Last season, Spvgg Sterkrade 06/07 failed to secure promotion to the Landesliga in the relegation play-offs. This season, they are determined to succeed.

Spvgg Sterkrade 06/07 has secured seven wins from its first ten games in the Lower Rhine District League Group 6. This puts coach Lars Mühlbauer’s team in a strong fourth place in the table, currently four points behind the leaders.

The Oberhausen team wants to be back there at the end of the season and, if possible, make up for the missed promotion to the Landesliga. In June, Sterkrade failed in the relegation match against 1. Spvg. Solingen-Wald.

This means that another season in the district league is on the agenda, but this year in a different group. Mühlbauer is generally satisfied with the start. “We’re not unhappy, but it’s not outstanding either. The group is tougher than last season with the strong Essen teams. But maybe playing catch-up will do us good this year,” reports the coach.

The coach was particularly unhappy with the first two games, in which the team only managed to secure one point against the current league leaders Vogelheimer SV and fellow favorites Arminia Klosterhardt. Since then, however, Oberhausen have picked up speed and won seven of their last eight games.

“Some players who missed half of the preseason are finally in shape. In general, the guys are slowly getting into their stride,” says Mühlbauer, who wants his team to perform better in the upcoming top matches: “The next few weeks, especially November and December, will probably be decisive.”

But first, there is the city derby on the agenda when they face neighbors Spvgg. Sterkrade-Nord on Sunday (October 26, 3:30 p.m.), who have recently managed to stop their negative trend. “I expect a very intense game. We have great respect for the task ahead. But we’ve won four games in a row, so we’re coming into it with a lot of confidence and, of course, we want to win. Some of our players have a history there and are naturally extra motivated,” explains the Sterkrade coach.

Above all, the return of an important player to the starting lineup is imminent: Damian Vergara Schlootz, who contributed over 40 goals last season, celebrated his comeback at Blau-Gelb Überruhr two weeks ago and could be fit enough for the starting lineup, as the coach explains: “He’s on his way into the starting lineup.”