Enrico Pucci
Member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2013
- Messages
- 2,187
- Reaction score
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- 63
Quite a party atmosphere at the Fritz-Walter today. The weather didn't cooperate but the supporters didn't care. Nürnberg gave us an honor guard as we came out of the tunnel.
The party started out great. Amilcar Silva was fouled in the 19th minute. He insisted on taking the free kick and delivered a 50m back post cross that Boris Tomiak converted for an early lead.
1-0
"Check this s*** out," Jörg said handing his iPad to me. Werder Bremen had scored in their 20th minute giving them a lifeline. Armenia Bielefeld has just scored in their 22nd minute which meant Nürnberg were in fourth and Bielefeld made the playoff.
We bumbled along. Nürnberg were wasteful as we gave them chances and we just couldn't figure it out at the other end.
"Wow!" Jörg said in the 35th minute and held is iPad so I could see it. Werder were 2-0 up. Holstein Kiel were still 0-0.
The second half started just as the first had ended. Carelessness v. Ineptitude.
At some point Nürnberg might just get their s*** together. If they did, they were going to score. We were not playing well.
In the 64th, Silva dropped his shoulder, drove past his defender sprinted with the ball down the left flank. Then he pulled up, bent over and finally tipped over.
ATK ran out to him and immediately signaled for a sub. Here was the problem: Robin Becker picked up a dead leg and I'd subsituted in my only left back Neal Gibs at right back. So I only had Sebastian Gleißner as my option. Gleißner is a defensive midfielder and is Julian Niehues' back which means he has only played once this season. So on goes Gleißner at left back.
"F***!" Jörg exclaimed in amazement just as play was resuming. His iPad showed the Holstein Kiel had scored. Werder Bremen were doomed to relegation to the 3.Liga if the northerners were able to hold on for the win.
Oliver Hüsing and Gleißner were neaerly immediately undone by the visitors. They played a diagonal pass into the box for the Nürnberg right winger to run onto. Hüsing reacted late and Gleißner barely reacted at all.
1-1
Their right winger beat Niehues on the dribble and head for the end line. Gleißner raced over to cover and attempted a tackle. He only managed to trip the Nürnberg winger. He missed the ball by enough that the ref didn't even bother with VAR.
Two matches, two PKs after not having any called against us all season.
"F***ing God*amn m*therf***ing s***biscuits," I swore in English.
Jörg and Ulf just looked at me. I only swore in English when I was really angry.
"Don't let me near any sharp objects in Die Kabine after the match," I said in German.
Their striker blasted it past Krahl and the away supporters went ballistic! They'd made the playoff.
1-2
We attempted a fightback, but it was fruitless.
The unthinkable had happened, Werder Bremen were relegated to the 3.Liga. Holstein Kiel lived to fight another day.