RBC Sports One: Siovanija & Teusland Sporting News

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Nov 16, 2024 1:45 pm

Meisterschaft Final Season - Finale

Matchday 19

Energija Chernovets 2–2 FK Pomorie
FK Metropola Borograd 1–5 FC Teussen Stelburg
VfL Reinbronn 1–3 Taifun Vorstock
TSV Marzig 1–0 1912 Stelburg
FC Kaiserhaven 1–0 Olympia Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd

Chernovets would’ve thought they had it in the bag after Jaro Jezek scored in the 2 minute of stoppage time to put them up 2-1… but there was more late drama to come in Siovanija’s Science City. Marian Hovlak had another moment of magic in him this season to secure Pomorie a draw, which probably isn’t going to be enough in the fight for IFCF football but is still something. Even if they don’t reach the top 4, Pomorie can be very proud of this campaign and take confidence into the Superklasse next season. Taifun Vorstock looked in good form as they took on VfL Reinbronn away, and it was Reiner Werkner who scored two goals in a 3-1 victory. They move up to 9th in the division with the win. FC Kaiserhaven also found a win at home against Olympia Borograd. Stephen Gessner scored the winner for the Sailors as they also moved off bottom spot in the table.

Three massive matches this weekend had huge implications for both the title fight and the race for IFCF football. On Saturday afternoon, FK Metropola Borograd hosted FC Teussen Stelburg with both sides eager to make a statement about their intentions for the rest of the season. Statement made for FC Teussen Stelburg. To go into Borograd and absolutely blow Metropola out of the water is something no-one thought possible, but here we are. Teussen looked like a team absolutely on a mission, like sharks with the scent of blood in the water from minute one. This was a massacre: 3 goals from Reto Zschokke, 2 from WHZ, and it was over before it even started. The pressure was on the other contenders for this title to step up. TSV Marzig had a tough task against 1912 Stelburg at the Volksbankstadion, but they measured up to it well: Mats Winter put in a 10.0 performance for the 4th time this season according to our match ratings, while Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik grabbed the winning goal. Marzig, who started the season as an offensive dynamo, have seemingly perfected the art of the 1-0 win in recent weeks. It’s working well for them, as their 9th clean sheet of the season sees them keep their hold on top spot. Felsenkirchen blew out Zvezda, meanwhile, with a final score of 4-0, meaning everyone has kept pace with each other this week. Perhaps importantly, however, Felsenkirchen and Teussen are both now ahead of the Marzigers on goal differential.

Player of the Week: Reto Zschokke (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 20

FK Pomorie 0–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–1 FC Kaiserhaven
Olympia Borograd 0–0 TSV Marzig
1912 Stelburg 0–0 VfL Reinbronn
Taifun Vorstock 0–1 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–1 Energija Chernovets

Dusan Korlikov was the hero for Zvezda Vlaikograd, as the winger knocked in 2 goals in a 3-1 victory over Kaiserhaven. Zvezda are now up to 7th in the league, which they would be more than happy with - best of the rest in the division this season. 1912 Stelburg couldn’t get much going against Reinbronn at home, which is a big blow to their hopes of returning to IFCF football - Egon von Stein, who by his own account has not quite matched up to last season’s heroics this year, will be having nightmares of his missed chance in the 27th minute. That draw, alongside a late goal from Blahoslav Zak for Metropola to secure the win over Vorstock, seemingly gives Metropola a clear upper hand in the fight for 4th. They are now 5 points ahead of 1912 with just two matches left. Let’s not forget, however, that those two matches are against 1912 themselves, and a Borograd derby with Olympia.

Drama in the title fight! Felsenkirchen’s win over FK Pomorie was a foregone conclusion, really, and the club from the northeast looked solid in the 2-0 win. Jesper Porsche and Dieter Rosberg had the goals, as Felsenkirchen get one step closer to setting up that final-day showdown with Marzig. For TSV Marzig, it’s a slip-up in the national capital that could prove to be very, very costly. Defensively, Marzig were as solid as they’ve been all year - clean sheet #10 for the Knights is an incredible achievement. Up front, however… missed chance after missed chance. “I have to take responsibility,” said Einar Hackl after the match, who hit the post in the final minutes of the match. “But we will be back stronger.” If FC Teussen Stelburg weren’t motivated enough beforehand, that opportunity gifted to them served as inspiration for another beatdown: the final was 5-1 again, this time against Energija Chernovets. If Reto Zschokke hadn’t proven he was worth every penny of his transfer fee already, he did it again today: a second hat-trick in as many weeks for the young winger, as Teussen are hunting down the title. Now, there’s only 2 points separating them from the top spot, and they have the advantage on goal difference too.

Player of the Week: Reto Zschokke (FC Teussen Stelburg)

President’s Cup Semifinal

TSV Marzig 1–0 Marlesee 97
FC St. Jakob 0–0 1. FC Vaihingen (0–1 AET)

Marzig had the Cup semifinal midweek to distract them from the league run-in, and perhaps that was a good thing - they looked to be at their best as they dominated Marlesee in a 1-0 win. Einar Hackl scored the winning goal that sends Marzig to their first final for over a decade. The club have 10 Cup titles to their name, and will be eager to make it 11 at the Nationalstadion. In the other semifinal, the great underdog run of 1. FC Vaihingen will continue all the way to the final! A cagey affair, the Vaihingen outfit scored in the final moments of extra time to secure the greatest win in their history. For the club from the south side of the Reinwald, they’ve achieved a great deal of regional league and Cup honours, but this stage is something totally new. Does ‘1. FCV,’ the club from a town of 156,000, really have a chance to beat Marzig? Put it this way: Marzig have 2 massive matches between now and the Final, concluding a 50+ game season that will have an incredibly emotional outcome either way. Vaihingen has only 90 more minutes to worry about. Marzig are of course the favourites on paper, but as we’ve seen so many times in this edition of the Cup: anything can happen, and it usually does.

Matchday 21

FC Teussen Stelburg 5–0 FK Pomorie
Energija Chernovets 2–2 Taifun Vorstock
FK Metropola Borograd 1–5 1912 Stelburg
VfL Reinbronn 1–3 Olympia Borograd
TSV Marzig 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Kaiserhaven 0–6 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Starting with the title fight: wow, Teussen’s 5-0 win over Pomorie was totally unpredictable, right? The discourse the whole week leading up to it was a little too much, frankly, with plenty accusing Pomorie of ‘taking a dive’ before the match even kicked off. However, also frankly, the Guards didn’t really do too much to make it look like they didn’t. Teussen were 3-0 up by the half, with Josef Weber getting two of them, and the Pomorie away supporters were singing along with the home crowd - anything to stop Marzig. In the aftermath of the result, several betting companies voided payouts on the Teussen win, while TSV Marzig filed a complaint with the STFA. The STFA noted ‘no irregularities’ in an official statement, and really, how could it ever be proven? Teussen are certainly capable of such a result, having scored 5 on both of the previous matchdays against far better sides than Pomorie. Should Kaiserhaven also be accused of fraud after their 6-0 loss at home to Felsenkirchen? The Cogs simply played a magical match, with Jesper Porsche scoring twice in the victory, and gave no quarter at all.

The controversy over the story in Pomorie was heated on Friday night, burning brightly on Saturday, and went totally nuclear on Sunday when TSV Marzig drew with Zvezda Vlaikograd - that put Teussen top of the league on goal difference going into the final matchday. Dusan Korlikov grabbed an early goal for the away side, while Einar Hackl pulled one back with his 20th goal of the season for the Marzigers to at least secure a point. You can’t blame the Marzig supporters for being pissed off, however, if they had won today it wouldn’t have been as much of a problem. Their destiny was in their own hands - now, it no longer is. Next week sees the showdown for the title: Teussen, on top of the league for the first time all season, will travel to Taifun Vorstock knowing that a win will guarantee them the title. They’ve won their last 3 matches by a combined score of 15-2. Felsenkirchen, hosting TSV Marzig, need a bit of a miracle - they have to beat Marzig and hope that Teussen draw or lose on the south coast. And for the Marzigers, who had been on top of the table since matchday 4, they need victory and Teussen to drop points. @STLTransferMarkt, based on the remaining fixtures, gives the odds as 70% in Teussen’s favour, 20% for Felsenkirchen and 10% for Marzig. Just like last season, we have 3 sides fighting for the title all the way to the final whistle.

That’s just the title fight - there was more drama to be found on this weekend as FK Metropola Borograd hosted 1912 Stelburg. The Violets looked pretty secure in 4th place going into this one, sitting 5 points ahead of their friends from Teusland, but now will be feeling pretty nervy going into next week’s Borograd derby. Xorge Le Meji had a hat-trick for the Bluebirds, who have gained new life in the second half of this season and played much more like the champions of last season. Damien Gannot and Stephen Lorber had the other goals in a 5-1 win that has the Stelburgers now just 2 points behind the final IFCF place. On the final day, Metropola will face their old enemies Olympia in the Borograd derby, while 1912 will face Energija Chernovets at home. Zwolf need a win and a draw or loss for Metropola to claim the prize of international football next season.

In the other action this week, Chernovets and Taifun Vorstock, who will both have important roles to play in next week’s deciding matches, played out a 2-2 draw as Vorstock found a late equalizer. Olympia Borograd prepared themselves for next week’s Borograd derby in the best way possible, with a 3-1 victory over VfL Reinbronn. The Greens have looked solid in recent weeks, and can take a bit more confidence into their Superklasse playoff following the season.

Player of the Week: Xorge Le Meji (1912 Stelburg)

Matchday 22

FK Pomorie 2–1 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0–1 TSV Marzig
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–0 VfL Reinbronn
Olympia Borograd 2–1 FK Metropola Borograd
1912 Stelburg 3–0 Energija Chernovets
Taifun Vorstock 1–1 FC Teussen Stelburg

Incredible! TSV Marzig are national champions! From looking like a sure thing with the club 5 points ahead, to looking totally lost after last weekend with the club falling to second, this incredible side has accomplished history. It’s the first national title for TSV Marzig since the President’s Cup triumph in 1962, almost 85 years ago now, when the Cup was still the national championship. They are the first team from outside the traditional top 6 to win the title since SW Stahlberg, and the first new club to win the league title (post-Republikaliga era) since FK Metropola Borograd.

Plenty will be written about Marzig’s incredible story in these last few years, certainly, but in some ways it can be called a triumph long in the making. Marzig have produced excellent players for many, many years - Ludwig Reichwein, Horst Hackl, to name just a few. They had never been able to hang onto them, however, until the last few years. Young stars like Mats Winter and Einar Hackl, joined by other academy grads such as Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik and Silvio Rodl, made this happen. A squad with 8/11 starting players coming from Hechingertor, the club’s famous academy. When Einar Hackl and Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik dominated for the Goldhorns at the World Cup last summer, those in Marzig knew they had something special. When veteran Quebecois midfielder Samuel McTavish, whose championship pedigree was so valuable in the title run-in, came in to join them, there were whispered talks of ‘is it really possible?’ And now, it’s real.

Characteristically, Marzig achieved this result on the final day with their standard service: 1-0. “Boring, boring, Marzig!” chant the away supporters, and Marzig fans love to mock them with the same chant, as they did today at Mollin Park. Einar Hackl scored the legendary goal just 18 minutes into the match, but with so much uncertainty at that point nobody realized it. For the rest of the match, it was just perfection. Ludwig Gottschall with the save to knock away Isak Harju’s clear-cut chance in the second half. Mats Winter managing to put Jesper Porsche and Arne Repnik both in his pocket all game long. Silvio Rodl with a goal-line clearance off a late corner.

When the final whistle blew, none of the Marzig players knew the score in Vorstock. They immediately rushed over to the away end, where phones were passed down and the players and supporters watched the game together. On the south coast, Teussen had gone 1-0 up early, too, thanks to Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta. But a red card for Dietrich Traeger left them down a man and struggling to hang on - Reiner Werkner was able to knock one in on the back of that, and that was everything. When the whistle went in Vorstock, the party started in the away block of Mollin Park. Pyro, fireworks, banners, everything you can imagine. Tears, too, from the staff, players and supporters. In Marzig itself, the party went long into the night on Kaiser-Otto-Platz and Sankt-Gustaf-Platz, where the club’s fans had gathered to watch the match. The club chose to forgo a trophy presentation at Mollin Park, instead presenting the national title trophy to their supporters the next morning at the Volksbankstadion itself. Silvio Rodl lifted the trophy that has been given to title winners since 1896, with the name of every national champion, high into the sky. TSV Marzig will have their name engraved on it for the 9th time in the club’s history.

