02.05.2009

News from Der Club over the past month

May was a tense month for 1. FCN. The end of the season approached and at the beginning of the month there were still several contenders for automatic promotion and a place in the play-off against the third-bottom Bundesliga side.

Having ended April with a defeat in Frankfurt, and with key players Mintal and Boakye suspended, as well as injury to influential captain Andy Wolf, it promised to be a tough time for Der Club.

However, fine performances by the team and individuals, along with a fighting spirit saw 1. FCN attain their main goal. Jon Goulding witnessed it all as Nuremberg booked their return to the Bundesliga.

Vidosic keeps his cool

Over 40,000 fans witnessed a 1:0 victory in the Derby game against Ingolstadt in the easyCredit Stadium on Sunday 3^rd May.
And it was 21-year-old Australian Dario Vidosic who scored the only goal of the game in the 23^rd minute.

Der Club created chances but so did the visitors and the flu-ridden Raphael Schaefer had to make good saves to keep a clean sheet.

But it was Vidosic who was the hero of the day, securing three points for 1. FCN and keeping his team in a good position for automatic promotion.

Despite the pressure from an Ingolstadt team desperate for points, Nuremberg were pleased to have kept a clean sheet in a good defensive display, particularly after the previous week’s defeat in Frankfurt.
Defender Dominic Maroh said, "today was an important victory. We have got the three points."

For Dario Vidosic it was “A dream, a perfect day! I have played at home for the first time from the beginning because Mintal and Boakye were missing, and then I immediately shot a goal. It does not matter who shoots the goal - the main aspect is that three points have been won. My parents now have the game on the Internet, so I am particularly proud.”

Points shared in Derby game in Fürth

The home stadium was sold out but 16,000 Cluberer watched on the big screens in the easyCredit Stadium. Two local rivals battling for promotion on Sunday 10^th May. The best attack with 55 goals against the best defence with Nuremberg only having conceded 27. The excitement extended far beyond Franconia.

1. FCN had a stroke of luck in the 16^th minute when a Fürth attempt was ruled out. Peer Kluge and Dario Vidosic created chances but nobody could break the deadlock in the first half, despite Fürth having another effort overruled by the referee.

After the break, it was a dream start for the guests. A free kick from Pascal Bieler saw the ball fall to Vidosic who converted in the 47^th minute. However, the lead lasted just 10 minutes as Reisinger equalized for the hosts.
Blow-for-blow it went further in the Playmobil-Stadion as both teams gave everything. The spectators on both sides had their fun - was it perhaps the most exciting game of the recent Derby history?

But despite the efforts of all involved, no more goals would come and the points were shared.

President Michael A. Roth told the press: "I have spoken with many people before the game. All of them have said, a point is good. Therefore, today we are very satisfied. I would prefer that Fürth went up with us - but through the play-offs. It was one of the hardest games in the final sprint. "

Mintal is the maximum difference in class

“MM" hit both goals in the midweek victory on 13^th May. The three-points were wrestled from VfL Osnabruck with a 2:0 victory.

With Marek Mintal and Isaac Boakye back in the team after suspension both players were desperate to give something back to the club.

Both worked hard and the situation was nervous one for Der Club until Mintal scored in the 62^nd minute. Even then the three points were not secure but it was the Slovakian’s second goal in the 86^th minute which finally put the game to rest.

Captain Raphael Schaefer stated that, “We all had to put work into the equation. It was not pretty but we wanted the points.”

Marek Mintal told the press that the goals were his revenge for his red card and suspension. His coach Michael Oenning stated that it was Mintal’s shot accuracy that separated the wheat from the chaff.

No goals on the Baltic

1,500 Clubberer travelled to Rostock on Sunday 17^th May. 1.FCN came away with a single point and results elsewhere guaranteed them third place and a play-off but meant that automatic promotion could only come if Mainz were to lose their final home game of the season.

Der Club shaded the first half with good chances falling to Peer Kluge and Christian Eigler. However, in the second half the hosts gained the upper hand. Finn Bartels hit the bar and had another shot cleared by Javier Pinola. Additionally Kluge threw himself in front of a free-kick as Nuremberg defended their goal with some desperation.

