Holzheimer SG 0-3 Fortuna Dusseldorf (Friendly)
The morning after the night before as England secure a semi-final against the Netherlands and I nurse a hangover after drinking until the early hours with Swiss fans, little known just a few miles out of town today, Fortuna Dusseldorf open up their pre-season friendly campaign with a short trip to local non-league (regional) side, SG Holzheimer who play in Neuss, a town just over the River Rhine.
Apparently, there’s 3,000 in attendance with beer stalls, bouncy castles and sausage stands, it’s a real family event and will be a nice touch from drinking all day, as me and my mate Joe get an uber from Dusseldorf centre and Schumacher’s Brewery which cooks an impressive pork schnitzel downed with a red coloured stout, I’m in the cab heading over the Rheinkniebrucke bridge and into the leafy district around the ground, Holzheimer usually play at the Johann-Dahmen-Sportanlage but due to popular demand will be hosting at the Ludwig-Wolker-Sportanlage, an athletics venue with plenty of space to house large numbers.
The Venue
Tucked away in urban Neuss this attractive sports village backs on to a tennis club and boys school with plenty of field space for a kickaround.
The ‘stadium’ itself has just one stand of seating, opposite that a raised bank and behind the goal at one end is the changing rooms and clubhouse, the Fortuna Dusseldorf bus is parked within the complex as a row of stalls greets us on entrance, kids playing with everybody it seems wearing Fortuna Dusseldorf red and white, the sun is gleaming and everyone is in good, but calm spirits, it feels like a festival, rather than a football match, those in charge have certainly done a good job.
The Game
We’ve found a raised area of bank to stand on after grabbing a couple of bottles of pilsner, all around the perimeter is people, stacked in to watch their team play, myself and Joe aren’t really too concerned at what’s happening on the pitch, low tempo, largely dominated by Fortuna who are probably five or six leagues above their hosts.
Karim Affo heads home from close range after the home team goalkeeper palms the ball into his path for the opener, Fortuna have a few chances before the Holzheimer number nine tests goalkeeper Kastenmeier with a chip, which he’s more than equal too.
The Score
Fortuna soon show their dominance and left back Rossman plays a neat one two before crossing low to Schmidt who scores, at half time we go in search of another beer and stand largely behind the goal under a parasol and table, which at an athletics arena is quite a way back from the play.
Not a lot, we hear happens in the second 45, another goal is scored, this time by Yang, rolling it into an empty net, the 17-year-old Korean on with a whole host of half time changes, the game ends with little else to tease us to watch much as we chat away amongst the heard of fans.
The game itself, a real sideshow, the event a brilliant day out, as the full time whistle blows the supporters all run on the pitch to take photos and get autographs of their heroes, we stay for another drink as the players and officials eventually walk past us, and back to their changing rooms, where they’ll all no doubt enjoy a beer.
The Stars
Belgian born centre midfielder Noah Mbamba, on loan from Bundesliga champions, Bayer Leverkusen, looked a really good and tidy player, as did centre half Joshua Quarshie who’s on loan from Hoffenheim and aged 20, has several Germany youth caps.
Two young wingers in Karim Affo and Si-woo Yang also shown their goalscoring touch whilst there was a second half cameo for former Hull City and QPR midfielder Jordy de Wijs.
The Verdict
These events not only provide much needed exercise for the players preparing for their long campaigns ahead, but they really do give something back to the community, in Germany it feels the fans have a unique bond with players, which is on a personal level without any kind of animosity or jealousy or nuisance, can you imagine in England the clammer around the players from over exuberant supporters, players rushing off from the playing surface just to get away. Not here, where the players will quite easily have a beer with their fans, a chat, a photo, and on to the next, a brilliant occasion that lives long in childrens memories as they get chance to meet their heroes.
The Teams
SG Holzheimer: Not provided
Fortuna Dusseldorf: Florian Kastenmeier (Milan Czako 46), Andre Hoffman (Tim Oberdorf 46), Joshua Quarshie (Jona Niemiec 46), Yannick Englehardt (Shinta Akkelkamp 46), Felix Klaus (Dennis Jastrzembski 46), Emmanuel Iyoha (Jordy De Wijs 46), Tim Rossman (Marcel Sobottka 46), Danny Schmidt (Si-woo Yang 46), Matthias Zimmerman (King Manu 46), Noah Mbamba (Jan Boller 46), Karim Affo (Sima Suso 46).
3:30pm Kick Off. Sunday 7th July 2024, Ludwig-Wolker-Sportanlage, Neuss (att 3,000).
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