I still don’t have much more time than a few weeks ago, so updating this close to therespective matches still is difficult. Therefore, a double update today.
First off, on Saturday, October 18th, Magdeburgg disappointed everyone yet again. In the home match against VFC Plauen the team only managed a nil-all draw. This Plauen team was one of the more harmless opponents that have trod the pitch at Stadion Magdeburg, only beat in that respect by Hertha’s reserves. Plauen were yet another team who were glad to come out with a draw in Stadion Magdeburg, having a line-up with just one forward, as part of a most defensive 5-4-1 tactic.
Magdeburg again suffered in the midfield, unable to get the ball through to their forwards, and when the passes found a receiver up front, the forwards wasted their chance. In all, the draw was most deserved, but of course a disappointment in the light of Magdeburg’s ambition.
Line-ups
1. FC Magdeburg: Beer – Bankert, Wejsfelt, Rosin, Zander (52′ Neumann)- Dragusha (61′ Reimann), Gewelke, Racanel (73′ Matthias), Watzka – Vujanovic, Braham
VFC Plauen: Hruby – Six, Hoffmann, Boden, Wendler – Paulick, Böhme, Schulze, Soltau, Schindler (85′ Hoßmang) – Zimmermann (82′ Marrack)
Score summary
Nought
Attendance
7,769
On Friday last already, Magdeburg had their next match. Travelling to the 2006 FIFA World Cup venue in Leipzig, Magdeburg faced FC Sachsen Leipzig. This was a special match for a number of people. No less than four FC Magdeburg players have played for FC Sachsen before – Catalin Racanel, Christian Reimann, Mats Wejsfelt and Maximilian Watzka – and Magdeburg legend Dirk Heyne is now manager of Leipzig. Heyne was sacked in the winter of the past season after his Magdeburg team had slipped into the relegation zone.
Magdeburg’s manager Linz had reacted to the continuing bad performances of some players and replaced Dragusha with Matthias and Zander with Neumann. This necessitated some changes in positions. Bankert moved to the right side of the defense, to allow Neumann to work on the left side, and Racanel moved out to the left wing, allowing Matthias to take position in central midfield. Unluckily, however, Matthias was not able to get into the game and this led to Magdeburg’s midfield being unable to control the game. Worse was the fact that Racanel moved to the inside to compensate for Matthias‘ inability. In consequence, the left wing was largely orphaned and as the forwards, especially Braham, kept going backwards to the midfield to gain possession, an effective attacking game could not be played.
The fact that Magdeburg came away with three points from this match is largely due to Sachsen Leipzig sucking even harder than the Magdeburg squad. Virtually no organized play was visible whenever the hosts had the ball, and after seeing that, it is clear why the team have only scored three goals in 9 matches. Magdeburg’s goal came off a corner kick that Najeh Braham headed to Wejsfelt who had no difficulty scoring from 6 yards out. In the following minutes Magdeburg largely controlled the match, and whenever they slipped up, they could be sure that no harm would come off it, as Leipzig were totally inept in front of goal. This changed a little in the last 20 minutes, when Leipzig took more control, but their ineptitude continued. Thus Magdeburg ran out 1-0-winners, but the match was certainly not one of those that cause euphoria in fans.
Line-ups
FC Sachsen Leipzig: Lippmann – Balic, Baum (81′ Gerber), Köckeritz, Moritz – Hempel – Heinze, Garbuschewski, Rupf – T. Breitkopf (66′ Hönemann), N. Breitkopf
1. FC Magdeburg: Beer – Neumann, Wejsfelt, Rosin, Bankert – Racanel, Gewelke, Matthias (82′ Dragusha), Watzka – Vujanovic (74′ Reimann), Braham (90′ Prest)
Score summary
31′ Wejsfelt 0-1
Attendance
6,931