ASC 09 Dortmund have had to shake themselves recently. Two defeats in a row marked the first mini-crisis for the Westfalen-Oberliga club.
After ten wins from twelve games, ASC 09 Dortmund had to overcome its first minor crisis. The Westphalia Oberliga leaders lost twice in a row against SpVgg Erkenschwick and Sportfreunde Siegen, allowing their rivals to catch up.
Last weekend, the team from Aplerbeck managed to shake themselves up and beat TSG Sprockhövel 5:3. “We wanted to turn things around and we did it. There was never any talk of a crisis for us. We were relaxed and wanted to learn from the defeats,” said Marco Stiepermann, ASC’s player-coach.
The two defeats were Dortmund’s weakest phase of the season. Nevertheless, the table reads extremely comfortably for the leaders. They are still five points clear of third place, which would not be enough for the regional league.
Is the fourth division already calling for the ex-professional’s team? “As things stand now, definitely. But there’s still a long way to go and a lot can happen over Easter. We’ve got three really great games coming up within a week,” says Stiepermann with a view to the upcoming tasks
No one of us plays for money, but because we’ve become a family. That just makes me incredibly proud.
Marco Stiepermann
The ASC will first face SC Preußen Münster II before the two top games against Sportfreunde Lotte and SV Schermbeck. Stiepermann is looking forward to a soccer festival against Münster (Sunday, 3 p.m.): “I really like Preußen’ soccer. The first leg was already at an outstanding footballing level. We definitely have to show maximum intensity.”
In general, the coach is full of praise for his team: “We’re up there with almost the smallest resources and the smallest budget. I have to take off the biggest hat I can find. None of us play for money, but because we’ve become a family. That just makes me incredibly proud. Of all the teams up there, we have the least pressure – even if it would of course be disappointing not to be promoted now. “