Beyond just the title fight, the final day did not disappoint. 1912 Stelburg were away cleanly against Chernovets, with Damien Gannot scoring the opener. There have been rumours about the 34 year old leaving the club this summer, though none concrete - if he does, it would be as a legend, having won a league title in checkerboard blue and white, and a goal in perhaps his final game in that shirt is more than deserved. That meant FK Metropola Borograd needed a win in the Borograd derby on the road. It was the perfect storm for the home side - good form recently, the visitors under pressure, and an absolute hell of an atmosphere created for Marjan Trstenjek and Metropola. Green smoke filled the air, the whistling was louder than the airplanes overhead as soon as Trstenjek got near the pitch, and ‘Judas’ was chanted virtually the entire match. The pre-match banner read ‘Cursed be the traitor of his homeland,’ a lyric from the Siovanijan national anthem. Even though the match took place 9 months to the date of Trstenjek’s departure, it was very much at the forefront of the Olympia supporters’ minds. After just one attempt, Trstenjek had to be removed from taking corner kicks, due to the amount of garbage being thrown at him from the Olympia fans. For all of these disturbances, the club was fined T50,000 by the STFA - which is certainly no small thing given their current situation. However, the result of this derby - a late winner from Rolando Cutter - was priceless for Olympia supporters. Having suffered for so many years at the hands of their neighbours, and with no real light at the end of the tunnel visible, they managed to keep their rivals and their hero turned traitor out of IFCF football. Cutter had a big smile as he applauded the home supporters afterwards - one has to imagine that he could be out the door if the Greens do not win qualification to the Superklasse, so this was a beautiful moment for him with the fans he has dazzled for a few years now.

Elsewhere, in matches with lesser stakes, FK Pomorie got a victory over FC Kaiserhaven that was barely celebrated by their supporters. Teussen’s early goal in their fixture was celebrated louder than either of Marian Hovlak’s goals, while when Vorstock equalized against Teussen with Marzig already 1-0 up, you could hear the stadium groan. When everything in Teusland was confirmed, fans began throwing fireworks onto the pitch in anger, causing the game to be suspended in stoppage time. Making things even worse, the police would not allow Pomorie’s ultras to leave the stadium for hours after the game, to prevent them from running into any celebrating Marzig supporters. A sad ending to what was really a beautiful season for the Pomorie outfit. Zvezda Vlaikograd also won on the final day, with Rogelio Chianese getting the winner that saw them confirm a 7th place finish.

That brings the Meisterschaft season to a wrap, but there is still much more to discuss!

Player of the Week: Mats Winter (TSV Marzig)

Season Awards

Golden Ball - Mats Winter (TSV Marzig)
Golden Boot - Einar Hackl (TSV Marzig, 22 goals)
Golden Glove - Ludwig Gottschall (TSV Mazrig)
Manager of the Year - Bernard Lukes (FK Pomorie)
Young Player of the Year - Josef Weber (FC Teussen Stelburg)
Best XI - GK - Gottschall (MZG); LB - Metzger (FEL), CB - Rodl (MZG), CB - Steinhausl (FEL), RB - Reichenbach (TEU); CM - Winter (MZG), CM - Gruber (TEU), CM - Porsche (FEL); LW - Weber (TEU), RW - Zschokke (TEU), CF - Hackl (MZG)
Substitutes: Holz (FEL); Tirel (FEL), Sanner (TEU); Vadimic (MET), Kosch-Kovarik (MZG), Le Meji (STE), Harju (FEL)

Team Awards

Each club’s fans voted for a Player of the Season, based on criteria such as overall performance and also connection with their fanbase. The results were as follows:

1912 Stelburg - Xorge Le Meji
Energija Chernovets - Veselin Oresnik
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 - Jesper Porsche
FC Kaiserhaven - Wolf Wind
FC Teussen Stelburg - Reto Zschokke
FK Metropola Borograd - Marjan Trstenjek
FK Pomorie - Marian Hovlak
Olympia Borograd - Rolando Cutter
Taifun Vorstock - Reiner Werkner
TSV Marzig - Mats Winter
VfL Reinbronn - Ben Bing
Zvezda Vlaikograd - Dusan Korlikov

President’s Cup Final

1. FC VAIHINGEN vs TSV MARZIG

Nationalstadion, Stelburg, Teusland

Vaihingen XI: Lowe; Vogt, Lehr (Planck 60’), Ebner, Ingersleben; Beitel, Schafer (Fabian 60’); Metz, Halle, Furst; Buchholz (Egger 117’)

Marzig XI: Gottschall; Grabner (Neumark 78’), Schorr (Feicke 105’), Rodl, Clotieri; Panzer, McTavish (Kaiser 90’), Winter; Delan, Kosch-Kovarik, Hackl

1. FC Vaihingen 1-1 (2-1 AET) TSV Marzig

An unbelievable upset! Before the season, picking 1. FCV to win the Cup would’ve netted you 7500:1 odds. That’s how much of an upset this is. Anyone who followed their run through the Cup, however, would tell you that this was possible: Down 2-0 against FK Vlaikograd 1896, they came back to win 3-2. Then it was a series of dominating performances against clubs around their level, beating Cerknica 4-1 before completely controlling the match at home against Karakanovski Fabrika in the third round. Vaihingen were at their best late in matches: they play a system that requires great physical fitness, and in both the Round of 16 and the Semifinal they won their matches in extra time.

The same thing would happen here today. Marzig entered the match seeking a first-ever league and Cup double in the club’s history, but perhaps there was too much partying in the wake of the first victory as they looked a bit slow in the early stage. The more likely explanation is that, with the emotional release of taking home the league title, the 59 prior competitive matches this season just finally caught up with them. You could tell things were off when Marzig had barely any shots in the first half, and the thousands of Vaihingen supporters in the south end of the Nationalstadion roared their team on. A lower-division side had not captured the Cup since VfL Bamerntal all the way back in the first season of the Republikaliga, but they now had hope their side could do it too. Hans-Jorg Metz scored the opening goal on a counterattack for the Vaihingers, a moment even he was not expecting when he took the shot. Mobbed by his teammates, Vaihingen now had confidence.

In the second half, 1. FCV aimed to see things out with a solid defensive performance reminiscent of exactly how TSV Marzig had won the league title. However, the Marzigers found whatever gas was left in them and pushed hard for a comeback - the goal came from the boot of Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik in the 73rd minute, and Marzig were now pushing for the winner in normal time. Vaihingen goalkeeper Kurt Lowe made a great save on Einar Hackl, however, to keep things level and send it into extra time. In that final frame, it was Vaihingen who kept their legs. Hans-Jorg Metz scored the second goal two, writing himself into history as a club legend for all-time, and the young winger this time had a great curling shot that beat Gottschall. Marzig fought with everything, but just didn’t have the energy left to do anything about it. To the shock of the country, and the joy of their fans in attendance, 1. FC Vaihingen lifted the Cup for the first time!

For the club, for the city of Vaihingen, it’s a triumph that will be eternal. The victory parade the morning after drew thousands to the city’s main square, the Kronprinzenplatz, and the town’s mayor declared that Hans-Jorg Metz will never need to pay for food or drink in the city ever again. There is even talk of a statue of the 22 year old, such is the importance of this triumph to the town on the River Ganz. For Vaihingen, likely to be seeded into either the 2nd or 3rd division next season, it also means international football: a journey into the Cup Winners’ Cup and the Hui La, with IFCF fixtures being played under the lights at the Vaihingen-Kampfbahn. The STFA have agreed to cover all of the club’s travel costs - and in reality, even if Vaihingen lose badly, the amount of money they will make off of this has the potential to be totally transformational for the club. All kits were sold out on the website within hours of the win, but forget merchandise - with the new TV deals coming into effect next year, Vaihingen will make 5 years worth of their current operations in 1 Cup Winners’ Cup tie. It’s a historic moment for not only 1. FC Vaihingen, but also football in Siovanija & Teusland as a whole, proving that there is still a day for the underdogs.

SCORING
1-0 FCV 36’ (Metz)
1-1 TSV 84’ (Kosch-Kovarik)
2-1 FCV 103’ (Metz)

The Superklasse playoff will be conducted in the next few weeks to determine the final 2 sides who will reach the 16-team top division for next season. For one final time this season, then, let’s take a look at the RBC Sports Videotext!

Siovanija & Teusland (STL) qualifiers

IFCF Champions League: TSV Marzig
IFCF Challengers Cup: FC Teussen Stelburg, FC Felsenkirchen 1879, 1912 Stelburg
IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: 1. FC Vaihingen

Arrosia Hui La/Sun League: TSV Marzig, 1. FC Vaihingen

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Mon Nov 18, 2024 9:51 pm

Superklasse Playoff

While 14 clubs qualified directly for the Superklasse last season following their results in regional leagues, that meant 2 more spots were up for grabs. The STFA determined that the most fair way to distribute the final spots was through a playoff, with the highest-ranked non-qualifying team from each Regionalliga having the opportunity to enter the playoffs. The teams have been seeded 1-8 based on points and goal difference. The ranking of the teams is as follows:

1 - Rudar Trkev (57)
2 - Vrnovo Mesto (55)
3 - NK Prevala (52)
4 - FC Kaiserhaven (51)
5 - FC Rotmunde 1932 (48)
6 - SV Preisfeld (46)
7 - Olympia Borograd (44)
8 - Krutenau Kickers (38)

4 Siovanijan teams and 4 Teus teams, with the first 3 spots in the seeding all occupied by Siovanijan squads. That is, however, a consequence of the Siovanijan leagues generally being considered weaker than their Teus counterparts and therefore having less teams directly qualified for the Meisterschaft. Consider, for example, that the Krutenau Kickers finished 4th in the Regionalliga Stelburg while Rudar Trkev were 2nd in the Regionalliga Velikzahod. Betting money actually favours Krutenau in this matchup, despite their lower seed - as we have seen in the President’s Cup this season, at this moment in time the Teus game is just a bit healthier than in Siovanija. The two main favourites to qualify for the Superklasse are of course the two clubs that played in the Meisterschaft last season - FC Kaiserhaven and Olympia Borograd. Look out, however, for FC Rotmunde 1932 and Vrnovo Mesto as well.

What does winning the playoff mean to these clubs? On the field, it’s a massive opportunity. Clubs like NK Prevala and Krutenau never played in the old Republikaliga, and now have a chance to truly establish themselves going into this new era. Access to the international transfer market, the possibility (if remote, for now) of IFCF football in the future, and incredible history to be a part of the first season of the Superklasse. Off the pitch, it’s even bigger. With a new national TV deal, as well as international deals in countries like Valanora, a club can expect to make T15 million minimum next season just for showing up. With the rights split as 70% of the payment given out equally, and the remaining 30% on merit, it is a massive payday for these clubs. Consider that Rudar Trkev’s prize money for 2nd place in the Regionalliga was just T250,000. Making the Superklasse could be a total game-changer for these 8 clubs.

Missing it, on the other hand, could bring ruin. Many words have been written about Olympia Borograd’s precarious situation, and while there are 8 teams to chat about, they are obviously the big focus here. The biggest club from Siovanija (although Metropola fans would certainly challenge that assertion in recent years in terms of on-field success; Olympia’s cultural relevance is far more extensive) missing the first season of the Superklasse would be a massive shock. And yet it seems not all that unlikely - Olympia lost to Kaiserhaven twice this season, the only direct comparison here, and while they finished the Meisterschaft season on a good note, they have played upwards of 50 matches this season while other clubs have played far less. The consequences for Olympia of failing to reach the Superklasse are tremendous. That T15m would almost immediately clear the club’s debts and allow them to sign a limited number of players. A year in the second tier, meanwhile, would likely mean selling all foreign players and a year of slashing costs. The true doomsday would be a scenario where Olympia miss out and then fail to promote in year 1 - that could genuinely mean the end for the club. For a club who have played countless Cup finals, title deciders, derbies and IFCF matches, these could be the most important games in their history.

Both rounds will be played over two legs, with the higher seed at home in the second match. Away goals will apply should the result not be decided on aggregate. In the second round, the teams will re-seed. The two winners of the second round qualify for the Superklasse.

First Round

Krutenau Kickers 3–0 Rudar Trkev
Rudar Trkev 2–1 Krutenau Kickers
Krutenau Kickers win 4-2 on agg.

Olympia Borograd 1–0 Vrnovo Mesto
Vrnovo Mesto 2–1 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd win 2-2 on away goals

FC Rotmunde 1932 3–0 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Kaiserhaven 0–2 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Rotmunde 1932 win 5-0 on agg.

SV Preisfeld 1–2 NK Prevala
NK Prevala 2–1 SV Preisfeld
NK Prevala win 4-2 on agg.

