Schlaudraff showing early form with two goals

Summer football? No chance!
Many of the 1560 fans inside the August Wenzel Stadium probably turned up to see a typical pre-season encounter. With one of the teams just starting their season preparations and the other nearing the end of a gruelling training camp, a scintillating display of football wasn’t expected to be on the agenda. But, like is often the case in football, it doesn’t always turn out according to expectation: There are games in which the underdog is able to defeat even the greatest of teams, and games that are drab, drawn-out, mood-killing affairs. There are even friendly games played in 30° C heat that exceed all expectations, and turn out to be fantastic to watch – and this was one of them!

The Reds stronger in the first half
96 were certainly by far the superior team in the first half of this encounter against Krakow. Head coach Mirko Slomka’s team, made up of new, old and even largely forgotten faces, put in a committed and motivated performance. It was clear that the team wanted to go out there and decide the game for themselves. An example of this was the quick-flowing combination play between midfield and attack which was good on the eye and consequently led to numerous chances, as well as two “typical Schlaudraff goals” (25., 30.) – As commented by Mirko Slomka after the game. Both of the new signings - Lars Stindl and Moritz Stoppelkamp - looked impressive on their 96 debuts.

Moreover, with new recruit Emanuel Pogatetz and 96 local boy Felix Burmeister going about their jobs quietly yet effectively, Europa League participants Wisla Krakow’s offensive attempts were largely limited – the pair were hardly called into action.

After the game, Henryk Kasperczak, coach of the second placed team from the Polish First Division, admitted that the Reds have dominated the midfield in the first half. He also commented that, despite the “tough twelve-day training camp”, his team performed much better in the second half.

Exhausted second half still brought four goals

Even if it wasn’t reflected in the statistics the game dramatically calmed down in the second 45 minutes. Both teams contributed to four goals after the break. For the Reds Moritz Stoppelkamp (51) and Mikael Forssell (76) both got themselves on the scoresheet – the latter converting a penalty after youth player Christopher Avevor was fouled inside the penalty area. Krakow, for their part, managed to overcome their exhaustion to score two goals themselves - in the 65^th and 86^th minutes. Slomka blamed “poor ball retention and a lack of effort” for the poor showing in the second half, stating that he was “not particularly satisfied”. The manger did state that it was a good test for his team: “It is slightly unusual for us to start out season preparations with a friendly against such a quality opposition. For us – and especially for the players – we need to develop a winning attitude: The boys’ shortcomings were there for all to see, and they need to use the coming weeks of the pre-season to eliminate them.”

With the win the Reds have made a good start, and Slomka hopes that it will continue into the new season.

Hannover 96: Fromlowitz (46. Miller)- Sofian (46. Avevor), Burmeister, Pogatetz, Schulz (C) - Schmiedebach, Stindl (46. Evseev), Rausch (46. Djakpa), Stoppelkamp - Schlaudraff (46. Forssell), Hanke

Wisla Krakow: Jovanic – Cikos, Kowalski, Cleber, Diaz (72. Bunoza) – Lobodzinski, Sobolewski (77. Maczynski), Gargula (46. Jirsak), Piotr Brozek – Pawel Brozek (59. Agustien), Zurawski (46. Boguski) 

Goals: 1:0 Schlaudraff (25.), 2:0 Schlaudraff (32.), 3:0 Stoppelkamp (52.), 3:1 Boguski (66.), 4:1 Forssell (74., FEM), 4:2 Piotr Brozek (83.)

Attendance: 1.560

Referee: Babak Rafati

- Daniel Moore

Overview