Republikaliga Season VII - Part I
Here we go! The football calendar kicked off this year with IFCF competition. The IFCF serves as the replacement for UICA competition, and the top 4 clubs from the Republikaliga qualified for its various competitions. FC Teussen Stelburg will participate in the IFCF Champions’ League, while 1912 Stelburg, Energija Chernovets and Olympia Borograd will compete in the IFCF Challengers’ Cup. Let’s check in on the early rounds.
IFCF Challengers’ Cup: First Preliminary Round
1912 Stelburg 2-2 Stade Djalenga (MKB)
Stade Djalenga 1-4 1912 Stelburg
A good start for 1912 Stelburg in the Challengers’ Cup, as they progress past Djalenga 6-3 on aggregate. Demjko Izvanic had his first goal in blue and white in the home leg in a 2-2 final, while Helek-Nenzi Ono showed his class with a brace to help 1912 win 4-1 on the road.
IFCF Challengers’ Cup: Second Preliminary Round
1912 Stelburg 0-2 Wofford Town (APX)
Wofford Town 1-0 1912 Stelburg
Bonneville United (RCN) 3-0 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd 0-0 Bonneville United
Not what fans of these clubs were expecting, to be honest, in the second preliminary round. 1912 Stelburg can be forgiven for going out against a solid club like Wofford Town, but Olympia Borograd’s failure to score even a goal on Bonneville United will be a disappointment for sure. Bonneville proved themselves as a solid side, however, in the first leg, and so both Olympia and 1912 go out of the Cup earlier than they would have liked.
IFCF Champions’ League: Third Preliminary Round
FC Teussen Stelburg 1-1 Hastmead Diamante (OSR)
Hastmead Diamante 0-1 FC Teussen Stelburg
It was a tough battle, but Teussen ultimately prevail 2-1 on aggregate against Osarian giants Hastmead. Ludwig Reichwein opened the scoring just 7 minutes in, but a late equalizer from Hastmead made the two sides even going into the second leg. Lukas Tauscher would get the winner for Teussen in the second half, however, sending them through.
IFCF Challengers’ Cup: Third Preliminary Round
Dalton Town FC (CBP) 0-1 Energija Chernovets
Energija Chernovets 2-0 Dalton Town FC
Chernovets prevail 3-0 on aggregate here, and the tie was never really in question. A strong performance on the road saw Archibald Koyaanisqatsi give the Canaries a 1-0 lead before Miroslav Dinev bagged a brace at home to kill any hopes of a Dalton Town comeback. Energija are carrying the national banner in this competition now, and their fans will be hoping for it to continue.
IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: Preliminary Round
AC Kasandora (LIS) 3-3 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 2-4 AC Kasandora
Only 1 round for Teussen in the Cup Winners’ Cup, as they go out to Kasandora 7-5 in a tie that was filled with goals. 3-3 draw on the road, Tauscher getting 2 of those, before Reichwein and Bahr had the goals in a 4-2 loss to send Teussen out.
IFCF Champions’ League: Playoff Round
FC Teussen Stelburg 1-1 CF Outineau (KSK)
CF Outineau 0-0 FC Teussen Stelburg
A disappointing showing for Teussen. CF Outineau defended exceptionally throughout the tie, holding Teussen’s attack at bay, and limiting them to a single goal from the penalty spot, Ludwig Reichwein with the goal. Teussen will now drop to the Challengers’ Cup.
IFCF Challengers’ Cup: Playoff Round
Energija Chernovets 2-0 Zoloroni City (MRC)
Zoloroni City 1-2 Energija Chernovets
Another key win for Energija in the playoff round, knocking out Mercedini side Zoloroni City 4-1 on aggregate. Viktor Dimitrov’s free-kick goal got things going in the first leg, before Miroslav Dinev scored both goals in the second leg to ensure the victory.
AOCL Preliminary Round
FC Teussen Stelburg 1-0 Severak (BGN)
Severak 3-5 FC Teussen Stelburg
Ludwig Reichwein scored to get Teussen a 1-0 win at home, before Severak went up 2-0 in the second leg. Lukas Tauscher’s hattrick as well as goals from Ernst Schoff and Axel Richter, however, gave Teussen the 5-3 win in the game and the overall aggregate win.
IFCF Challengers’ Cup: Qualifying Round
Energija Chernovets 3-1 Gwinerva Barbarians (APX)
Gwinerva Barbarians 2-2 Energija Chernovets
It was always going to be an interesting tie, with Archibald Koyaanisqatsi returning to his former club Gwinerva Barbarians here. The Barbarians took the lead in the first leg early, but it was the man himself Koyaanisqatsi who equalized before Miro Dinev scored twice to give Energija an important 3-1 win. In the away leg, Koyaanisqatsi and Dragomir Nikolaev had the goals as Energija progress 5-3 on aggregate, advancing to the group stage alongside FC Teussen Stelburg.
With the early international results complete, it’s time for the Republikaliga to kick off!