The first round is in the books! A few surprises here. The Krutenau Kickers were just too strong for Rudar Trkev at home, with a 3-0 victory in the first leg giving them plenty of breathing room for the return in Trkev. The Kickers, the cult club from south Stelburg, are now just 2 games away from reaching the Superklasse. Olympia Borograd faced a scare in Vrnovo after winning the home leg 1-0. They found themselves down 2-0 with 15 minutes left before Tomas Kohout scored a goal to give them the lead on away goals. Vrnovo pushed ahead desperately but Olympia survive for now. FC Kaiserhaven looked like they had nothing left in their legs against FC Rotmunde 1932, and the Northeastern club delivered a beating to the Sailors over 2 legs, winning 5-0 on aggregate - they looked like the best of the 8 teams overall. NK Prevala, probably the biggest underdogs overall despite their high seed, managed to beat SV Preisfeld in both legs 2-1 to advance. That sets up the pairings for the Second Round: NK Prevala vs Krutenau Kickers, and FC Rotmunde 1932 vs Olympia Borograd. We’re thus guaranteed to have both a new team (neither Prevala nor Krutenau have ever been in the top tier) and an old team (Olympia and Rotmunde were both never relegated from the old Republikaliga) in the top division.

Second Round

Krutenau Kickers 3–0 NK Prevala
NK Prevala 1–2 Krutenau Kickers
Krutenau Kickers qualify for Superklasse with 5-1 aggregate win

Olympia Borograd 0–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–0 Olympia Borograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 qualify for Superklasse with 2-0 aggregate win

The Krutenau Kickers have done it! The party in the away end was massive after they defeated NK Prevala, and we will have 3 clubs from Stelburg in the top division next season. It’s a good story for Krutenau, who have really risen up the rankings of Teus football since the end of isolation. Having won a President’s Cup a few years ago under the management of Thorsten Kramer, it’s good to see a club like this in the top division and there were tears in the eyes of the club’s chairman Justus Kauffmann in the final moments.

FC Rotmunde 1932, despite never reaching the Meisterschaft once, have reached the Superklasse! Two cagey, defensive-minded matches were both broken with 1 goal from the Reds, who held Olympia scoreless over 180 minutes. This is Rotmunde’s success, and it’s big news for the club - but it’s tragedy on a massive scale for Olympia Borograd. There’s been a dark cloud hanging over them for a few years now, and this is the absolute culmination of it all. What will become of the pride of Siovanija now?

With these results completed, we now have the final knowledge of what the top 4 divisions of football in this country will look like next season. The criteria for the lower divisions was simple: the 2. Klasse got every club that lost in the playoffs (6) as well as the highest-ranked non-Superklasse team from each Regionalliga (8). The final two spots were left to ‘discretion of the STFA,’ which has already caused controversy. FK Vlaikograd 1896 were selected as the club with the most points across the Regionalligas not already qualified for the second tier. One would expect 1828 Pomen to be the natural next choice for the same reason - however, the STFA overlooked them and gave the final spot to President’s Cup winners 1. FC Vaihingen instead. Pomen have officially protested, but given how vague ‘discretion of the STFA’ sounds it is unlikely to go anywhere. For Vaihingen, that Cup win means even more now. In the 3. Klasse and 4. Klasse, the distribution was left entirely to ‘discretion of the STFA’ to create balanced league structures. The clubs in each league are listed below:

With that news, the top 16 clubs in the country can begin preparations for the first season of the Superklasse! We will continue to bring the latest in football news from Siovanija & Teusland all year round. See you soon!

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Tue Nov 19, 2024 3:34 pm

Score! Magazine

Transfer Window 46 Liveblog

For the first time in many years available to our international readers, welcome back to Score! Magazine’s Transfer Window liveblog! We will cover all the latest updates for teams from the Superklasse in the transfer market. One can expect a busy window, with many of the top teams of the league looking for that key player to turn them into the first champions of the Superklasse, and plenty of new teams in the top tier looking to fill out their rosters with foreign players. As a reminder, Score! uses a tiering system for all of our updates. Tier 1 updates come directly from the club/player, Tier 2 from trusted media sources, and Tier 3 from the guy in his basement posting on teussenfans.st claiming he ‘went to school with Thorsten Kramer.’ Let’s get into it with an overview of some of the biggest clubs in the country!

Update 1: Reigning champions TSV Marzig are expected to have an active window. “Complacency is not how you build a championship team,” said the club’s chairman in a statement to supporters after the window, and the club are expected to look for improvement in several areas. It’s thought that the club will look to cash in on academy grad Paskal Kaiser, the midfielder who had a solid season off the bench this year - but with wunderkind Heinz Oberlander ready for the step up to senior football next season, he’s surplus to requirements. Marzig are expected to be in the market for a top-level centre back to play next to national team CB Silvio Rodl, as well as potentially a dynamic winger. For most fans, the biggest concern is keeping star forward Einar Hackl in blue and white for next season. The young forward was a star at the World Cup and in the title run, and is surely on the radar of scouts worldwide. Internal sources say Marzig are confident of keeping their trio of international stars (Hackl, Winter, Kosch-Kovarik) for at least another season or two, given the club will play Champions’ League football this season, but any big bid would of course have to be considered. (Tier 2)

Update 2: For FC Teussen Stelburg, the final season of the Meisterschaft goes down as a big what-if. The final day draw with Vorstock stopped them winning the title, but it really fell apart in the early bit of the season with so many unnecessary draws. Nobody in Stelburg is questioning Thorsten Kramer, of course, but after two final-day failures in two seasons, Teussen absolutely need to win the title next season. It’s been four seasons since the black and gold have won the national title, and that is unacceptable - a statement that is as pretentious as it sounds, but could only apply to a club like Der Legendare. The good news is that the squad is young and developing well, with great performances this season from Reto Zschokke and Josef Weber joined by a solid breakout year for Lutz Wolff in midfield. Next season Santutxo Kramer is expected to join the starting XI after a great season coming off the bench this year. There is talk about the forward position, however, with Wilhelm Hielscher-Zendagorta not getting any younger. WHZ will likely stay with the club until retirement, however, a young striker would be a good shot to replace him. Falko Meier on the bench is too inconsistent, and while young Vito Reichmann is tipped for big things in the future, he is still being rounded out at Hochzoll. Might Teussen finally make a move for Stahl Sterzing forward Uwe Seidl? It’s been rumoured for years, and Seidl has played for the national team several times despite Sterzing’s low position in the league. Another option is Gregor Bischoffshausen from FC St. Jakob, however, with the Saints coming into the Superklasse next season it’s probably not the best timing for a move. (Tier 2)

Update 3: FC Felsenkirchen 1879 are a squad in a bit of a transition phase. Legendary manager Leonard Wagner has two years left on what’s really a lifetime contract after what he’s done for the club, and the expectation is that he will be retiring soon - time, therefore, to load up for one final title run for one of the great managers in the history of the Teus game. Polarian forward Isak Harju could be going out the door, with the club looking to cash in on a solid few seasons that included a Golden Boot win in his debut year. Harju’s physicality was a big boost to the Cogs, but he’s turning 30 soon and the club are looking to get a bit younger. For the exact same reason, there’s talk about searching for a new wing-back on the right side as Helmet Kadelberg turns 33 this summer. Up front, the word has always been that Felsenkirchen really, really want Olympia Borograd forward Rolando Cutter - viewing him as exactly the type of Galaktiko flashy signing the club have been known to make in the past. With Olympia needing cash, it could be a perfect deal for both sides. (Tier 2)

Update 4: They came into the year as reigning champions, but it was a difficult year for 1912 Stelburg as they saved heroics until the end of the season to claim IFCF football once again. A down season for Egon von Stein, Damien Gannot showing signs of age and Stephen Lorber looking a bit past it too were the negatives. A breakout campaign for Xorge Le Meji and Andrej Berkel, meanwhile, give some positives. 1912 feel that if they can get a young forward up top and a younger midfielder to partner von Stein, one who gives him a bit more freedom to push forward, they can be right back up competing for the title. Young winger Marcel Grunberg will likely get called into the XI for next season, but young forward Liam Merz might be wondering why he’s being passed over. (Tier 2)

Update 5: Such a great start for FK Metropola Borograd, however, the final season of the Meisterschaft is one that will leave a bitter taste in their mouths. Falling out of the top four plus a loss to rivals Olympia Borograd on the final day was just not ideal, and now the club must look again into reshaping their squad. Rumours abound that legendary forward Blahoslav Zak could be out the door - he is about to turn 30, and with young Dusan Smires on the bench showing plenty of promise it might be perfect timing for both sides. Metropola are expected to be in the transfer market, although a clear priority is not known - it’s likely they will simply find an ideal player profile and try to snap them up. The only spots that definitely don’t need any improvement are on the wings, or at central midfield. (Tier 2)

Update 6: The Meisterschaft era was one that Energija Chernovets would just like to forget about, really. Dominant in their regional league, Energija could never really put it together in the final competition - and many at the club felt that was due to a lack of competition at home. The word is that it’s time for a re-tool and integration of youth academy players into the main squad, and so club legends such as, for example, Kamil Krziz might need to move aside. There seems to be a strong generation of youth talent moving through at a good time for the Canaries. Chernovets are willing to spend if the right player is available - but there’s more interest in their managerial ambitions. Having sacked Tomislav Karapic midseason, the job is available. There are a few domestic candidates - Damian Zlatkov, the Rudar Trkev manager, is probably the biggest one - but plenty of rumours that Chernovets could go hunting abroad, too. There has never been a foreign manager in Siovanija & Teusland’s top division - but Chernovets have always been pioneers of this sort of thing, and it would surely open a new era. (Tier 2)

Update 7: They won’t be playing in the Superklasse next year, but we do have to talk about Olympia Borograd nonetheless. You can expect the entire foreign legion (Ageykin, Wenwei, Cutter) to be out the door - but where? Lots of rumours that Felsenkirchen want in on star forward Rolando Cutter, but the player’s desire is yet to be known, if he’d like to remain in this country or move abroad. Young Tomas Kohout won incredible favour amongst the supporters when he declared following the playoff loss to Rotmunde that he would remain with the club and ‘do whatever it takes’ to bring them back to the top, and it seems like many of the academy grads at Olympia are willing to stick it out and do the same. The squad should be strong enough to earn promotion easily even without the international players, but this will surely be a big year ahead for the club. (Tier 2)

Update 8: Beyond the big clubs, there is everyone else! The 16 Superklasse clubs are all likely to be involved in this transfer window in various ways. Zvezda Vlaikograd are on the verge of losing #10 Arpad Pavlicek, who has requested an international transfer, and the club can be expected to be out to replace him as well as add to the squad. FK Pomorie will likely look to take advantage of last season’s success to try to make a signing or two, while VfL Reinbronn will do the same. Some of the newer clubs, too, like the Krutenau Kickers or SK Republika Borograd are likely to target low-risk, high-reward options available abroad. It’s certain to be a busy window for Superklasse clubs! (Tier 2)

Update 9: The first of two free transfer signings to tell you about: TSV Marzig have completed a deal to sign Pasargan centre back Thorsten Hertzog. Hertzog had been playing for Shamrock Cathair of Audioslavia for a few years, and joins the club for an undisclosed fee. The club confirmed the signing this afternoon, and there is known to be great excitement about Hertzog amongst the management of the reigning champions. Known as a quick and strong centre back, the reports out of his homeland are that Hertzog has world-class potential. Now, he'll get to develop that alongside national time CB Silvio Rodl, known as a great leader of the backline, and in the IFCF Champions' League next season. (Tier 1)

Update 10: The Krutenau Kickers have also gotten involved in the transfer market - young Auprussian winger Hourisse Tautierre has joined the club from Aupalici. A free transfer, the 18 year old Tautierre helped his team win the Lige Juvenier in his homeland last season, and has been discussed as having potential to reach the national team someday. He's a very quick winger, and good at the cross, too, which will make him quite valuable for Krutenau next season. He will have plenty of time to develop and is likely to start right away. (Tier 1)

Update 11: FC Felsenkirchen 1879 have reported clear interest in Songwei Milosevic, the right wing back currently playing for Elkborg Club of Semarland. Milosevic holds both Mytanar and Yuezhou citizenship, and plays international football for the later. He earned a starting spot in his country's squad at the recent Copa Rushmori due to his excellent attacking instincts and great performances in World Cup Qualifying. It's reported that Felsenkirchen have made him a top target in this window, to replace the aging Helmut Kadelberg at the RWB position, and a bid of T6 million has already been lodged with his current club. (Tier 2)

Update 12: There's been a steady flow of players from Siovanija & Teusland heading across the Westsee to Valanora since the end of isolation, and it looks like that is set to continue in this window. Denis Dezelac had led the charge of forwards heading to the Premiership - a trend that has in the past included names such as Marian Hovlak and Anton Dimitrov. Dezelac himself appears set for a return to Siovanija & Teusland in this window - but more on that later. Two more forwards seem set to head to Valanora, with Raynor City United having made a bid to FC Kaiserhaven for Wolf Wind and FC Capri looking to sign Blahoslav Zak. Both deals are at the stage of negotiating personal terms now, and it seems likely these moves will be completed in the upcoming days. (Tier 2)

