then, out of nowhere in the 86th minute, Agrafiotis scored the 2-2 equalizer for SVWW. And after two more chances for the visitors, Tscheche scored in stoppage time to make it 3-2 for VfL. And then it was over; Osnabrück is celebrating promotion and the championship with the 3-2 win, while SVWW is now only ninth after the 2-3 loss in a good game, but the trend is pointing downward.

SVWW: Stritzel - Neubert, Gillekens, Janitzek - Mockenhaupt, Bogicevic, Gözüsirin, Greilinger - Kaya, Schleimer, Flotho - Substitutions: Kalem for Kaya and Stehle for Mockenhaupt (both 79'), Agrafiotis for Neubert (81') - Coach Scherning

VfL: Jonsson - Janotta, J. Müller, Wiemann - P. Kammerbauer, Br. Henning, B. Jacobsen, F. Christensen, Kopacz, Lesueur - R. Meißner - Substitutions: Badjie for F. Christensen (46.), Pröger for Lesueur (65'), Riesselmann for Kopacz and Tesche for Br. Henning (both 76'), F. Wagner for B. Jacobsen (85') - Coach Schultz

Goals: 1-0 Gözüsirin (32'), 1-1 Badjie (59'), 1-2 Gillekens (68', own goal), 2-2 Agrafiotis (86'), 2-3 Tscheche (90' + 2)

Attendance: 7,867