Matchday 1
FC Teussen Stelburg 2–0 Olympia Borograd
FK Vlaikograd 1896 2–4 1828 Pomen
Marlesee 97 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–4 FC Kaiserhaven
Energija Chernovets 4–4 SV Preisfeld
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–2 Rudar Trkev
SW Stahlberg 3–0 VfB Marlesee
FK Pomorie 2–3 1912 Stelburg
FC St. Jakob 0–1 TSV Marzig
FC Einheit Marnau 0–5 FC Rotmunde 1932
We get things started with a National Derby in Stelburg. A free kick goal from Ernst Schoff in the first half put Teussen on their way, before Ludwig Reichwein’s second half goal gave Teussen the 2-0 win over their rivals. It’s a huge opening day win that will surely give Teussen confidence to keep their run going, while Olympia will be looking to regroup after this. 1828 Pomen marked their return to the top tier with a 4-2 win over Vlaikograd, Michael Witzer scoring the winning goal in that one. Branimir Glanchev scored his first goal for Metropola late to salvage a 1-1 draw, while Bobby East scored Kaiserhaven’s winner in a 4-2 win over Zvezda. SV Preisfeld led Energija Chernovets 4-1 at the half, but goals from Koyaanisqatsi, Dinev and Hristov in the second half evened the score. Johannes Mandl had a hat-trick in Felsenkirchen’s 4-2 win over Rudar Trkev, while Ragnar Targaryen marked his Republikaliga debut with 2 goals for SW Stahlberg. Targaryen’s first was a penalty that also saw VfB Marlesee go down to 10 men, Ralf Siemens seeing red. FK Pomorie led 1912 Stelburg 1-0 and 2-1, but Stelburg would prevail in the end, Jasno Odonelec with the winning goal there. Horst Hackl’s late goal gave Marzig a win over St. Jakob, while Rotmunde had no trouble getting past FC Einheit Marnau, Aberbach with 2 goals while Ignace Thibodeux scored on his debut to make it 5-0.
Matchday 2
Olympia Borograd 2–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
TSV Marzig 3–1 FC Einheit Marnau
1912 Stelburg 3–2 FC St. Jakob
VfB Marlesee 1–2 FK Pomorie
Rudar Trkev 3–3 SW Stahlberg
SV Preisfeld 2–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Kaiserhaven 1–3 Energija Chernovets
FK Metropola Borograd 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
1828 Pomen 0–5 Marlesee 97
FC Teussen Stelburg 2–2 FK Vlaikograd 1896
Krasimir Kynev scored twice in the first half, and Olympia Borograd seemed to be on their way to a win, but two goals from Nwabudike Ugonna in the second half brought the sides level before Julian Werner turned in the winner. Alex Geschke had the winner for Marzig over Marnau, while Helek-Nenzi Ono scored his first and second Republikaliga goals in a 3-2 win for 1912 Stelburg over FC St. Jakob. FK Pomorie grabbed their first win of the year, Pavel Lipev scoring the winning goal. Rudar Trkev led Stahlberg 3-0, but 2 more from Ragnar Targaryen as well as a first career goal from Louis von Stroheim brought the visiting Miners equal. Mario Pftizner scored in second half stoppage time to bring Preisfeld and Felsenkirchen to a 2-2 draw, while Miro Dinev scored twice in a 3-1 win for Chernovets over Kaiserhaven. Sinisa Gaspersie scored a beautiful goal for Zvezda, running the length of the field before beating Viktor Venev, to earn a draw against Metropola. Meanwhile, Elias Eicke had a hat-trick in Marlesee 97’s dismantling of 1828 Pomen. Teussen led Vlaikograd 2-0 at the half, but two assists by Darijan Vesele, the goals from Kadar and Delikov, saw Vlaikograd draw level.
Matchday 3
FK Vlaikograd 1896 3–4 Olympia Borograd
Marlesee 97 3–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 1828 Pomen
Energija Chernovets 2–2 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–1 FC Kaiserhaven
SW Stahlberg 1–0 SV Preisfeld
FK Pomorie 4–1 Rudar Trkev
FC St. Jakob 2–1 VfB Marlesee
FC Einheit Marnau 0–0 1912 Stelburg
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–4 TSV Marzig
It was Olympia Borograd’s turn to pull off a comeback this week, down 3-1 to Vlaikograd at half time before coming back in the second half. Ikki Tokei got things started with a goal, before Lojze Kokalj scored his first Republikaliga goal for the club to level the proceedings. Krasimir Kynev would add a late penalty to give Olympia their first win of the season. Teussen played a different role, up 4-1 at the half before having to hold on late as Marlesee 97 drew closer. Leopold Bliznakov scored the equalizer to save one point for Zvezda, while Miroslav Dinev and Atanas Velikov helped Energija Chernovets come back from 2-0 down to draw Metropola. Johannes Mandl’s goal led Felsenkirchen to a win over Kaiserhaven, while Ragnar Targaryen found the net again in Stahlberg’s 1-0 win over Preisfeld. FK Pomorie dismantled Rudar Trkev, going up 3-0 in the first 10 minutes, and things got even worse for Trkev when Evgeni Bakalov went off injured. If he is out long term, their entire season is in jeopardy. Erwin Bahnsen had both the goals in a 2-1 win for St. Jakob, while Marnau and 1912 Stelburg played out 90 minutes of scoreless football, the first 0-0 draw of the season. TSV Marzig surprised some with a 4-2 win over Rotmunde, Takashi Matsumoto leading the way with a brace.