Update 13: Energija Chernovets goalkeeper Kamil Krziz has received two competing offers from Xanneria, with Austin City and Hawthorne Kickers both interested in the services of the 34 year old. Sources close to Krziz say that the goalkeeper is willing to take his time in the early days of the market, as his next club will likely be the final of his career. (Tier 2)

Update 14: Bastian Boltzmann finds himself on the transfer list, with his Flavovespian club Stanmorn FC being relegated from the top tier last year. The FC Teussen Stelburg legend is now 35 years old, and probably has just one season of football left in him - it's most likely that a 2. Klasse club will snap him up, or perhaps even a Superklasse club in need of a veteran presence off the bench. The Krutenau Kickers could be an ideal destination for the Stelburg resident, but also look out for clubs such as Teufelsberg 97, Rot-Blau Altona or SV Preisfeld to be in for his services. (Tier 2)

Update 15: It's looking more likely that Felsenkirchen will complete the deal for Songwei Milosevic - the T6 million bid has been accepted, and personal terms are all that remain between player and club. There is excitement amongst the Felsenkirchen fanbase about this one, for sure: "It's good to see some decisive moves early on. Obviously not over the line yet, but it's a statement," said one Felsenkirchen supporter on social media. If Milosevic and Rolando Cutter both join the squad, surely Felsenkirchen go into next season as title favourites, right? (Tier 2)

Update 16: 1912 Stelburg are also dipping into the transfer window waters early on - a T6.75 million bid for Banijan winger Muhangi Wentibwa has been accepted by Istria City FC. Wentibwa is an ultra talent - with 25 goals making him a massive part of Istria's title in in the Shango-Fogoa Premier League this season, and becoming part of the Banijan national squad. Just 23, the room for growth is tremendous. The catch? The goals are just as flashy as the nightclub videos on social media. Wentibwa is described as a 'party boy' in his own country, and there have been questions about his professionalism, specifically in regards to keeping in shape. Stelburg might be the perfect place for him - the city has more opera houses and coffee shops than nightclubs and bars, although that isn't to say that the city's nightlife is totally dead. Playing in Stelburg could be a big boost for his professionalism. However, while the city is certainly the most beautiful in Siovanija & Teusland, it likely doesn't top a list of places a 23 year old party animal would want to live. The Bluebirds will hope that the on-field argument wins out in their pursuit of Wentibwa - and some have already pointed to Delbin Kasekende Jr. The Busogan international joined the Bluebirds with similar comments - sky-high potential, character issues - and developed quite well in the city. (Tier 2)

Update 17: FC Teussen Stelburg have officially lodged a T3 million bid with Stahl Sterzing for forward Uwe Seidl. It's about time that the 24 year old gets the chance to step up to the highest level of the domestic game at home, and this is a signing that Teussen supporters are quite excited about. "A squad filled with talent and all about to enter their primes - Felsenkirchen can sign whoever they want, the league is on lock for the next few years!" said one online commenter. (Tier 2)

Update 18: Breaking news from the north coast! "The club are pleased to announce today the signing of Yuezhou international wing back Songwei Milosevic. Milosevic joins the club for a fee of T6 million, and we can't wait to welcome our latest Galaktiko home to Felsenkirchen! #WillkommenSongwei" Milosevic will be presented to the Felsenkirchen faithful at Mollin Park later this week. It's a massive strike by Felsenkirchen early in the window - the T6 million fee is the highest paid by any club in the world at this point in the window, although that will certainly change as time ticks along. The addition of the dynamic wingback is a game changer for Felsenkirchen, who now have a squad where all 5 defenders play international football for their country. The Galaktiko nickname started as an exaggeration, all those years ago when Felsenkirchen were one of the first clubs to make waves in the foreign transfer market. Now, it's simply the truth. Filled with stars from home and abroad, Felsenkirchen will be going into the first season of the Superklasse with plenty of confidence. (Tier 1)

[u]Update 19:[/i] And if things couldn't get any better for Felsenkirchen supporters... "Done deal. Rolando Cutter. From Green to Blue, one of the best forwards in the country is coming to the north coast! The Kelssek international has joined the Blues today after a T5 million transfer was agreed with former club Olympia Borograd! #WilkommenRolando!" Felsenkirchen might be good at this transfer window business, huh? It seems like every few years, they are just able to make a big splash and completely revamp their squad, even when other clubs have struggled to get even 1 top target to join them. Whether it's shrewd practices from the management team, the club's reputation abroad, or the money they are willing to spend, there is no doubt that Felsenkirchen are the masters. With Cutter and Milosevic both joining, the squad will have a completely different look next season, and it's a massive day for the club. (Tier 1)

[u]Update 20:[/i] What does this mean for Olympia Borograd? T5 million in the coffer now is a substantial amount for the club, but the question is how will they replace a player like Cutter. The club have been quite limited in what they can spend on transfers, due to their finances being under monitoring from the STFA, but even despite their failure to qualify for the Superklasse, that T5 million injection of cash should be a help. It also means Cutter's wages, which were the highest at the club, are off the books. Olympia need a dynamic forward. And would you believe it, Denis Dezelac needs a club. Yes, the 34 year old looks like he's set to return home after a stint in Valanora, and perhaps his old club could be the perfect place for him. Olympia, if rumours are to be believed, would need to spend T1.5 million to bring the former hero home. (Tier 2)

Update 21: Would it really be the perfect place for him, though? Dezelac is known just as much for his narcissism as his goalscoring abilities, and it didn't end well last time with Olympia. Beloved by the fans, and not necessarily a friend of the club's ownership, is Dezelac really willing to play in the second division? For someone so outspoken about being the best, it seems unthinkable, especially on what would certainly be wages far below his real value. However, if Dezelac is the man who saves Olympia and brings them to the top once again, he would be an all-time legend - the thing he has always wanted to achieve. Perhaps that will be worth more than money to the 34 year old who has already made a few dollars in his career. On the other hand, if Olympia's fortunes continue to decline and Dezelac is there, it's going to become incredibly toxic, as it was when he departed a few seasons ago. (Tier 2)

Update 22: On the other side of Borograd, it's FK Metropola who have made their first move of the window. The club are looking to upgrade in the fullback position and a T5 million bid has been lodged for dual national left back Xelez-Matez Wek. Currently of Olympia Arkintoofle of Squornshelous, they hold dual nationality between Squornshelous and Qusmo. They are a starter for the Qusmo national team, and this would be a big pickup for Metropola if they are able to complete the deal. (Tier 2)

Update 23: Does the name Bastian Kracht ring a bell? It should, particularly for football fans pre-isolation - Kracht was a key member of Felsenkirchen's Rising Stars Cup winning side, although most of his prime years were spent during the isolated period and he had been relegated to bench duties at Felsenkirchen when the country re-opened. Now, after a few solid years at Standard Lily in Taxhavn - actually, 'solid' doesn't do justice to a period where he won a league title and reached the 2nd IFCF final of his career - he's coming home. Rot-Blau Altona, another north coast club, have picked up the 34 year old on a free transfer, where it's expected he will see out his 2 year contract and then retire. Altona is close enough to home in Felsenkirchen that his family can settle in, it's still a 2. Klasse side offering him a good challenge, and his veteran experience will be more than valuable to a young Altona side. Welcome home, Basti! (Tier 2)

Update 24: Alois Urbanek, formerly of FK Pomorie's academy but left without signing a contract, has pulled off a sensational move to Raynor City United on a free transfer. The highly-talented left back left Pomorie's academy as they could not come to terms on a pro contract, leaving him open to the international market. Urbanek, expected to be named to Siovanija & Teusland's Di Bradini Cup squad in the coming weeks, now moves across the Westsee and will join one of the biggest clubs in world football. Speaking of migration across the Westsee, progress continues to be made on the deals for Blahoslav Zak and Wolf Wind, although the window remains in its early stages. (Tier 1)

Update 25: "The only downside of being a Teussen supporter," writes one fan on teussenfans.st, "is that we don't get the incredible international transfer rumours the other clubs do." Perhaps his wish came true, because Uwe Seidl Watch has officially begun on the site. One commenter noted that they 'saw Seidl at the airport in Stelburg this morning, it's certainly happening.' Another commenter noted that they had seen a car with a license plate beginning with 'V' - indicating it's from the state of Vestmark, where Seidl is from - at the training ground, so clearly he was getting his medical done. While these rumours are... interesting, of course, our sources do say that the deal is all but completed. (Tier 3)

Update 26: It looks like Victor Osswald will be heading to Doubeia. Club Fajar Victoria, who are also known as 'the fair lady,' have had a T1 million bid accepted by 1912 Stelburg and all that remains left is the personal terms to be agreed. Now, who will replace him in the Bluebirds' midfield? Plenty of talk, plenty of rumours, and some concern amongst Bluebirds fans as to 'why haven't we made a splash like Felsenkirchen.' On bluebirdtalk.st, user 'Oststelburg14,' considered a 'Verified ITK' on the website for as much as that's worth, notes that "the main target is a name we all know, and one who has played with Egon (von Stein) in the past." Cue the guessing game. (Tier 1, Tier 3)

Update 27: As usual, there's interest in university grads from Chromatika from several of the nation's clubs. Some early bids coming in from across the country: FK Pomorie looking to pick up a midfielder in Jaire Darron who is described as a dynamic midfielder who can shoot, pass and also inject some physicality. That all sounds absolutely perfect for the game in this country, and it could be a great signing for Pomorie if the Alnio University of the Arts grad joins the club. Geert-Jan Veurdink is another on the transfer list, the 6'11 centreback out of Southern Chromatik University is a target for FC St. Jakob who view the big, harsh defender as the perfect guy to help them go up against some of the big forwards in the Superklasse. (Tier 2)

Update 28: One other name on the university list, and this one is quite an interesting one. 2. Klasse side FK Vlaikograd 1896 have put a bid in for Darwin James, a young winger out of Z'ai'ai Institute of Technology. There have been a lot of rumours lately about FKV being acquired (49%, of course, due to the 50+1 rule for club ownership) and getting an injection from Chromatik investors, notably Black Raven Technologies. The group includes a stable of clubs all over the world, including in Chromatika, Tumbra, Tikariot, Squornshelous - and now, it seems, Siovanija & Teusland. It could be a bright start to the new era for the black half of Vlaikograd - but just imagine the symbolism in their derby with Zvezda now. (Tier 2)

Update 29: Speaking of Zvezda, they have also made a move on the transfer market. Looking to upgrade in the goalkeeper position, clearly, with a T2 million bid for Pasargan keeper Venceslao Cintron Gonzalez. 'VCG' is known for having a bit of an ego and being a bit eccentric on the pitch - something that Zvezda fans will adore from the go - but a solid shot-stopper who just needs a bit more defensive support than he's gotten in the past. With Zvezda looking to invest in the squad this offseason, with the departure of Arpad Pavlicek signaling a new era, this could be a great move for the club. (Tier 2)

Until the window slams shut, Score! will continue to bring the latest coverage from the Transfer Window in Siovanija & Teusland!

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Dec 22, 2024 10:18 pm

Felsenkirchener Morgenpost

Cogs Gunning for Superklasse Title after Extraordinary Transfer Window

“Reinvention is key,” said legendary FC Felsenkirchen 1879 manager Leonard Wagner over a year ago when he announced the shift to a 3-4-2-1 formation. “If you can’t adapt to your circumstances, you can’t win anything.”

It’s been a theme throughout Wagner’s career as the manager of the Cogs, and he’s proven more than capable of adapting to whatever challenges have been thrown his way. The Cogs have won the national championship in all three recent eras of football in Siovanija & Teusland - the Republikaliga, isolation, and the Meisterschaft - and are now set to enter the Superklasse era with sights set on winning another championship.

Wagner took over the club shortly after there was greater investment coming in from the local consortium of businessmen that owns the 49% non-fan owned share - and was able to quickly adapt to the new reality. The Cogs weren’t the first club to make use of the foreign transfer market to rapidly improve their squad - that honour goes to SW Stahlberg, who brought in Schottic midfielder John Ferry as one of the first major transfers into the country - but they were, without a doubt, the best at it. Ferenc Kubala, Ciriko Useternix, Falcon Case, Eino Kiivala - some of the names that wore the glorious blue shirt over the years and were brought in under Wagner’s leadership.

