MSV Duisburg was crushed by TSG Hoffenheim’s U23 team. Dietmar Hirsch spoke plainly after the 1-4 defeat.
What was that, please? For 18 months, since Dietmar Hirsch became coach of the Zebras, MSV Duisburg has stood for fighting spirit, heart, and passion. On Friday, the Meiderich team lacked everything for the first time in 45 minutes.
The 3rd division leaders, who could still be knocked off the top spot on this match day, were shown up in a 1:4 defeat to TSG Hoffenheim’s second team. The Duisburg team can count themselves lucky that they only went into the break 0:4 down.
Hirsch saw it similarly after the game. The 53-year-old, who experienced his heaviest defeat as MSV coach, spoke plainly.
He ranted to “Magenta Sport”: “That was nothing! We confused the sport. We played a bit of basketball, and that’s not a physical game. The tackle rate was abysmal. The data confirms that. Everything went wrong.”
The fans gave us great support again, and they booed us for the first time in 18 months, and rightly so. We need to talk straight now. We have to give something back to the fans against Alemannia Aachen. But I’m convinced that the team will do that.
Dietmar Hirsch
But Hirsch didn’t want to talk everything down – and by that he meant the second 45 minutes: “That was the first poor performance of the season. I stand by my opinion: if your tackling percentage is so abysmal, you can’t win against a U23 team like that. At least we showed some response in the second half. We were more physical, scored a goal and didn’t concede as many chances. That’s not something you can take for granted when you get beaten so badly in the first half.”
It was only the second defeat of the season – the first was suffered by MSV Duisburg at TSV 1860 Munich. Next weekend – Saturday, November 29, 2 p.m. – the Zebras will be looking to make amends.
“We’ll have a full house against Aachen next week, and then we want to show our true colors. The fans gave us great support again, and they booed us for the first time in 18 months, and rightly so. We have to be honest now. We have to give something back to the fans against Alemannia Aachen. But I’m convinced that the team will do that,” said Hirsch.