Matchday 4
Olympia Borograd 4–0 TSV Marzig
1912 Stelburg 0–2 FC Rotmunde 1932
VfB Marlesee 3–2 FC Einheit Marnau
Rudar Trkev 2–2 FC St. Jakob
SV Preisfeld 3–1 FK Pomorie
FC Kaiserhaven 0–1 SW Stahlberg
FK Metropola Borograd 7–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
1828 Pomen 1–3 Energija Chernovets
FC Teussen Stelburg 2–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Vlaikograd 1896 4–0 Marlesee 97
Olympia Borograd roared to a 4-0 win over TSV Marzig, last week’s comeback clearly inspiring them, as Aleksander Lukonov scored two early goals in the win. Rotmunde returned to winning ways, shocking 1912 Stelburg on the road as Otso Ilkannen opened the scoring with a powerful shot from distance before Theodor Aberbach turned in the second. Gerold Tegeler had a brace as VfB Marlesee got past Marnau 3-2, while Giorgos Dimitrou’s direct free kick goal brought St. Jakob level with Rudar Trkev. Speaking of Trkev, Evgeni Bakalov is expected to be out for 6-8 weeks with an ankle injury. Nestor McGowan had his first goal for SV Preisfeld in a 3-1 win over FK Pomorie, while Andreas Wentzel scored the late winner for SW Stahlberg in a win over Kaiserhaven. Metropola Borograd exploded for 7 goals over Felsenkirchen, Branimir Glanchev having 2 of them, they have gotten off to a decent start in the league and quieted some fan complaints so far. Dragomir Nikolaev is having a great season so far for Energija, and scored two goals in their win over Pomen. Meanwhile, a second half goal by Ludwig Reichwein saw Teussen past Zvezda, 2-1, while 3 goals from Tihomir Delikov gave Vlaikograd a big 4-0 win over Marlesee 97.
Matchday 5
Marlesee 97 2–3 Olympia Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–3 FK Vlaikograd 1896
Energija Chernovets 4–3 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–2 1828 Pomen
SW Stahlberg 2–3 FK Metropola Borograd
FK Pomorie 3–1 FC Kaiserhaven
FC St. Jakob 1–1 SV Preisfeld
FC Einheit Marnau 2–2 Rudar Trkev
FC Rotmunde 1932 4–2 VfB Marlesee
TSV Marzig 0–1 1912 Stelburg
Marlesee and Olympia Borograd played an exciting game, 4 of the goals coming in the final 15 minutes, with Vladimir Kostov scoring the eventual winning goal late. The Vlaikograd derby saw FK Vlaikograd 1896 defeat Zvezda 3-2, Bendeguz Kadar getting the winner for the visitors. Energija Chernovets handed FC Teussen Stelburg their first defeat of the year in a back-and-forth match that saw Chernovets lead 2-0, and Teussen go up 3-2, before Archibald Koyaanisqatsi scored twice to give the Canaries the win. Johannes Mandl had a late goal to tie the match between Felsenkirchen and Pomen, while Branimir Glanchev had two goals in Metropola’s win over SW Stahlberg. Pomorie pulled off a 3-1 win over Kaiserhaven, Nephtali Keegan with the winning goal. Werner Schott scored a late goal for Preisfeld to earn a draw against St. Jakob, while Marnau and Trkev drew 2-2. Rotmunde smashed VfB Marlesee 4-2, leading 3-0 at the half, with goals from Werner, Koehler and Aberbach.
President’s Cup First Round
15 Republikaliga clubs through to the second round of the cup. TSV Marzig and Zvezda Vlaikograd played an intense match to open up the round, Zvezda leading 3-0 before Marzig took a 6-3 lead midway through the second half. It was certainly an entertaining one, and in the end Marzig defeat their rivals. 1912 Stelburg defeated FC Felsenkirchen 1879 5-3, Henri Oldenbourg scoring twice in that one, while each of Chernovets, Olympia and Teussen required extra time to dispatch lower tier competition. Pomorie crushed 1884 Felsenkirchen 5-1, while SW Stahlberg had to come back from 2-0 down to defeat Raketa Bukovets. Metropola Borograd knock out St. Jakob as well, 5-3 the score there. The second round draw will see FC Teussen Stelburg take on Olympia Borograd, Metropola Borograd take on 1912 Stelburg, and former Cup winners VfL Bamerntal hosting fellow former winners TSV Marzig.