He also made excellent use of the club’s academy. Detractors across the strait in Rotmunde like to point out that he was ‘handed’ a golden generation of players, and yes, the credit for the development of special players like Per Holz, Florian Krukenberg and Lothas Ludwig has to go to the youth coaches in Felsenkirchen’s academy. It was Wagner, however, who was willing to give them all a chance in the first team - and gave his young stars the trust that they needed to turn the Cogs into a powerhouse at home and abroad. During isolation, with a lack of foreign players available, this trust and reliance between the senior squad and its homegrown talents led to continued success as players like Jesper Porsche and Dieter Rosberg stepped up to become stars - and even now, in the more recent years, players like Arnold Apel have stepped into the first squad.

And since the re-opening of the international transfer market, Felsenkirchen have once again been the best at bringing in the players they need. Mytanar midfielder Arne Repnik has proven to be the perfect partner for Jesper Porsche in the midfield, and the club expect him to carry on at a high level for quite a few more years. Squornshelan defender Valterri Tirel, a World Cup winner, has been an absolute revelation at centre back in recent years and will be remembered as yet another legendary foreign defender alongside players like Ciriko Useternix. While Isak Harju departed the club this summer, and is heading back to his home nation the Polar Islandstates, his career can undoubtedly be considered a success at Felsenkirchen - a Golden Boot, a league title, and many, many goals at Mollin Park.

Now, however, Wagner and his Felsenkirchen side faced another challenge. So many years of dominance in the national championship meant that everyone was waiting for the year they would finally be knocked off the top. It happened somewhat unexpectedly two years ago, when Felsenkirchen seemed out of the title fight after a difficult first few weeks of the Meisterschaft season. Eventually, they would draw their way back in as the season bore on, and took it all the way to the end of the season - but it was the Bluebirds who lifted the league title. Almost the exact same story played out last season, too, just with the name of the protagonists changed - it was TSV Marzig who outlasted the Cogs and FC Teussen Stelburg to take home the title.

Football is a game that changes rapidly. Going from three straight titles to 2 straight final day disappointments, questions of course began to be asked: what needs changing in this Felsenkirchen team? Can they be refreshed? Has Leonard Wagner, in his final seasons in football, finally met a challenge that he cannot face? Based on Felsenkirchen’s business this summer, the answer is absolutely not.

Critics last year noted that the squad looked tired. The tactical shift to a 3-4-2-1, a formation rarely seen in Teusland, was welcome - but it was readily noted by many that it made some of the gaps in the lineup more readily apparent. Take Helmut Kadelberg, for example. One of the club’s all-time heroes, most certainly, the right back has been involved in many of Felsenkirchen’s most important triumphs. But at age 32, playing in a wingback position… there were moments when he was just simply too slow, and they happened more and more as the season went on. Similarly, up front, Isak Harju had been a perfect forward for this team when it needed a big, physical man up front to knock in goals - but when the tactic called for a more mobile forward, he couldn’t fully adapt to the role.

There was talk about youth prospects - Janni Hohenstein, the forward, being one many fans were interested in seeing get more minutes this season. However, Wagner and the Felsenkirchen board instead decided to strike once more in the transfer market, and they did in a big way.

The first big story came with the shocking failure of Olympia Borograd to qualify for the Superklasse next year. It was well-known that a firesale would follow, with young Kelssekian forward Rolando Cutter being perhaps the biggest name now available. Cutter had been one of the few bright spots for Olympia in recent years, one of the best young forwards in the division, and he was someone that had caught the eye of Felsenkirchen’s scouting department as a perfect fit for their new tactical set-up. When Wagner and his team spoke to Cutter, they found a player interested in staying in Siovanija & Teusland - in a league where he is already adapted and finding success - and all that was really left was a T5 million bid lodged with Olympia Borograd, readily accepted by a club in financial crisis. Just days into the transfer window, Cutter was a Cog, and the squad now had a new dynamic forward.

For a new wing-back, Wagner and Felsenkirchen’s scouts turned to the foreign transfer market. Insert Songwei Milosevic. The club’s scouts first had their eye on him during qualifying for World Cup 97 - when Milosevic impressed as an attack-minded fullback and earned a spot in the Yuezhou national side as a right wing-back. Milosevic - who also holds Mytanar nationality - was made available for transfer by former club Elkborg in Semarland for a fee of just under T7 million tolars. Once again, with the player identified as Wagner’s top choice, the Cogs struck quickly for his signature - and it didn’t take too much convincing to bring Milosevic to Felsenkirchen.

The revitalized Cogs squad now has a value of over T75.5 million according to @STLTransferMarkt, which is of course a purely theoretical value - but is still good enough to come in at #2 in the division behind only FC Teussen Stelburg. Now, it’s easy to look at Felsenkirchen’s signings and say that it’s easy to put together a team of good players when you spend big money. And it’s true that the Cogs have spent over T25 million in the foreign transfer market since the end of isolation, the most of any club in Siovanija & Teusland. But there are plenty of clubs in this country who have money - take Energija Chernovets, for example. Not all of them can attract the names that Felsenkirchen do - Chernovets have until quite recently struggled to sign new players, while 1912 Stelburg have only dipped into the international market twice for signings.

What is it, then, that attracts international stars to the north coast? Is it the beautiful Kaufmannsviertel (merchant’s quarter) and its imperial-era homes? The gritty red light district surrounding the port? More likely, it’s a reputation that the club have developed over the years. First as trailblazers, taking risks and being willing to go after players that other clubs might not necessarily have on their list. This is in part due to an excellent scouting network at the club with highly-advanced data analytics tools that aid in the decision making process - this is, for example, how Milosevic first came to their attention. The club also has a reputation for success - both at home and abroad. FC Teussen Stelburg are of the course the club that comes to mind first when people at home or abroad think of football in this country - but foreign stars can’t wear the black and gold. With the second-most league titles and overall trophies since the beginning of the Republikaliga, an IFCF Champions’ League Quarterfinal appearance and one of just 3 S&T clubs to win an IFCF trophy, Felsenkirchen under Leonard Wagner have developed a consistent pattern of success.

Finally, Felsenkirchen have done an incredible job of branding themselves as the Galaktiko club of Siovanija & Teusland’s football. While the black and gold is synonymous with the best Teus footballers, the navy blue shirt has become synonymous with World Cup winners, players who regularly play international football, and big-name flashy signings. A clear path can be drawn from that reputation to the reign of Leonard Wagner and his ability to adapt to every high wave the Nordsee throws at him.

Going into this season, the Cogs enter with the second-best odds of anybody to win the whole thing - behind only the old enemy, Teussen. Those high-profile fixtures at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion and Mollin Park, which many fans have taken to calling the Teus Klassiker given the status of both clubs, will be key in determining the league title. For Felsenkirchen’s part, the club seem to feel quite confident in the upcoming season. And while Teussen are favourites, with Leonard Wagner on the touchline, you can never, ever count Felsenkirchen out.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Mon Dec 23, 2024 12:34 pm

Borograd Dnevnik

”Heroes for all time” - Olympia supporters honour those who remain

The list of devastating moments for Olympia Borograd supporters in recent years could fill pages upon pages of a tragedy, or perhaps a horror movie script. Or, if you come from the purple side of Borograd, a comedy.

Either way, the devastation undoubtedly peaked for all-time at the end of 120 minutes of football against FC Rotmunde 1932 last season, when the club failed to score a single goal in both legs of their playoff tie, and thus were officially confirmed to begin the new era of football in the 2. Klasse. It is the first time in the entire 150+ year history of the club that they will play a season outside of the top flight.

For all the noise that has come from Olympia in recent years - fans chanting ‘shame on you’ at members of the club’s board, explosive media stories about unpaid debts and the whistling and booing of Marjan Trstenjek after his transfer to Metropola - the thing that stood out the most about the end of that Rotmunde match was silence. The thousands of fans in the away end had no more to shout about - it was an almost eerie silence, with tears flowing, as the players managed to pick themselves up and thank the fans for the hours of travel they had made to support the club in its darkest hour. For many who wore the green-white shirt on that day, it would be the last time they would ever pull it on.

Within weeks of the confirmation, the exodus began at Olympia. Rolando Cutter was the first to go, with a price of T5 million enough for Olympia to part with their best player in recent years. It hurts for many Greens supporters to see him in a Felsenkirchen shirt now, but it was well known that he would likely be out the door regardless of the result in Rotmunde. Ji Wenwei, the Yuezhou centre back who had remained a solid option for the club even in these years of stormy weather, was also sold to Myana of Chromatika for a T2 million fee. Not just foreign players were out the door - Tadeas Blinakov, the long-time left back at the club, was sold to FK Vlaikograd 1896 as part of a flurry of purchases by the club with new Chromatik ownership, and Bozhidar Ornik, a key piece of the midfield, went to Vrnovo Mesto. The total price of all of these sales ended up just around T10 million, which is a figure that will help keep the club alive without the TV revenue from the Superklasse.

The departures have certainly been the big story in the media this summer. But as Olympia Borograd supporters descended on the club’s first open training session of the season this Wednesday, the focus was on those who had remained. The first training of the season is usually attended by a few hundred dedicated fans, to scout out the new arrivals. This time around, thousands of ultras gathered and welcomed the players to the training with plenty of pyro and green smoke in the air. They sang Olympia chants and even lifted a banner referring to the players who remained with the club following the Rotmunde defeat: “Heroes for all time.”

“They are heroes,” said one Olympia fan we spoke to after the training session. “It’s obvious that they could’ve gone almost anywhere else and made plenty more money and been in a much better situation. There are players like Kohout who could probably get into all except maybe 1-2 teams in the Superklasse. They could’ve betrayed us like Trstenjek but instead they chose to stay with this club, and no matter what happens this season and in the future, we will always love them for that.”

Tomas Kohout, as noted, is certainly the biggest star remaining on this team. The 20 year old winger has worn the Goldhorns shirt in the past at the Di Bradini Cup, and is certainly a name that will get consideration when the STFA looks to put together a shortlist for World Cup 98 qualifying. @STLTransferMarkt gives him an estimated value of T4.5 million, and he could’ve easily had his pick of Superklasse clubs, or given it a shot abroad as so many players have again following the end of isolation. Why, then, did he stay?

Kohout tells us he didn’t have to think twice. “This is my club,” he says with a smile. “I grew up watching them, I’ve played here my whole life. They’ve given me a lot, and now the club is in need and it’s time for me to give it back.” When Kohout made his first team debut two seasons ago, it was expected that he would form a trio that could turn things around for the club alongside Marjan Trstenjek and Rolando Cutter. Now, he is the only one remaining. “Of course it’s not easy,” he says. “I’m never going to criticize anybody for decisions they have made, because I’m not in their position. But I can tell you, as a player of Olympia, I could never, ever transfer to FK Metropola Borograd,” referring to Trstenjek’s move.

For Kohout, the goal is clear. “There is no other option, we have to get promoted this year. Everybody around the club knows that, and that is what we’re working towards every day. Actually, I’ve quite liked the atmosphere we have right now. The last few seasons, frankly, have just been endless doom and gloom. Now, we have a squad full of guys who want to bring the club back to the top and we just need to focus on achieving that and not worry about all the outside noise.” Most pundits believe that Olympia should have no trouble doing exactly that, earning promotion - but yet they also believed that Olympia would easily qualify for the Superklasse as well. “It’s not going to be easy,” Kohout says. “There are plenty of good teams - if you look at Kaiserhaven, or Vrnovo, or the big changes at Vlaikograd of course. But we’re confident that we can fight.”

While there is optimism, we have to ask Kohout the question hanging over everyone’s head - what if this goes wrong? Olympia are not out of the clear yet financially, and failure to promote could be quite literally deadly. “If it goes wrong, at least I can say I went down fighting and giving everything for the badge,” he says. “If I wasn’t a footballer, I would be in the stands every weekend myself.” Kohout, he claims, doesn’t think about that option, however. “This club is too big to be down and out. Every club in history goes through moments of triumph and moments of tragedy. I know that we’ll be back on top one day, and hopefully I will be there to lift the trophy when we are.”

Surprisingly, given the general state of everything at the club in recent years, supporters are feeling excited about the upcoming season, too. “You’ll have to keep my name anonymous, because my friends would never let me live this down,” jokes one supporter; “but I’m really looking forward to some of the away days this year, going to some historic grounds across the country and hopefully we’ll do a lot more winning this year than we have in recent years.” One other supporter is a bit more direct: “Frankly, I’d rather blow it all up and have a year or two like this to develop and prepare ourselves again than to just sit midtable forever.” Tickets for the club’s opening game of the season sold out in minutes, proving that the fans will also be there in the darker moments.

