After losing to RWE II, Vogelheimer SV secured a 6-0 victory over Fatihspor. Coach Carsten Isenberg assesses the games and looks ahead.

Vogelheimer SV is having a strong season in the Niederrhein 6 District League: After twelve matchdays, Coach Carsten Isenberg’s team sits in second place in the standings and boasts the best defense. Next up for the coach is a reunion when his team faces his former club, Tusem Essen.

But first, let’s take a look back. Two weeks ago, Isenberg’s squad suffered a setback when the team lost 0–4 in the top match against Rot-Weiss-Essen II. “You have to admit that the score was a bit too lopsided. But we weren’t focused enough in the decisive moments. Sure, it was a minor setback, but it was important to put that game into perspective—it was clear that we’d lose a match at some point. The goal was to show a response, because we have enough quality to remain confident,” says the head coach.

And the Vogelheim team delivered that response with a convincing 6–0 victory over Fatihspor Essen. “The victory was never really in danger, and we took control of the game early on,” says Isenberg.

Now the Essen team faces its next city derby on Sunday (November 9, 3:30 p.m.), which will be a special matchup, especially for the coach. That’s because Isenberg himself spent years on the sidelines for their upcoming opponent, Tusem Essen.

The VSV coach has plenty of praise for his former club: “If they’re having a good day, they can beat anyone. They’re especially tough to play against at home and will certainly want to make life difficult for us,” reports Isenberg, adding: “I know the team very well and know what to expect there. We’re prepared and heading there with the goal of picking up three points.”

But the coming weeks will also be challenging for the Vogelheim team, as they must face three more rivals (VfB Frohnhausen, SV Burgaltendorf, Arminia Klosterhardt) before the Christmas break. Isenberg has great respect for these challenges and knows that the outcome will come down to the smallest details, as he said: “These games will, of course, be very difficult. They’re all up there for a reason and possess tremendous quality. Anyone can beat anyone—a lot depends on how we play on the day. We want to approach these matches with a positive mindset to build momentum for the second half of the season.”

The Essen team has a few absences to make up for, but compared to the last match, the coach has more options available again. “We have one or two players out with long-term injuries and a few who are a bit banged up. But two players who were suspended for yellow cards are returning, so the situation is relatively relaxed,” Isenberg reveals.