Matchday 6
Olympia Borograd 1–2 1912 Stelburg
VfB Marlesee 4–4 TSV Marzig
Rudar Trkev 2–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
SV Preisfeld 3–4 FC Einheit Marnau
FC Kaiserhaven 1–4 FC St. Jakob
FK Metropola Borograd 3–2 FK Pomorie
1828 Pomen 3–3 SW Stahlberg
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–5 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Vlaikograd 1896 3–4 Energija Chernovets
Marlesee 97 4–4 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Helek-Nenzi Ono had the opener for 1912 Stelburg on the road in Borograd, but it wasn’t long before Krasimir Kynev tied the score. After a back-and-forth second half, it was the super sub Demjko Izvanic who got the winner for the Bluebirds in a huge win. Rainer Klebs had a hat-trick as VfB Marlesee came from 4-2 down to earn a draw with Marzig, while Ignace Thibodeux scored twice in the second half off the bench to lead Rotmunde to a win over Rudar Trkev. Banquo Chrysler scored his first of the season to win the game for Marnau, 4-3 the final as the Roses beat Preisfeld. FC St. Jakob ran over Kaiserhaven, 4-1, Leo Heiden with 2 goals. Grant Meador headed home the winner for Metropola over Pomorie, while 2 goals in the last 20 minutes saw 1828 Pomen grab a surprise draw with Stahlberg. Teussen and Felsenkirchen exploded for 10 goals between them, Lukas Tauscher having 3 on the Teussen side while Johannes Mandl and Mario Pfitzner each had two for the visiting Blues. Energija Chernovets went up 3-0 before Vlaikograd pegged them back, but Kazimir Kuznetsov scored the winner off the bench for the Canaries. Zvezda and Marlesee 97 went back-and-forth, eventually ending in a 4-4 draw.
AOCL First Round
FC Teussen Stelburg 0-0 Crystopolis City (CRY)
Crystopolis City 1-2 FC Teussen Stelburg
A strong win by Teussen on the road in the second leg of their AOCL tie with Crystopolis City, Heinrich Bahr scoring the opener before Lukas Tauscher fired in a late winner to send the black and gold through to the second round. The draw for that round sees Teussen facing Raynor City United of Valanora, and a return to the Teussens-Arena for club hero Karl-Heinz Jager.
Matchday 7
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–1 Olympia Borograd
Energija Chernovets 1–1 Marlesee 97
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–2 FK Vlaikograd 1896
SW Stahlberg 2–3 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Pomorie 4–3 1828 Pomen
FC St. Jakob 2–1 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Einheit Marnau 4–3 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–1 SV Preisfeld
TSV Marzig 3–3 Rudar Trkev
1912 Stelburg 2–4 VfB Marlesee
Olympia Borograd kicked off the weekend by getting back to winning ways against Zvezda, it was Alex Lukonov that scored the winner in the first half. Elias Eicke scored at the death to draw Marlesee level with Chernovets, that one ended 1-1, while Rolf Seyfried’s two goals in the second half saw Felsenkirchen and Vlaikograd draw. Ragnar Targaryen opened the scoring for Stahlberg with a powerful shot from distance, but goals from Tauscher, Reichwein and Kogler gave Teussen a 3-1 advantage. While Targaryen would make things interesting with his second, Teussen come away with the three points. Pomorie pulled back from 3-1 down to defeat 1828 Pomen, while two goals from Erwin Bahnsen in the final moments of FC St. Jakob’s match with Metropola Borograd turned the tables around. Linus Segert had two goals for Marnau in a win over Kaiserhaven, while Rotmunde continued their great run to start the season with a 3-1 win over Preisfeld. Marzig and Trkev draw, 3-3, while VfB Marlesee earned a memorable 3 points in a shocking away win over 1912 Stelburg.
Matchday 8
Olympia Borograd 2–1 VfB Marlesee
Rudar Trkev 1–2 1912 Stelburg
SV Preisfeld 1–0 TSV Marzig
FC Kaiserhaven 1–2 FC Rotmunde 1932
FK Metropola Borograd 0–3 FC Einheit Marnau
1828 Pomen 2–2 FC St. Jakob
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 FK Pomorie
FK Vlaikograd 1896 1–2 SW Stahlberg
Marlesee 97 2–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–2 Energija Chernovets
VfB Marlesee couldn’t continue their momentum from last week’s upset win, and while a late goal from Gerold Tegeler inspired some hope of a comeback, it was not to be as Olympia Borograd take all three points. Rafael Mesmer scored twice for 1912 Stelburg in a win over Rudar Trkev, while Werner Schott scored just 2 minutes in for Preisfeld, that goal stood as the only one in their win over Marzig. Despite Kabir Jobateh’s early goal for Kaiserhaven, his compatriot Nwabudike Ugonna would have the last laugh with the winning goal to give Rotmunde their 7th win of the season. Marnau crushed Metropola Borograd, Segert, Chrysler and Heller with the goals, while 1828 Pomen’s Erwin Cancel got his first-ever goal, off a corner at the death, to give Pomen an important point against St. Jakob. Mario Kogler had the sole goal for Teussen in a win over Pomorie, while Lutz von Bergen and John Ferry got on the scoresheet in Stahlberg’s win over Vlaikograd. Johannes Mandl scored twice from the spot, and Mario Pfitzner added a late winner for Felsenkirchen to defeat Marlesee 97, while Miro Dinev scored both goals as Energija came from behind to defeat Zvezda.