Some supporters have also excitedly noted the possibility that a strong performance in the 2. Klasse this year could mean IFCF football for the club in the Liga B Champions’ Trophy. It’s been quite some time since Olympia had an international fixture, and being in the IFCF TV money pool for distribution by the STFA would be a huge boost to the club’s financial situation as well. There’s also potentially a chance to get one over on their cross-town rivals who have had all the bragging rights in recent years. While Metropola are expected to be challenging for the title this season, the competition at the top is very close and it’s certainly possible for them to miss out on an IFCF spot through the Champions’ League or Challengers’ Cup as well. As one fan put it on social media, “if we play IFCF next year and Metropola don’t, we’ll never let them live that down.”

Olympia will kick off the debut season of the 2. Klasse at home against Rot-Blau Altona in just a few weeks’ time, with everything on the line for the club this season. With players dedicated to the badge, and supporters ready to get behind the team and push them forward, there is real optimism for the Greens for the first time in years.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Jan 05, 2025 7:01 pm

Stelburger Zeitung

The Interview: The Kramers

The new era of the Superklasse is a beacon of hope for all of the players and supporters of all 16 clubs in the nation. A clean slate, a fresh beginning - even if, in reality, it isn’t - and the latest big change to football in this country. It reminds us of 31 years ago, when the Republikaliga was the new hope and new era. So much has changed since that season, in which a resurgent Energija Chernovets side won the title and FC Teussen Stelburg were awed by the debut campaign of young Thorsten Kramer. So much may have changed, but so much stays the same - another young Kramer will make his debut in this first season of the new era. Yes, Santutxo Kramer is officially a starting XI player for FC Teussen Stelburg - and our Georg Leistner sat down with father and son at their home to discuss the season ahead.

Georg Leistner: Thorsten, Santutxo, thank you for sitting down with us today! Thorsten, I want to get started with you. Let’s talk about the ending of last season - a draw on the final day saw TSV Marzig lift the title while your FC Teussen Stelburg side finished 2nd. A few months on, how do you reflect on that?

Thorsten Kramer: Yeah, it was really terrible. Two seasons in a row we’ve come down to the final day - the first time, it wasn’t really in our hands, so you can’t worry too much about it. But this time, it most certainly was in our own hands, and that’s tough to deal with. Whenever I talk to any of our players, they just want to make that right next season for our fans.

GL: There’s two ways to look at it - certainly two final-day heartbreaks, yes. But for you, Thorsten, you’ve taken the club back from one of its worst positions in recent memory to a point where you’re involved in these title fights all the way to the end of the season. Can you take something from that?

TK: In my career I’ve experienced a lot of success and also a lot of failure. Every great footballer, manager, they have too. You have to be strengthened from the bad moments, because it becomes easier to put yourself into those good positions. So, am I happy with how those seasons ended? Of course not, my goal and everyone at the club’s goal is to be champions. But I also know that, when we do reach that goal, we will look back at these times as the moments that built our identity.

GL: You know probably better than anyone else that there is a certain pressure that comes with being involved with FC Teussen Stelburg that is probably higher than any other team in this country. A massive fanbase means massive expectations, as does the storied history. How do you deal with that pressure, and how does it compare as a player versus as a manager?

TK: It’s definitely different between the two. As a player you of course have responsibilities to your fans, your teammates, your coaches - but you can focus on your own performances and make sure that you are always delivering your best. As a manager, you’re responsible for all of the above plus the board, the youth academy, managing transfers, the morale of the squad - it’s a big weight, especially at a club like this. But that’s what I want. There’s pressure because it means something to win for this club. There’s pressure because there are millions of fans out there yelling in the stadium or at their TV for us to score a goal. And that’s what motivates me every day, so I guess that’s how I deal with it.

GL: Let’s look ahead to this season coming up. There have been plenty of moves made by Superklasse clubs - who do you see as the biggest challenge to your hopes of winning the league title?

TK: I have to say, it’s clearly going to be a very interesting season. Marzig are of course the first team I’m going to name - they had an incredible year last year, they have a great squad and the only got better over the offseason. Everybody is chasing them. Felsenkirchen and Metropola, of course, made big moves over the summer, and you can’t count out our neighbours in the east [1912 Stelburg] either. So there’s a group of 5 teams really that can challenge at the top, which is good for the league for sure.

GL: Your squad is one of the youngest in the league, with an average age in your starting XI of just 22.2. Compare that to Felsenkirchen, with 27, or Marzig at 26.9, and some critics say that your squad is too inexperienced to win major trophies. How do you feel about that criticism, and why do you prefer a younger squad?

TK: The story of FC Teussen Stelburg is the story of having faith in the academy and being rewarded for it. I’ve said that many times. These young players have developed together, and they bring an incredible energy to the team, and they’re eager to win together. When you look at our competition, too - you mention Marzig at 26 as their average. But who are the top players on their squad? Hackl and Winter are game-changing players who are barely over 20. I’m confident that, especially in the modern game, young players can play a key role.

GL: Now that we’re on the subject of young players. Santutxo, I want to get you into the conversation here. You’ve made appearances here and there for Teussen over the last two seasons, but now you’re going to have your first season as a starting player. I know it’s a vague question, but how does it feel?

Santutxo Kramer: Oh, it’s incredible. I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time, and yeah, to say I’m thrilled is an understatement. Every time I walk on the pitch in our stadium I feel chills, so, it’s going to be a special year.

GL: Where do you feel that you can contribute to the team?

SK: It’s an incredible group of guys, all around, but especially in the midfield. Hans [Gruber] is doing an incredible job for the national team, and Lutz [Wolff] had such a great debut year last year. What I think I can bring to the table is more danger for those who have to defend us. Hans is a great playmaker, Lutz is excellent on and off the ball, and my game is strongest when I can get forward into channels and make things happen. I might be a midfielder, but I like to score goals, too.

GL: Sounds a bit like your father! Is that how you see it, too, Thorsten?

TK: He should remember he has defensive responsibilities too, haha.

GL: I figured that would be coming! I have to ask the obvious questions of you both - how does it feel to work so closely together now? Santutxo, you first.

SK: Hahaha. It’s definitely quite a feeling. I mean, growing up, obviously knowing what he’s achieved and what a great player he was, I have a respect for him that grows every time I step on a pitch and see what it’s really like. So to learn from such a great player is incredible, and the fact that he’s my dad is even more special. But, and he’s always said this too, at the end of the day, it’s my career and I’m not going to get anywhere by trying to live up to someone else’s legacy.

GL: And Thorsten? Do you find it difficult, coaching your son compared to everyone else?

TK: I told him from day one, I’m going to be harder on him than anyone else! He’s my son and of course I love him and am proud and want him to be a big success. But nobody is going to hand that to him - he has to earn it. He has to remember every day that it’s an honour to wear that shirt, and the pressure that comes with it is an honour, too. And if he ever gives me the indication that he’s forgotten, haha, I will be sure to remind him as his manager and not as his father!

GL: One final question, gents - who is the better footballer?

SK: Hahaha. My dad, of course.

TK: For now.

The emergence of Santutxo Kramer will be one of the storylines of the season this year - and if he has half as good of a debut campaign as his father once did, winning the Golden Ball and leading the team in scoring, he will surely be a big part of FC Teussen Stelburg’s future.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Feb 22, 2025 11:17 am

Superklasse Season I - Overview

#  Superklasse               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 FC Teussen Stelburg        30   21   6   3    76   30  +46    69     Champions/CL
 2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      30   21   4   5    86   40  +46    67     IFCF Champions' League
 3 FK Metropola Borograd      30   20   3   7    86   42  +44    63     IFCF Challengers' Cup
 4 TSV Marzig                 30   17   9   4    67   36  +31    60
 5 1912 Stelburg              30   12   8  10    46   38   +8    44
 6 Energija Chernovets        30   12   7  11    59   49  +10    43
 7 VfL Reinbronn              30   11  10   9    50   50    0    43
 8 Krutenau Kickers           30   12   6  12    47   51   −4    42
 9 FK Pomorie                 30   10   8  12    38   40   −2    38
10 Zvezda Vlaikograd          30   10   7  13    45   52   −7    37
11 FC St. Jakob               30    8   6  16    38   69  −31    30
12 Marlesee 97                30    6  11  13    37   44   −7    29
13 FC Rotmunde 1932           30    6   7  17    36   60  −24    25
14 SW Stahlberg               30    6   7  17    47   80  −33    25     Playoff
15 Taifun Vorstock            30    6   7  17    28   71  −43    25     Relegated
16 SK Republika Borograd      30    4  10  16    38   72  −34    22

Landesmeister
For the 43rd time in club history/1st in Superklasse era
Inaugural Superklasse Winners

FC TEUSSEN STELBURG

Season Awards

Golden Ball - Reto Zschokke (FC Teussen Stelburg
Golden Boot - Rolando Cutter (FC Felsenkirchen 1879, 26 goals)
Golden Glove - Sepp Kranz (FC Teussen Stelburg)
Manager of the Year - Thorsten Kramer (FC Teussen Stelburg)
Young Player of the Year - Santutxo Kramer (FC Teussen Stelburg)
Best XI - GK - Kranz (TEU); LB - Offord (MET), CB - Rodl (MZG), CB - Sanner (TEU), RB - Milosevic (FEL); CM - Porsche (FEL), CM - Gruber (TEU), CM - Winter (MZG); LW - Weber (TEU), RW - Zschokke (TEU), CF - Cutter (FEL)
Substitutes: Gottschall (FEL), Tirel (FEL), Rosler (TEU), Prekmurje (MET), Le Meji (STE), A. Kosch-Kovarik (MZG), an Deòir (MET)

#  2. Klasse                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 FC Kaiserhaven             30   16   8   6    42   20  +22    56     Champions/LBCT
 2 Karakanovski Fabrika       30   13  12   5    31   18  +13    51     Promoted/LBCT
 3 Olympia Borograd           30   15   5  10    33   28   +5    50     Playoff/LBCT
 4 FK Vlaikograd 1896         30   14   7   9    34   27   +7    49
 5 Rulandea Karlsbrunnen      30   15   4  11    40   37   +3    49
 6 SV Preisfeld               30   13   9   8    36   27   +9    48
 7 Vrnovo Mesto               30   12  10   8    34   33   +1    46
 8 NK Prevala                 30   12   8  10    32   22  +10    44
 9 FK Raketa Bukovets         30   12   8  10    32   28   +4    44
10 Teufelsberg 97             30   11   9  10    32   27   +5    42
11 1. FC Vaihingen            30   11   7  12    32   30   +2    40
12 TSV Georg-Blocher          30    9  11  10    26   30   −4    38
13 FK Orlovska Bistrica       30   10   4  16    25   36  −11    34
14 Rudar Trkev                30    7  10  13    31   43  −12    31
15 Traktor Stavropol          30    3  11  16    26   47  −21    20     Relegated
16 Rot-Blau Altona            30    1   9  20    20   53  −33    12

Playoff

Olympia Borograd 2–0 SW Stahlberg
SW Stahlberg 1–0 Olympia Borograd
Olympia Borograd wins 2-1 on aggregate, secures promotion to Superklasse

#  3. Klasse              Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 1884 Felsenkirchen      30   20   8   2    41   15  +26    68     Champions/Promoted
 2 1828 Pomen              30   17   5   8    47   30  +17    56     Promoted
 3 Stahl Sterzing          30   15   8   7    38   22  +16    53
 4 Arsenal Bukovets        30   15   7   8    37   26  +11    52
 5 Adler Rotmunde          30   13   9   8    32   24   +8    48
 6 FK Venkovets            30   13   8   9    25   28   −3    47
 7 FC Einheit Marnau       30   12  10   8    36   27   +9    46
 8 VfB Marlesee            30   11  11   8    36   27   +9    44
 9 Gegenpapst Pomen        30   11  10   9    30   26   +4    43
10 VfL Prutseren           30   11   4  15    25   34   −9    37
11 NK Vrnovo               30    8   8  14    28   33   −5    32
12 FK Kushovo              30    8   7  15    24   42  −18    31
13 NK Siovanska Gora       30    7   8  15    24   35  −11    29
14 TSV Sankt Gustaf        30    6   9  15    23   34  −11    27
15 FK Kostinbrod           30    7   5  18    20   35  −15    26     Relegated
16 Jaromirgrad             30    4   7  19    23   51  −28    19

#  4. Klasse                Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Luttow-Vognitz            30   19   6   5    42   21  +21    63     Champions/Promoted
 2 NK Gabropol               30   17   4   9    40   31   +9    55     Champions/Promoted
 3 Rudar Draijagrad          30   15   8   7    45   26  +19    53
 4 VfL Reichmannsdorf        30   16   3  11    36   31   +5    51
 5 Fortuna Emmerich          30   14   8   8    33   17  +16    50
 6 VfL Bamerntal             30   15   3  12    41   26  +15    48
 7 Slavija Chotevice         30   13   8   9    34   30   +4    47
 8 Hechingen                 30   13   5  12    29   26   +3    44
 9 SV Charlottenburg         30   11   8  11    29   28   +1    41
10 Lokomotive Lensbruck      30   10   9  11    34   32   +2    39
11 NK Kraljgrad              30    9   9  12    33   39   −6    36
12 NK Piran                  30    8  10  12    26   31   −5    34
13 Slavija Karapelit         30    9   4  17    29   59  −30    31
14 Turbine Immengries        30    7   7  16    22   42  −20    28
15 Admiral Severno           30    6   6  18    23   44  −21    24
16 TSV Tarnitz               30    4  10  16    21   34  −13    22

President's Cup

Quarterfinal

Energija Chernovets 2–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Rudar Trkev 2–2 Rulandea Karlsbrunnen (2–3 AET)
FC Kaiserhaven 0–0 TSV Marzig (0–0 AET) (5–3 pen.)
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–1 FK Vlaikograd 1896

Semifinal

Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–1 FC Teussen Stelburg (2–1 AET)
Rulandea Karlsbrunnen 1–3 FC Kaiserhaven

President's Cup Final

Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–1 FC Kaiserhaven (1–1 AET) (4–5 pen.)

