Sportfreunde Baumberg defeated KFC Uerdingen 2-1 (1-1) away from home to claim their second win in their second competitive match of the new Oberliga season.

Sportfreunde Baumberg travelled to the Grotenburg Stadium in Uerdingen as league leaders. Although a 2:0 opening win against SV Sonsbeck was enough for this so early in the new season, coach Salah El Halimi’s team also demonstrated the qualities of a top team against KFC Uerdingen, who were considered favourites for promotion:

With disciplined unity and good positional play in the defence as well as clear and straightforward actions in the offensive, Sportfreunde defeated KFC 2-1.

Accordingly, El Halimi was delighted with the second win in a row: “The team played an outstanding game from the first to the last minute, both tactically and in terms of play. Especially in the second half, we didn’t let Uerdingen play at all. The opponent could hardly create any scoring chances out of the game.”

The Baumbergers were also unimpressed by their opponents’ performance. For KFC’s home debut, 2,200 spectators came to create an extraordinary atmosphere. “I told the boys that when you go to KFC, you have to have courage, passion and the will to win. You can’t be afraid or have any doubts. If you bring those, then you will go down here. The boys did that accordingly. No matter how good or aggressive Uerdingen were, we were just as good. The boys didn’t let the backdrop affect them and just focused on the pitch,” El Halimi explained.

Even tactically, it was a master conduit

Salah El Halimi

The fact that Sportfreunde were able to keep most of the squad from last season together and did not need a long period of time to find their feet was probably also an advantage. “Of course, it was very advantageous for us that we were well-rehearsed from last year and the team knew what they had to do and what we demanded of them. Especially tactically it was a master leadership,” El Halimi praised his team.

Therefore, he sees no reason to become active on the transfer market again and considers the squad planning as finished: “We have a good squad. Many injured players have now returned. For example, Bilal Sezer was completely injured last year and Robin Hömig and Ben Harneid were out for a long time. But the boys are all back. That’s why we have a well-stocked squad. “