Matchday 9
Energija Chernovets 3–2 Olympia Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
SW Stahlberg 2–3 Marlesee 97
FK Pomorie 2–1 FK Vlaikograd 1896
FC St. Jakob 1–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Einheit Marnau 3–4 1828 Pomen
FC Rotmunde 1932 4–2 FK Metropola Borograd
TSV Marzig 1–0 FC Kaiserhaven
1912 Stelburg 6–3 SV Preisfeld
VfB Marlesee 3–3 Rudar Trkev
The weekend started with a clash between Siovanijan giants, and Energija Chernovets come away the winners this time with a 3-2 victory. Lojze Kokalj put Olympia up 1-0, but two goals from Dinev turned the tables before halftime. Krasimir Kynev would equalize in the second half, but Vsevolod Hristov had the late winner for Energija. Zvezda Vlaikograd beat Felsenkirchen thanks to Konstantin Nikolaev, while Elias Eicke had two goals to give Marlesee the win over Stahlberg. Bozhidar Dimitrov’s brace gave Pomorie a win over Vlaikograd, while FC Teussen Stelburg cruised to a 4-1 win at the Draistadion over FC St. Jakob. Ludwig Reichwein had two goals in that win. 1828 Pomen beat Marnau on the road, another important win for the Owls, while Rotmunde remain top of the table thanks to their convincing 4-2 win over Metropola Borograd. Benedikt Tetzlaff headed in TSV Marzig’s winner over Kaiserhaven, while 1912 Stelburg exploded for a 6-3 win over SV Preisfeld. Mesmer and Ono had braces in that one, while Tremblay-Fillon and Izvanic had the other goals. VfB Marlesee and Rudar Trkev split the points in what could be an important result in the relegation race.
Matchday 10
Olympia Borograd 2–3 Rudar Trkev
SV Preisfeld 2–0 VfB Marlesee
FC Kaiserhaven 2–0 1912 Stelburg
FK Metropola Borograd 3–1 TSV Marzig
1828 Pomen 2–4 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–2 FC Einheit Marnau
FK Vlaikograd 1896 0–1 FC St. Jakob
Marlesee 97 4–2 FK Pomorie
Zvezda Vlaikograd 4–4 SW Stahlberg
Energija Chernovets 4–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Well, that’s one Olympia Borograd will be wanting to forget quickly. Rudar Trkev went up 3-0 in the first half, and while Olympia came close to taking a draw late, they didn’t really earn it. McGowan and Kuhn had the goals for Preisfeld in their win, while Bobby East scored two for Kaiserhaven as they defeated 1912 Stelburg. Branimir Glanchev had two, while Boris Bachev added the dagger in Metropola’s 3-1 win over TSV Marzig, while Rotmunde’s great run continued through a 4-2 win over 1828 Pomen. Rotmunde sit top of the league through 10 matches, and key performances from Erich Thierse, Julian Werner and Nwabudike Ugonna to name only a few have been huge. FC Teussen Stelburg were defeated at home by FC Einheit Marnau in a shocking result, Arno Heller getting the winner for the visitors, while Francisco Jorge had St. Jakob’s winner over Vlaikograd. Marlesee 97 scored 4 in the first half and never really looked back against FK Pomorie, while a late goal from John Ferry salvaged a draw for Stahlberg in a match they at one point led 3-0. Energija Chernovets beat Felsenkirchen 4-2, goals from Koyaanisqatsi, Dinev, Dimitrov and Skrinjar vital to the win.
President’s Cup Second Round
Relative ease for FC Einheit Marnau and Energija Chernovets in wins over lower division opponents, Kazimir Kuznetsov having a hat-trick for Energija in their 5-0 win over Kischfeld. The National Derby saw Teussen crush Olympia 3-0, it was simply not the Greens’ day and they were outplayed all over the park, Lukas Tauscher’s brace a big part of their struggles. SK Republika Borograd ensured at least one capital club would be in the Third Round with an extra time win over VfB Marlesee, while TSV Marzig got past Bamerntal thanks to Horst Hackl. FC Rotmunde 1932 knock out Rudar Trkev, while Louis von Stroheim scored a great goal from just outside the box as Stahlberg knock out second tier Orlovska Bistrica. 90 minutes couldn’t separate Metropola and 1912, before goals from Branimir Glanchev and Demjko Izvanic in extra time kept them even. Pierre-Louis Lotbiniere would put in the winning penalty panenka-style after Metropola’s Boris Bachev missed his attempt. The third round draw sees Arsenal Bukovets host FC Teussen Stelburg, Energija Chernovets take on SW Stahlberg, the sole remaining side from Borograd, SK Republika, hosting Marlesee 97 and FK Metropola Borograd hosting 1912 Stelburg.
