02.03.2009

News from Der Club over the past month

The race for the top three places is alive and kicking in 2. Bundesliga. 1. FCN started the month well with a comprehensive victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Kaiserslautern, and despite a heavy defeat away from home still remain in a position from which to make a determined push for the top.

Jon Goulding brings you the news from 1. FCN in his monthly round-up.

Club dances from the ‘red devil’

With Kaiserslautern in town, Monday 9^th February promised to be a big occasion in the easyCredit-Stadium as both teams battled to take the points and consolidate themselves as serious contenders for promotion. It was 1. FCN who took all of the accolades as they outplayed their opponents, scoring three goals in the process.

Barely had the 27,147 fans taken their places before Javier Pinola played the ball down the left side to Mike Frantz who’s cross was headed home by Christian Eigler in the fourth minute.

Although the guests tried to come back into the game, the Nuremberg defence was resolute. However, it was the attacking play which extended the lead in the 23^rd minute, with Isaac Boakye seeing-off the Lautern defenders and playing the ball to Frantz who made it 2-0 with a well-struck shot.

A few minutes later the lead could have been extended further as FCK defender Manuel Hornig brought down Eigler as he looked certain to take his second of the game. The referee showed Hornig the red card and pointed to the penalty spot. However, Pinola was unable to convert.

Chances now came thick and fast for the home team as they added numerical superiority to the passion and skill shown earlier in the game. Marek Mintal went close on three occasions and Boakye twice but it would be a just the two goal lead at half-time.

Shortly after the restart, as the snow began to fall, Frantz was injured in a collision with the FCK goalkeeper – fortunately the injury was not as serious as first feared and the severe bruising was too keep the Saarlander out for just one game. But now in the stadium as the temperature dropped the Nordkurve were in full song, warming the atmosphere and urging their team to finish Kaiserslautern off.

The game itself was much calmer than in the first 45 minutes but 1. FCN were in control of the game. Striker Albert Bunjaku made his debut as a substitute and the game was wrapped-up when Peer Kluge found Mintal who hit the back of the net for his sixth of the season in the 76^th minute. The jubilation of the supporters was repeated again at the final whistle as Der Club had secured a well-deserved and well-disciplined 3-0 victory.

In the post-match interviews, Christian Eigler revealed how his father had predicted a big victory for 1. FCN and he told the press that the team had now shown what it can do and were ready to push for promotion.

Captain Raphael Schäfer reflected on the importance of the victory but also on the need to put together a run of results, while coach Michael Oenning stated that, “We have done many things right,” and went on to add that he was very pleased that Mintal scored the third.

Contract extensions for Oenning and Frantz

As January drew to a close a message of faith was handed to two key figures at 1.FCN in the form of extensions to their contracts. Coach Michael Oenning now has a contract with Der Club until 30.06.11 and young rising star Mike Frantz has signed until 30.06.13. It is hoped by everyone that the young coach and young striker can play a major role in returning 1.FCN to the Bundesliga and the glories of the past.

Farewell to Tivoli but no memento for 1. FCN

In the last game to be played at Aachen’s Tivoli stadium by 1. FCN, some 2,000 Cluberer, had hoped to at least witness their team take something from the game, as would the team itself. However, it was ‘a game that is unexplainable’ according to Michael Oenning.

Within the first 15 minutes, 18 year old Lewis Holtby had scored twice. Isaac Boakye headed one back for 1. FCN in the 29^th minute and briefly gave the travelling fans hope. However, by half-time the game was all but over. In the 40^th minute Aachen’s Casper made it three to the home team and in the 45^th Auer added a fourth.

In the second half, little went the way of Der Club. It was already 5-1 when Boakye scored his second headed goal of the game in the 66^th minute but Aachen had still not finished and scored again to finish 6-2 victors.

Raphael Schäfer told the press that the problem was not whether the players were young or old, experienced or inexperienced. “Today we had a bad game and the opponents had a good game,” he said.

Eigler scores and Wolf is back

A 1-0 victory over SV Wehen Wiesbaden on Sunday 22^nd February came courtesy of a goal from Christian Eigler. And it was not only the victory that delighted everyone at 1. FCN. Captain Andreas Wolf made his comeback after damaging his cruciate ligaments in the season’s opening game.

The 27,036 fans in the stadium witnessed few chances. It was not until the 69^th minute that the deadlock was broken by Eigler and the compact set-up of the guests prevented any further goals, although Marek Mintal did strike the ball against the post in the 76^th minute.

“The opponents were compact so we had to operate with long, high balls,” said Michael Oenning. “We are of course delighted to welcome back Wolf because after a 2-6 defeat we need stability.”

A shame – only one point against Mainz

A 0-0 in the easyCredit-Stadium on the last Friday of the month was witnessed by 30,047 fans who must have been wondering how it was possible for a match with so many shots to end goalless. 16:6 was the shots total (7:0 for shots on target) but at the end of 90 minutes the deadlock had not been broken.

With illness forcing team changes, Michael Oenning was without Peer Kluge. Juri Judt came into the team and Stefan Reinartz took the holding midfielder role. Christian Eigler’s enforced absence saw a first start for Swiss forward Albert Bunjaku.

Der Club created plenty of first half chances without the reward of a goal and Raphael Schäfer was called into action to charge from his goal as Mainz broke dangerously. Both Andreas Wolf (8^th minute) and Hoogland of Mainz (40^th minute) had goals ruled-out for offside.

After the break chances were still created but the goal would just not come for either side. Bunjaku missed the best chance when, unmarked on the edge of the six yard box, his was picked out by a Marek Mintal cross but failed to make the correct connection with the ball and the chance went begging. “I should have scored,” Bunjaku later admitted. Another goal was disallowed for offside in the 81^st minute, this time after Daniel Gygax was unlucky to be caught-out by the Mainz defensive trap, and at the final whistle it was the guests who were the happiest with the result.

“The team played well but unfortunately we have no decisive goal to show for it,” Wolf told the press after the game.

“Overall it was a good performance from my team with some bright spots,” stated Michael Oenning who went on to say that he especially liked the performance of Stefan Reinartz.