Pokalsieger
For the 1st time in club history

FC KAISERHAVEN

IFCF Qualifications

Siovanija & Teusland (STL) qualifiers

IFCF Champions League: FC Teussen Stelburg, FC Felsenkirchen 1879
IFCF Challengers Cup: FK Metropola Borograd, TSV Marzig, 1912 Stelburg
IFCF Liga B Champions' Trophy: FC Kaiserhaven, Karakanovski Fabrika, Olympia Borograd
IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: FC Kaiserhaven

Arrosia Hui La/Sun League: FC Teussen Stelburg, FC Kaiserhaven

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Feb 22, 2025 2:57 pm

Stelburger Zeitung

Champions Again: FC Teussen Stelburg return to the top of the heap in Siovanija & Teusland

Reto Zschokke’s 18th goal of the season on Sunday against FK Metropola Borograd was probably the most important of all the goals the dynamic winger has scored this year.

Coming just 24 minutes before the final blow of the referee’s whistle, he brought a tense Franz-Gorz-Stadion into party mode - Teussen were going to do it. After a 5 year wait - and yes, everyone else in the country except Felsenkirchen, we know how this comes off - the club would lift the national championship, its first title under manager Thorsten Kramer.

When the whistle of Bjorn Hubler finally did blow, the squad stormed onto the pitch to celebrate their title, as for the first time ever the Superklasse trophy - a classical silver cup adorned with Teussen-coloured streamers - was brought out onto the field and lifted high into the sky by captain Hans Gruber. The gold and black fireworks show could be seen across the city, and for FC Teussen Stelburg supporters, all was right in the world as of that moment.

But there was a lot of work to lead up to that moment - some might even argue that, amongst the club’s record 43 national titles, this was one of the most hard-fought. Teussen came into the season as favourites with both the oddsmakers and most pundits, it’s true - but not by much. Reigning champions TSV Marzig, a loaded-up FC Felsenkirchen 1879 squad, FK Metropola Borograd hitting their stride and cross-town rivals 1912 Stelburg having a big summer made things incredibly complicated for Teussen’s young squad.

On the eve of the season, Thorsten Kramer told this paper that “skill alone isn’t going to win championships, it’s willpower and determination.” With such a young squad, an average age of just 22.2 in the starting XI, there were question marks over whether Teussen had that about them. TSV Marzig’s young squad had needed the addition of some veterans to truly become champions; Felsenkirchen’s squad was filled with national team stars from abroad. Kramer, however, believed in his side: “I am perfectly happy with the squad. Youthful energy fits with exactly what we need - and our players have been fighting for trophies every year they have been together.”

Teussen started the season very strongly - and the credit for that can go directly to the backline and goalkeeper Sepp Kranz. Kranz looked mature beyond his years under the bar for Teussen right from the go, and combined with incredible play from the duo of Erwin Sanner and Seb Rosler, Teussen kept clean sheets in the first 5 games of the season. This included a crucial penalty save by Kranz in the Stelburg derby against rivals 1912, which gave them a huge win at the Oststelburgstadion to start the season.

But it’s well-known that, even when they are winning, FC Teussen Stelburg fans will always find something to nitpick. “Sure, the defence is playing great - but where are the goals coming from?” To be fair, it was a valid critique after the first few rounds of the season. Other than matchday 1, where Teussen crushed SK Republika Borograd 5-0, there didn’t really seem to be much synchronization up front: a 0-0 draw with Zvezda Vlaikograd was quite disappointing, and the only goal in that 1-0 win over 1912 was a direct free kick.

When Teussen dropped points for 4 games in a row after that initial early-season run - a loss to FC Rotmunde 1932 at home complimented by draws against Reinbronn, Pomorie and another home loss to Energija Chernovets - there was a real sense of woe amongst the supporters. “Another wasted year,” “too bad we couldn’t put it all together at once,” the usual comments from fans spoiled by success anticipating another year without a title. But then, something started to come together - the offensive players that had looked a bit out of sorts early on started to look in sync. The midfield started to really come alive, Santutxo Kramer having a breakout performance next to Hans Gruber. And soon enough, Teussen had defeated FC St. Jakob and TSV Marzig to have excellent momentum going into the Teus Klassiker against FC Felsenkirchen 1879.

Any Teussen fan worth their stripes will remember almost everything about this game. The anticipation: “First the defence was strong; now the attack. Imagine if we had both at the same time!” The doubt: “Felsenkirchen are unbeatable. They crushed Metropola and 1912, and beat Stahlberg 11-1.” And then, finally, the goals: Zschokke x2, Seidl x2, Kramer. 5-0 at Mollin Park. Felsenkirchen’s high-flying playstyle was completely outmatched by Thorsten Kramer’s side full of that youthful energy, as Teussen out-ran and out-worked the Blues all over the field. Finally Teussen put everything together, and it would turn into one of the club’s most memorable wins in history and certainly the signature win - so far - of Thorsten Kramer’s term as manager.

Even after that win, however, Teussen were still 5 points back of the Cogs for the top spot in the Superklasse. They had a fight on their hands to get to the top spot - and Teussen would more than meet the challenge. The black and gold would win 10 of the next 11 games after that - including two sets of 5 in a row, separated only by a draw - including a huge 4-3 win in Borograd over FK Metropola and a derby double over 1912 Stelburg, 3-1 at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. When that run came to an end, Teussen were 1st place in the table themselves with a gap of 5 points to second place FK Metropola Borograd.

“We didn’t make it easy for ourselves,” laughed Thorsten Kramer in the celebrations following the title decider - and he was certainly correct. Perhaps a bit of inexperience crept in, with Teussen losing 4-3 to VfL Reinbronn and drawing 1-1 with Marlesee 97 to allow Borograd and Felsenkirchen to pull their way back into the title race. With Teussen facing each of TSV Marzig, FK Metropola Borograd and FC Felsenkirchen 1879 in their final 4 matches of the season, it was going to be a potentially era-defining run in for the club. Win and become legends; or lose and develop a reputation of a side that can’t get it done in the tough moments.

Teussen passed the test with flying colours. Reto Zschokke, who had been the most dominant winger in the league all season with a real break-out campaign, scored the winning goal on the road in Marzig that knocked the home side out of any sort of title contention and brought Teussen one step closer to glory. The home rematch with Felsenkirchen was, as always, a feisty affair. The Blues were far more up for this one, and two goals from Rolando Cutter in the first half had them up 2-1 and looking like they could steal the title away from Teussen. There was no way Teussen were going to let that happen in their own home. Santutxo Kramer had the equalizer to make it 2-2, and when Songwei Milosevic scored to make it 3-2 Felsenkirchen, Teussen fought back again. This time it was Josef Weber who got on the end of Zschokke’s cross to make it 3-3, ensuring Teussen would stay ahead of their rivals.

After the 2-0 win over the Krutenau Kickers on the penultimate matchday, the recipe for the match with FK Metropola Borograd was simple enough: win, and you take home the trophy. Thorsten Kramer’s boys would not let the 70,000 packed into the Franz-Gorz-Stadion down, and for the first time post-isolation FC Teussen Stelburg are national champions.

It was truly a break-out year for so many players on this team. You have to look at Reto Zschokke first. He was already known as a top-tier winger going into the campaign, but after a season in which the Kaiserhaven-born player scored 18 goals and was so important in the key moments for Teussen, many would argue he’s the best winger in the division. He was deservingly awarded the Golden Ball for this year, and you have to think this is just the start for him.

We spoke about Sepp Kranz a bit earlier on, but he deserves a mention again as one of Teussen’s top players this season. The club conceded just 30 goals the whole season, averaging one per game - and Kranz kept 13 clean sheets across the season, the highest number of any goalkeeper in the league and a club record in 30-game seasons. In fact, other than Teussen’s highest-scoring game of the year (a 7-5 win over SW Stahlberg), Kranz allowed 3 goals in a game only 3 times. It’s clear that Kranz, having gotten the chance to appear for the Goldhorns at the World Cup, is fully intent on claiming the #1 shirt for his country. Right now, he is certainly the best goalkeeper in this league.

Teussen are a young squad - we mentioned the average age of just 22.2. But the youngest of them all this season was 18 year old Santutxo Kramer. Son of the country’s greatest football legend, and Teussen’s current manager, there was plenty of pressure on Kramer to live up to incredibly lofty expectations. There were some growing pains early on - it’s fair to say that in the first few matches of the season, Der Kronprinz had not quite caught on to the pace of the Superklasse. Once he did, however, there was no looking back. Kramer grew rapidly over the course of the season; from looking very much out of place at the start to a multi-year veteran by the end of the campaign. While his passing and vision have received plenty of praise already, we’ll highlight his composure. In those high-pressure final 4 matches of the season, Kramer looked even more at ease than usual, and didn’t seem to make any mistakes when on the ball. That composure made his father into a legend, and if Santutxo can keep it up, he’ll have a bright career ahead of him.

FC Teussen Stelburg, champions again. It was always destined to happen under Thorsten Kramer, and for the incredible talents in this squad. Now, the challenge will be to go on and become a real dynasty at home.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat Feb 22, 2025 5:59 pm

Score! Magazine

Strong IFCF Campaign earns Superklasse Vital 5th Slot

5 clubs from Siovanija & Teusland were active in IFCF and regional competition this year - and was it ever a season to remember!

As the defending champions, TSV Marzig had arguably the most responsibility on their shoulders, carrying the banner for the entire country in the IFCF Champions’ League. The Marzigers entered the competition in the Second Qualifying Round, and were drawn at first against Chornyy Volodymyrivka of Estorvipa and Estorpiva. On the road in their first match, Einar Hackl would score a hat-trick as Marzig took a 5-3 win. Back home at the Volksbankstadion, Hackl scored his 4th goal of the competition in a 1-1 draw to secure Marzig’s safe passage.

In the third round, however, Marzig faced a very difficult draw in Tikariot City FC from Tikariot. It was always going to be difficult for the light blue and white club to get past opponents from one of the top leagues in the world, however, they put up as good a fight as one could possibly expect. Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik and Einar Hackl split the goals for a 2-1 win in Marzig during the first leg - however, you had a bad feeling when the hosts scored just 3 minutes into the second leg. Tikariot City FC would add the crucial second goal in the second half to secure a 3-2 aggregate win and send Marzig out of the Champions’ League.

There was still a chance for redemption for the Marzigers, however, in the preliminary rounds of the Challengers’ Cup. Getting at least 1 club into the group stage of one of the top two IFCF tournaments was an absolute priority for the first season of the Superklasse - and TSV Marzig would achieve just that. First up was Keloudjm Sakane in the Fourth Qualifying Round of the Challengers’ Cup. The club from Al-Tamazgah put up an excellent fight in the first leg, holding Marzig to a 1-1 draw on the Nordsee. However, it wasn’t in any doubt when Marzig marched into Keloudjm Sakane’s home stadium and came away with a 3-0 win to advance.

The only thing now standing between the Knights and the Challengers’ Cup group stage was the playoff round against Sporting Esper of Zwangzug. When Marzig went down 3-2 at home, many in the media in Siovanija & Teusland counted them out - “no chance,” reported one outlet. Marzig, however, fought through. In the hostile road environment, Samuel McTavish scored the opening goal to make it 1-0 and then it was Einar Hackl getting the chance to play hero and send the Marzigers through to the group stage.