Matchday 11
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–2 Olympia Borograd
SW Stahlberg 1–1 Energija Chernovets
FK Pomorie 0–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC St. Jakob 0–1 Marlesee 97
FC Einheit Marnau 2–0 FK Vlaikograd 1896
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
TSV Marzig 1–5 1828 Pomen
1912 Stelburg 3–2 FK Metropola Borograd
VfB Marlesee 1–0 FC Kaiserhaven
Rudar Trkev 2–4 SV Preisfeld
Johannes Mandl came up big again for Felsenkirchen, scoring twice in their 3-2 win over Olympia Borograd, as the Greens slump to their 6th defeat of the season, and currently sit 10th in the league. Big questions are coming for Olympia Borograd. Super sub Kazimir Kuznetsov was the hero as Energija Chernovets draw 1-1 with Stahlberg, while Milos Roser’s opening goal was the winner for Zvezda over Pomorie. Ingolf Kruger scored Marlesee’s winner of St. Jakob, while Arno Heller had both goals for Marnau in a 2-0 win over Vlaikograd. The much-discussed Rotmunde-Teussen clash went the way of the home side, Rotmunde staying top of the league with a huge 3-2 win. Theodor Aberbach came back to bite his former club with a header early, before Julian Werner made it 2-0. Ludwig Reichwein and Mario Kogler scored for Teussen in the second half to equalize, but a long hit from Otso Ilkannen ended up being the difference, a rocket into the top right corner from the Savojar making the day of every Rotmunde fan. They are now 5 points clear at the top, with 10 wins through 11 matches. 1828 Pomen unloaded on TSV Marzig, 4 of their 5 goals coming in the first half. In a rematch of the earlier President’s Cup tie, 1912 Stelburg defeat Metropola Borograd 3-2, Helek-Nenzi Ono with two goals before Jasno Odonelec grabbed the winner for the Bluebirds. VfB Marlesee beat Kaiserhaven 1-0, the Admirals have struggled in the league so far this season, while SV Preisfeld defeated Rudar Trkev 4-2. Trkev received even more bad news after the match, as Evgeni Bakalov’s timetable for return from injury continues to be pushed back.
Matchday 12
Olympia Borograd 7–3 SV Preisfeld
FC Kaiserhaven 3–2 Rudar Trkev
FK Metropola Borograd 2–2 VfB Marlesee
1828 Pomen 3–6 1912 Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–2 TSV Marzig
FK Vlaikograd 1896 3–5 FC Rotmunde 1932
Marlesee 97 4–0 FC Einheit Marnau
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 FC St. Jakob
Energija Chernovets 1–2 FK Pomorie
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–2 SW Stahlberg
7 (seven) for Olympia as they dismantle SV Preisfeld at home, clearly taking out frustrations at their dismal record so far this season. Krasimir Kynev scored 3, Ikki Tokei and Lojze Kokalj scored 2 each, and SV Preisfeld had no chance. Kaiserhaven came from behind to beat Rudar Trkev 3-2, Bobby East getting the winner, while Branimir Glanchev has become a sort of cult hero at Metropola, scoring two in the draw with VfB Marlesee. 1912 Stelburg scored 6 again, Odonelec and Izvanic at the brace while Tremblay-Fillon and Oldenbourg had the others. TSV Marzig surprise the league by defeating Teussen away, Takashi Matsumoto grabbing the winner there, while Rotmunde make it 11 of 12 with a 5-3 win over FK Vlaikograd 1896. Marlesee 97 crush Marnau, 4-0 the final there, while Zvezda Vlaikograd gave their home fans something to cheer with a 90+7 goal from Leopold Bliznakov to earn a point against St. Jakob. Upsets continued elsewhere, as Nephtali Keegan had Pomorie’s winner over Energija Chernovets and Bruno Katzmann scored twice for Felsenkirchen, Ubul Kuruc getting the winner as they defeated SW Stahlberg 3-2.
Matchday 13
SW Stahlberg 5–4 Olympia Borograd
FK Pomorie 2–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC St. Jakob 3–3 Energija Chernovets
FC Einheit Marnau 2–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–2 Marlesee 97
TSV Marzig 4–2 FK Vlaikograd 1896
1912 Stelburg 0–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
VfB Marlesee 2–2 1828 Pomen
Rudar Trkev 0–2 FK Metropola Borograd
SV Preisfeld 3–3 FC Kaiserhaven
RBC Sports commentator Rolf Muller declared it ‘one of the greatest Republikaliga matches...for all time.’ The clash between SW Stahlberg and Olympia Borograd here will live on long in the memory of both sets of fans as well as neutrals, as an incredibly entertaining match was punctuated with Republikaliga history. Krasimir Kynev opened up the scoring just 11 minutes in to make it 1-0 for the visitors, before disaster seemed to strike for Stahlberg. David Beck charged out of his goal to prevent Kynev from coming in again, and was given a straight red card. Backup keeper Mario Konicker had to be subbed on, and Stahlberg went down to 10 men. Kynev would also convert from the penalty spot, to make it 2-0. The Miners showed resilience, however, and ten minutes before the half Ragnar Targaryen would fire in his first of the net to make it 2-1. 2 minutes into the second half, Lojze Koklaj would strike, making the score 3-1, and seemingly putting this one to bed. Targaryen got free in the box off a corner, however, to make it 3-2, before adding another off a brilliant shot from outside the box to equalize for Stahlberg. The game was getting out of hand for Olympia now, and a rash challenge from the captain Vladimir Kostov saw him get sent off as well, both sides reduced to 10 men. Targaryen would score from the spot for his 4th goal of the game, putting Stahlberg up 4-3. But Olympia weren’t done yet, Icarus Darsten scoring from the top of the box to equalize with just 3 minutes of regular time remaining. Controversy would continue, however, when Paul Schorner tackled Krasimir Kynev seconds later. Nikola Karapetrov erupted at that, and rushed over to Schorner, nearly fighting him hockey-style. Both men saw red, reducing Stahlberg and Olympia to 9 men. There were 8 minutes of stoppage time to be played still, due to all the events of the second half, and deep into stoppage time, Jourdain Blanchette would find an open Ragnar Targaryen who would blast in his 5th goal of the game, the first time such a feat has happened in the Republikaliga. The former Galactico Player of the Year received a standing O from the crowd, and created one of the Republikaliga’s most memorable moments. Schorner and Karapetrov received 3 match bans after the fact, and this match served to re-heat the Olympia-Stahlberg rivalry.
