Third division team SV Elversberg continues to cause a sensation in the second half of the season. The championship title can only be won by SVE.
SV Elversberg are the undisputed leaders in the 3rd division. With 44 points after 19 games, head coach Horst Steffen’s team played an outstanding first half of the season. For the start of the second half of the season, the SVE met Rot-Weiss Essen under floodlights on Friday evening, who wanted to take revenge for the bitter 1:5 defeat in the first leg.
But nothing came of it: Elversberg defeated RWE 3:0 (0:0) and inflicted the first defeat on the visitors since October. 47 points after 20 games – an impressive record for the promoted team.
RevierSport analysed what makes SV Elversberg so strong this season:
Goal threat/ Courageous style of play:
No team in the 3rd division is as hungry for goals as SV Elversberg. In 20 games, the promoted team has scored 49 times – a record! The high offensive quality is spread over several shoulders.
Luca Schnellbacher is the league’s top scorer with ten goals, but Jannik Rochelt (eight goals, seven assists), Kevin Koffi (five goals, five assists), Thore Jacobsen (five goals, two assists), Manuel Feil (four goals, ten assists) and Nick Woltemade (three goals, three assists) have also demonstrated their scoring prowess. As a team, the Kaiserlinde team is very difficult to defend. Right from the start of the season, Steffen’s team did not appear like a promoted team, but rather self-confident, courageous – and with a clear idea of how to play.
Good scouting:
Of course, SV Elversberg has good financial possibilities thanks to the main sponsor Ursapharm. Otherwise, players like Marcel Correia, Luca Schnellbacher or Kevin Koffi would not play for the team promoted to the third division. Nevertheless, SVE is very well positioned in the scouting area with Volker Ruoff, who has been in office since 2014.
Together with sports director Nils-Ole Book, the 53-year-old has brought several players from lower leagues to Kaiserlinde. The top performers Nicolas Kristof, Thore Jacobsen, Manuel Feil and Jannik Rochelt all transferred from the Regionalliga to SV Elversberg. The squad is excellently put together, with a mixture of experienced and young players.
Horst Steffen:
The coach fits SV Elversberg like a glove. Attractive offensive football, many goals and a stable defence – these have been the hallmarks of SVE under Horst Steffen so far. The former Bundesliga professional has been in charge at the Kaiserlinde since October 2018 and has an excellent points average of 2.23 in 163 competitive games. After the Regionalliga championship in 2022, there could soon be reason to celebrate again if the league leaders do indeed make it through to the 2nd Bundesliga. That would also be a great achievement for the 53-year-old Steffen. Already one and a half weeks ago, Elversberg prematurely extended the contract with the successful coach until 2026.
Calm environment:
SV Elversberg is not a big crowd puller. Accordingly, those in charge can work quietly. There is not much pressure from outside and a defeat is forgiven more quickly than at traditional clubs. This means that the coach and sporting director can concentrate on their immediate work with the team – without any disturbing fire or external circumstances that cannot be influenced.