And then in dramatic closing moments both Dennis Diekmeier and Marek Mintal went close but the deadlock was not to be broken and both teams settled for a point each.

Coach Michael Oenning said, "We have started very concentrated, highly active, but unfortunately made no goal. Here, whoever took the lead, would have certainly won. And Rostock had in the second half some very good chances. But we had the chance shortly before the end to decide the game."

Not over yet

The last game of the season… not for 1. FCN. Despite a 2-1 home victory over 1860 Munich in a sold-out easyCredit Stadium on Sunday 24^th May, Der Club were left with two more games to play in their quest for promotion.

In scorching temperatures news soon filtered through that Mainz had taken the lead in their fixture, leaving Nuremberg with little hope of achieving automatic promotion. As the hosts passed the ball carefully 1860 were never really in the game and seemed unable to create any serious chances. With Mainz increasing their lead, the fate – a place in the play-off – was looking sealed for Der Club but the players of course wanted to take a victory.

It was two beautifully taken goals that all but sealed the three points. First Christian Eigler hammered the ball home in the 30^th minute with a brilliant strike. Four minutes later, The Phantom, Marek Mintal took the ball on his knee before smashing it into the 1860 net.

As the heat intensified during the second half the pace of the game slowed considerably. 1. FCN stroked the ball around the pitch, sensibly expending as little energy as possible, while the visitors had no answer until Lauth scored in the 83^rd minute. But by then the thoughts of all Clubberer were on the forthcoming play-off games.

President Roth verbalized these thoughts: "Now we’re waiting for Cottbus, which is not easy. But I'm very happy with the team during the past six months - they played great. We have a good mix of young, hungry and experienced players. "

Marek Mintal, finishing joint top scorer in the league said, smiling, “Top scorer is nothing new for me. Of course, this is beautiful, for the fifth time in my career - the next cannon in my showcase. More important, however, is the team performance. We wanted to win the game."

Javier Pinola told reporters, "The season is over, we now have two more games to come. We need one week longer. We want to win both games to get back into the first league - that's our motivation. The odds are 50/50, but we're Nuremberg! "

Club starts play-off with a bang

Two goals from Isaac Boakye and one from Christian Eigler secured a 3-0 victory in the first leg of the play-off against Energie Cottbus, the team finishing third from bottom of the Bundesliga.

Although the home team started well and looked a good match for the buoyant 1. FCN, they were dealt a massive blow when Boakye’s shot was wickedly deflected into the Cottbus net in the 13^th minute. Gradually, from this point on, Der Club clawed their way back into the game and started to take control.

Each player knew exactly what it was about - everything! Both teams were in combative mood, wanting to give nothing.

But even after the first goal the game remained jittery, with some opportunities on both sides. Raphael Schäfer made good saves and chances went begging at both ends. But in the 56^th minute, with Nuremberg starting well after the break and looking the better side, Christian Eigler met a Daniel Gygax cross and it was 2-0. The travelling fans went wild and Eigler had further chances to increase the lead. Joe Mnari protected the defence well and when Cottbus did occasionally threaten, Schäfer was more than a match for a lacklustre attack.

Then in the final minutes, Boakye provided the icing on the cake for Der Club. Mintal found him unmarked and he did not need asking twice as he hit the net and gave a perfect 3-0 lead to take into the second leg.

FCN back again

It should never have been in doubt but no Clubberer wanted to celebrate too soon. Taking a 3:0 lead into the home leg against Cottbus on Sunday 31^st May would surely be enough. And it was. 1.FCN ended the day with a 2:0 victory and a 5:0 aggregate to seal their return to the Bundesliga after an absence of just one year.

The signs were very good before this historic game in the easyCredit Stadium. A quite special game for the club in front of 46,780 fans. And they were rewarded - 1. FCN is back!

A wonderful curling goal from the edge of the area by Christian Eigler in the 29^th and yet another great Marek Mintal goal (his seventeenth of the season), were enough to leave Cottbus dead and buried. The 1.FCN supremacy in the tie was never really threatened and in the second half, Michael Oenning had the luxury of substituting Raphael Schaefer and Mintal, both to well-deserved standing ovations. The party had started long before the final whistle was blown.

1. FCN were promoted and now await the 2009-10 Bundesliga season.