All of that drama, and we haven’t even got to the Stelburg derby yet. Felsenkirchen beat Pomorie in a seesaw match, while a late goal from Miro Dinev rescued a point for Chernovets, who went down 2-0 within 15 minutes against St. Jakob. Banquo Chrysler got the winner for Marnau over Zvezda, while Marlesee 97 handed Rotmunde only their second defeat of the season. Rotmunde looked on their way when Max Koehler scored early, but Ingolf Kruger and Elias Eicke had other things to say as they gave Marlesee the win. TSV Marzig roared to a 4-2 win over Vlaikograd, all four goals coming in the second half after going down 2-0 in the first. The Stelburg derby saw 1912 dominate for the better part of the 90 minutes but find themselves unable to crack Teussen’s backline, Axel Richter in particular doing a brilliant job marking Helek-Nenzi Ono. Jasno Odonelec hit the post, and late sub Demjko Izvanic had his shot stopped by the fingertip of Ewald Heuser. Then, at the very end of the match, Richter sent a long ball forward for Lukas Tauscher, who raced forward on the counter. Tauscher sent a crisp pass across to Mario Kogler, who would put it away to give Teussen a win totally against the run of play. 1-0 to Teussen, and they move to just 2 points back of 1912, who are 3rd in the league. Marlesee and Pomen draw, 2-2, while FK Metropola Borograd had no trouble with Rudar Trkev, who expect Evgeni Bakalov back next week. The last match of the weekend saw Preisfeld and Kaiserhaven play out a 3-3 draw that under normal circumstances might be considered match of the week, with Kaiserhaven leading 3-0 before Preisfeld roard back.
Matchday 14
Olympia Borograd 1–1 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Metropola Borograd 2–1 SV Preisfeld
1828 Pomen 2–2 Rudar Trkev
FC Teussen Stelburg 4–1 VfB Marlesee
FK Vlaikograd 1896 0–1 1912 Stelburg
Marlesee 97 0–1 TSV Marzig
Zvezda Vlaikograd 2–2 FC Rotmunde 1932
Energija Chernovets 4–1 FC Einheit Marnau
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 2–1 FC St. Jakob
SW Stahlberg 0–1 FK Pomorie
None of the excitement for Olympia this week, as they struggled in their match with Kaiserhaven. Kabir Jobateh gave the Admirals an early lead, but Lojze Kokalj would salvage it late for the home side. Branimir Glanchev had the winner for Metropola, 2-1 over Preisfeld, while Evgeni Bakalov’s return showed just how valuable he is for Trkev as he assisted on both their goals in a 2-2 draw. Mario Kogler led the way with 2 goals, and Scherwey and Eicher joined him on the scoring chart as Teussen blasted past VfB Marlesee 4-1, while Jasno Odonelec had 1912’s winner over Vlaikograd. Alex Geschke was the only scorer in Marzig’s win over Marlesee 97, while Zvezda Vlaikograd managed to hold Rotmunde to a draw, Konstantin Nikolaev having the equalizer for the home team. Vsevolod Hristov had 4 assists for Energija Chernovets as they defeated Marnau 4-1, Dimitrov and Dinev split the goals. In the northeast, Mario Pfitzner and Ferenc Kubala scored Felsenkirchen’s goals in a 2-1 win over St. Jakob, while FK Pomorie surprised SW Stahlberg 1-0, Pomorie exploiting key absences in Stahlberg’s backline with keeper David Beck and first choice left back Schorner missing through suspension.
