The DHC lost 1:2 to league leaders Schwarz-Weiß Köln. After a goalless first half, U18 European champion Ferdinand Steinebach gave Cologne the lead (34′), and in the final phase Felix Elm made it 2-0 from a corner (53′), but that wasn’t a decision as the guests immediately reduced the gap Nicolas Melgarejo (54th). But the DHC couldn’t do more, remaining in eighth place with seven points, while league leaders Cologne already have 17 points.
But the black and whites could lose their top position without a fight on Sunday if the Großflottbeker THGC wins their second away game against newly promoted Aachener HC by at least two goals. The people of Hamburg successfully completed their first weekend task. Blau-Weiß Köln achieved a 2-0 (1-0) win. Jonathan Wilkinson (E, 17th) and Levin Holste (E, 34th) secured the victory with successful corner rebounds for the GTHGC, which could now overtake the Black and Whites, who were not playing on Sunday.
DSD Düsseldorf is also well in the race, tied on points with Flottbek. In the home game against Klipper Hamburg, the Rhinelanders achieved a clear 6:1 (5:1) victory. Maximilian Bergs (2nd), Ricky Hayward (14th/20th), Garrick du Toit (E, 24th) and Niclas Schickenberg (28th) made everything clear with five DSD goals by the half-time whistle. Anton Körber (12th) had equalized for the guests to make it 1-1 before a flood of goals broke over Hamburg. Alexander Stroink (41st) scored the final score with the only goal of the second half.
Schwarz-Weiß Neuss was also able to celebrate a clear home win. The score against Marienburger SC was 4:1 (2:1). The guests took the lead through Caspar Berbuer (E, 8th) before a double strike in the 15th minute from Julian Dettmer and Bartosz Zaworski (E) turned the result in favor of the home team. In the second half, Vitali Shevchuk (E, 34th) and Tim Hirt (53rd) extended the lead. For Marienburg it was the third defeat in a row.
The two promoted teams Aachener HC and DHC Hannover delivered a goal-rich spectacle. In the end it was 4:4, meaning both of them still have to wait for their first win. The hosts always presented and the DHC always responded. Till Fuhrmann (18th) and Nikolaus Schwind (24th) gave Aachen a 2-0 half-time lead, which Jan Eidenschink equalized with two penalty corners (37th/38th) in the third quarter. The DHC had a quick answer to the 3:2 by Robert Schmalohr (49th) through Sven Alex (E, 50th). The guests were also able to beat Aachen’s 4:3 by Sven Hattwig (E, 51st) through Jakob Wiese ( 55.) balance. The AHC secured the bonus point with 4:1 in the shoot-out. While Aachen didn’t have a miss with Hansen, Noeser, Renz and Westphal, only Bati scored at DHC.
In the only Saturday game in the southern group, TuS Obermenzing and HTC Stuttgarter Kickers drew 2-2. The Munich team took a 1-0 half-time lead through Justin von Eickstedt (11th), Sven Brandenstein (34th) and Marc Hohmann (E, 39th) turned the result in favor of the Swabians, before Nikolas Nauck (50th) scored Going into the shoot-out, Obermenzing kept the upper hand 4:3 and thus worked their way to within one point of the eighth-placed Lichterfelde.
Photo: S.Fehrmann