Matchday 15
FK Pomorie 2–3 Olympia Borograd
FC St. Jakob 2–0 SW Stahlberg
FC Einheit Marnau 5–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Rotmunde 1932 0–2 Energija Chernovets
TSV Marzig 3–4 Zvezda Vlaikograd
1912 Stelburg 2–1 Marlesee 97
VfB Marlesee 2–3 FK Vlaikograd 1896
Rudar Trkev 3–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
SV Preisfeld 2–1 1828 Pomen
FC Kaiserhaven 3–0 FK Metropola Borograd
Olympia Borograd got back to winning ways thanks to two goals from Alex Lukonov, Ikki Tokei chipped in the winner in a 3-2 victory over Pomorie. Stahlberg failed to find the back of the net again, falling 2-0 to St. Jakob, while Marnau came from 3-2 down to win 5-3 against Felsenkirchen, Linus Segert’s drive into the left corner being the winner. Rotmunde are still top of the league, but are now winless in 3 after a 2-0 loss at home to Chernovets, Dinev and Koyaanisqatsi having the goals for the road team. Zvezda Vlaikograd got some revenge on TSV Marzig for their President’s Cup defeat, Leopold Bliznakov scoring a late winner that sent Zvezda’s away support into raptures. Less welcome, however, were the fights in streets around the stadium after the match between rival supporters that led to 37 arrests, numbers you might see at a Pomorie/Marzig derby. A new rivalry has clearly been born, and steps may need to be taken to reduce the risk of violence at future matches. Odonelec and Mesmer the scorers for 1912 Stelburg in a 2-1 win over Marlesee, while Vlaikograd defeat VfB Marlesee 3-2, Tihomir Delikov getting the winner. Rudar Trkev put in a strong performance against Teussen, actually leading this one 2-1 at one point in the first half, but it wasn’t enough and Lukas Tauscher’s goal secured the win for the black and gold. Nestor McGowan had the winner for Preisfeld, a long drive just beating Pomen keeper Lamar, while Jobateh, Rieder and East each scored as Kaiserhaven cruised to a 3-0 win over Metropola Borograd.
So, 15 matches into the season, let’s take a look at the table!
# Republikaliga Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 FC Rotmunde 1932 15 11 1 3 43 27 +16 34
2 Energija Chernovets 15 9 5 1 41 27 +14 32
3 1912 Stelburg 15 10 1 4 31 24 +7 31
4 FC Teussen Stelburg 15 9 2 4 39 29 +10 29
5 FC Felsenkirchen 1879 15 7 4 4 39 42 −3 25
6 TSV Marzig 15 7 2 6 28 31 −3 23
7 FC Einheit Marnau 15 7 2 6 31 36 −5 23
8 Olympia Borograd 15 7 1 7 38 33 +5 22
9 FK Metropola Borograd 15 6 4 5 31 29 +2 22
10 Marlesee 97 15 6 3 6 33 28 +5 21
11 FK Pomorie 15 7 0 8 29 30 −1 21
12 FC St. Jakob 15 5 5 5 25 24 +1 20
13 SW Stahlberg 15 5 4 6 31 31 0 19
14 SV Preisfeld 15 5 4 6 33 37 −4 19
15 Zvezda Vlaikograd 15 3 6 6 31 33 −2 15
16 1828 Pomen 15 3 6 6 36 43 −7 15
17 FC Kaiserhaven 15 4 2 9 24 29 −5 14
18 VfB Marlesee 15 3 4 8 27 37 −10 13
19 FK Vlaikograd 1896 15 3 2 10 29 37 −8 11
20 Rudar Trkev 15 1 6 8 31 43 −12 9
Naturally, it’s still relatively early in the season, and many of the quirks seen here, such as SW Stahlberg sitting 13th, are likely to resolve themselves in the coming weeks. However, there are definitely some interesting notes to make. FC Rotmunde 1932 have had an excellent start to the year with 11 wins through 15 matches, sitting top of the league by 2 points. They’ve proven themselves as title challengers for sure, and Nwabudike Ugonna & Erich Thierse have to be in the Golden Ball conversation as things stand. Energija Chernovets, 1912 Stelburg and FC Teussen Stelburg sit behind them, still early enough in the season for them to figure out any troubles and correct their course. Felsenkirchen have been great so far and sit 5th, while TSV Marzig have also been a surprise package in 6th. On the other hand, both capital clubs will be disappointed with their positions, Olympia and Metropola sitting 8th and 9th respectively. For Metropola, they’re actually somewhat better off than expected by the most negative fans, and some of the toxicity around the ground has disappeared - they do work hard each match. For Olympia, however, things need to change quickly: this squad is far too talented to sit 8th. Another disappointment so far is SW Stahlberg, but much of their misfortune stems through simply getting unlucky at the wrong time, and they should be OK by the end of the year. At the bottom, Rudar Trkev struggled mightily with Evgeni Bakalov out, with only 1 win so far this year - shockingly, it came against Olympia Borograd. With Bakalov back, however, the club are showing signs of a fight and can still avoid relegation. FK Vlaikograd 1896 will find their way out of the relegation zone as well, and FC Kaiserhaven will need to quickly pick up their game to get out of the bottom of the table. The relegation fight is shaping up to involve the 3 clubs already mentioned as well as VfB Marlesee and 1828 Pomen.
Much more action to come as the Republikaliga season roars on!