The second club entering IFCF competition was FC Teussen Stelburg, but while the historic club would end up winning the national title in the Superklasse, they would make virtually 0 impact on international play. To be fair, Teussen were not given an easy go of things when they drew Pasarga’s Tanrisal in the Third Qualifying Round of the Challengers’ Cup. The Pasargan side have a great history in the competition, and while Teussen played a good game at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, ending in a 2-1 loss, they sputtered out in Rushmore. The 1-0 loss in Pasarga meant Teussen’s campaign was over after just 2 games. Perhaps the lack of extra games helped them bring home the league title; but it certainly did not help the national coefficient.

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 entered the IFCF Challengers’ Cup from its Second Qualifying Round, and they went on a run to make the country proud in the preliminary stage. Taking on the Creston Sharks of Eshialand, the Blues stepped up to the plate immediately. Rolando Cutter scored his first two goals in the Cogs’ shirt in the away leg, a 2-1 win for Felsenkirchen, before some sturdy defending at home ensured their passage to the Third Qualifying Round. Kaiserstadt FC of Eberland were waiting, and once again the Cogs got the job done in the first leg. This time, Songwei Milosevic scored his first goal for the club while Jesper Porsche joined in for the second. Once again, a 0-0 draw at home saw Felsenkirchen advance.

The Cogs were getting closer and closer to reaching the group stage now, and when they were drawn against Royal Jam FC of Eastfield Lodge everything was on the line. Felsenkirchen once again returned to Mollin Park with an advantage - Jochen Koegel had a brace in the away leg, leading to a 2-1 victory. Then, for the first time in the campaign, Felsenkirchen managed to score at home - and not just once! The Blues made it 3-0 at home, Rolando Cutter getting two and Arnold Apel joining in with his first of the campaign to take a 5-1 aggregate victory.

In the playoff round, Nagato Spirit of Riena awaited the Cogs. Where Felsenkirchen had played the first leg of every tie so far away, they had also won all 3 of those matches. That would change this time around, however, as the Spirit held Felsenkirchen to a 1-1 draw. In the second leg at home, Felsenkirchen would score early to go up 1-0, but the visitors had the better nerve, winning 2-1. The result sent Felsenkirchen out of the Challengers’ Cup, but luckily, they would still qualify for the IFCF Associations’ Trophy group stage.

1912 Stelburg were the Superklasse’s other representative in the IFCF, starting all the way in the Second Qualifying Round of the Challengers’ Cup. Against Gateshead Bleythe AC, things looked bleak at first - a 2-1 loss on the road. By the time things shifted to the Oststelburgstadion, however, 1912 Stelburg had a different look to them. Xorge Le Meji was back in the squad after a little extra rest after the World Cup, and star Banijan winger Muhangi Wentibwa was ready to make his debut. And what a debut it would turn out to be! 2 goals for Wentibwa, 2 more for Le Meji, and 1912 Stelburg advanced with a 5-2 aggregate victory.

Shew Shore FC were next up in the Third Round, and this time around 1912 Stelburg did the business in the first leg on the road. Young forward Liam Merz scored twice and Le Meji joined him for a third in the 3-0 win. While Shew Shore would win 3-1 in the Oststelburgstadion, it was still enough for 1912 to punch their ticket to advance. Dreams of reaching the group stage would be dashed, however, in the Fourth Round. 1912 Stelburg drew Arsenal de Relenthi of Abanhfleft, and after a 2-0 defeat away from home, the Bluebirds could salvage only a 1-1 draw at home.

So, after the preliminary rounds, we remained with 2 clubs in IFCF competition: TSV Marzig and FC Felsenkirchen 1879 reaching the group stages of the Challengers’ Cup and Associations’ Trophy respectively. The whole nation was hoping for strong performances from both en route to growing the national coefficient, but what would await the clubs in the group stage?

For Felsenkirchen, however, the Associations’ Trophy group stage didn’t quite pan out. Group A was a tricky one, with clubs from Banija, the Kytler Penninsulae and Biyambi in its number. Felsenkirchen’s group campaign reminded you somewhat of their preliminary rounds - excellent on the road, but for whatever reason not putting everything together at Mollin Park. The wins, when they came, were fabulous - a Rolando Cutter penalty gave the Blues a victory away over AFC Edencliffe (KYP), the only loss for that club in the entire group stage. Songwei Milosevic’s 3 assist performance against TK Korp Mynda showed yet again why he was such a dynamic addition to Felsenkirchen’s lineup as part of a 4-0 win. But those were the only bright spots. Every home match was lost, and the Blues also dropped a 3-1 away match against Mansanduni Union that, in the end, was the difference between finishing 3rd or 2nd. Felsenkirchen were eliminated.

For TSV Marzig, however, this IFCF campaign was quickly becoming one that the club would never, ever forget. Group L of the Challengers’ Cup was a tough one, featuring clubs like Maethoru SC of Ko-oren, VLC FC of Eastfield Lodge and O.K. Corinthians Bashi of Geektopia. Marzig found a way to push through.

While VLC FC would wind up as the group winners, they suffered 2 losses in the six-game campaign - and one of them came courtesy of TSV Marzig at the Volksbankstadion. Einar Hackl had both goals in the 2-0 win that was vital for the Marzigers. Marzig would do the double over Corinthians - a big 4-0 win at home followed up by a 3-1 win away - before earning a draw against Maethoru SC that meant Marzig advanced to the playoff rounds as the 2nd side in the group.

It was already going to be a boon for Siovanija & Teusland in the coefficient rankings, and when most saw Marzig drawn against Tumbra’s Couno Rangers in the Round of 32, they figured you could pack it in there. “Overall, a solid campaign from Marzig,” wrote a newspaper in the city. The Knights kept finding ways to surprise us, however. The first game of the two-legged set was played at the Volksbankstadion, and was a relatively tame 1-1 affair that betrayed nothing of the spectacle of football that would be played in the second leg.

3500 TSV Marzig fans joined their team in Esportiva for what would become a legendary moment in the club’s history. Einar Hackl had the Knights 2-0 up inside the first half hour, but the Tumbrans would fight back and had levelled things at 2 all by halftime. Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik then made it 3-2, but the Rangers were getting a better grip on the game and suddenly, with 10 minutes left in the game, it was 4-3 for the home side. Marzig pulled themselves back in it through a corner directed in by the head of Silvio Rodl in stoppage time, sending the match to extra time. There, it would be Einar Hackl completing the hat-trick and playing the hero in one of his club’s greatest-ever victories. 6-5 on aggregate the final, and TSV Marzig were through to the Round of 16.

The memories would continue to be made in that round. Playing at the Volksbankstadion in the first leg against legendary Squornshelan club Brantisvogan, this time it would be Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik’s turn to make a great deal of history. He scored a brace and assisted the goal of Wei Delan that made it 3-1. On the road, Marzig put on a defensive clinic to hold onto a 0-0 draw and the aggregate win - and a place in the Quarterfinals.

This was now the best run of any Siovanija & Teusland club since the end of isolation, and by the time Marzig defeated Wirr Tsi of Chromatika 3-1 on the road in the first leg of the Quarterfinal, people started to ask in hushed tones ‘can they really…’ Once Wirr Tsi were beaten 2-0 at home courtesy of a Hackl brace, and Marzig were confirmed for the semifinals, that talk really ramped up.

Of course, just at the moment everyone started to believe they could do it, they didn’t. Another Chromatik side were awaiting Marzig in the semifinals, Crossroads, and they were on the road of destiny. They defeated Marzig in a tense 3-2 contest in the first leg, and while Marzig led 2-1 after 90 minutes in the second leg at home, they would be the ones tasting extra time heartbreak this time around as Crossroads would advance to - and win - the Challengers’ Cup Final.

Second-tier 1. FC Vaihingen were the nation’s representatives in the IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup, and with almost no expectations whatsoever they did the country very proud. A 2-0 home win against Riena’s Utakata Suisei in the second leg was enough to advance to the First Round, where Vaihingen would face one of the world’s biggest clubs, Raynor City United. For Vaihingen supporters, it was more than they could ever dream of, and while the home match under the lights at the club’s historic 7,500-seat Vaihingen-Kampfbahn was lost 2-0, the 2000 supporters who travelled across the Westsee to Raynor City were treated to the unbelievable reality of a 4-3 win over the home side. Hans-Jorg Metz, who was the hero just a few months ago in the President’s Cup Final, did it again with 2 goals at The Battleground in what will go down as an all-time historic moment for the club. While they would still be knocked out of the CWC, Vaihingen still had quite the story to write in the Hui La - but that’s another story to be told another time.

With all of the IFCF competitions in the books, information on coefficients and placements quickly became available. Largely due to the massive job TSV Marzig did, Siovanija & Teusland clubs earned 9.500 points this time around - the biggest number since the return from isolation. It means that the Superklasse is rated the 29th league in IFCF competition - and that means that the league has earned a 2nd spot in the Champions’ League. Perfectly timed with the beginning of the Superklasse, it means that in the league’s first season 5 clubs will be sent to the Champions’ League and Challengers’ Cup in total.

It was certainly a season to remember for TSV Marzig, and for Siovanija & Teusland football in general, and we can only hope that next season will be just as fruitful for the nation.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Feb 23, 2025 12:37 am

Score! Magazine

The Chasing Pack: How the Fight for IFCF Football Played Out

Beyond the spot granted to FC Teussen Stelburg for winning the league, 4 more spots remained up for grabs in IFCF football next season. Now, that wasn’t known when the league began its season - but once TSV Marzig confirmed their qualification for the Round of 32, the mathematicians amongst us began to run the calculations and it seemed quite likely that the 5th league spot would also be playing IFCF football. Let’s take a look at how the final spots played out:

#2 - FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Story of the Season: It was really a season in 3 parts for Felsenkirchen. The first one-third of the season was some of the best football we have ever seen from the Blues in the post-isolation era. Everything was going their way: Rolando Cutter hit the ground running up front, Songwei Milosevic totally revolutionized the 3-4-2-1 setup for the club, Jesper Porsche and Arne Repnik maintained their excellent partnership and the backline of Tirel-Steinhausl-Apel looked solid as ever. The Cogs defeated TSV Marzig and FK Metropola Borograd on the road in the opening few matches, and achieved an absolutely remarkable 11-1 victory over SW Stahlberg, in which Cutter scored 4 goals. On matchday 12, the Cogs were 4 points clear at the top of the league and had an insane +33 goal difference at that point.

But it was unlucky #13 for the Cogs - they were blown out by FC Teussen Stelburg in their next game, the famous 5-0 joy for Teussen being a humiliation unseen in many years for Felsenkirchen. And it was tough for them to get back on track. While winning their derby match against Rotmunde the week after was sorely needed, a home loss to Energija Chernovets and a 0-0 draw with VfL Reinbronn had the team looking like the complete opposite of the machine that started the season. With back-to-back losses on matchdays 19 and 20 to FC St. Jakob and TSV Marzig, many were ready to call the season over.

Part 3 of the season, however, was just beginning. A 6-0 win over SW Stahlberg - the same side the Cogs had put up 11 on earlier this year - was exactly what the team needed to get back into form, and in the final 9 matches of the season the Cogs were 7-1-1. This included an excellent 6-4 derby win over Rotmunde - but also a 5-3 loss at home to FK Metropola Borograd and a 3-3 draw with Teussen in the revenge game for the 5-0. In the end, Felsenkirchen finished in 2nd, 2 points off of Teussen.

What Went Well: The team clicked well immediately. Rolando Cutter scored 26 goals this season, and Leonard Wagner’s 3-4-2-1 system enjoyed a renaissance with the addition of Songwei Milosevic and fellow wingback Otto Metzger enjoying a bit more freedom to go forward. In attack, Felsenkirchen were once again a force - 86 goals was tied for the league’s best, and included wins such as the 11-1 and 6-0 drubbings of Stahlberg, as well as a 6-1 win over the Krutenau Kickers. When this team fired, it was on all cylinders and they left no quarter.

What Went Wrong: Unfortunately for Felsenkirchen, the biggest games seemed to be their kryptonite this year. Considering matches only against the other top clubs, the Cogs failed to win against FC Teussen Stelburg - the 5-0 loss notably derailed their entire season, while the 3-3 draw in Stelburg came after two blown leads in the game. Felsenkirchen defeated both TSV Marzig and FK Metropola Borograd in their first encounters of the season, but lost to both in the rematch. The only IFCF qualified team that Felsenkirchen were able to defeat in both matches was 1912 Stelburg. The dropped points against the biggest clubs were more than the difference, in the end, between Felsenkirchen and the league title.

The Blues will play IFCF Champions’ League football next season after the second place finish, and will be hoping to take back the crown next season.

#3 - FK Metropola Borograd

Story of the Season: In many editions of the former Republikaliga, FK Metropola Borograd’s performance this season would’ve been more than enough to win the title.

In fact, the last time Metropola became champions in the division, it was with 63 points and a +34 goal difference. This season, Metropola managed the same total of 63 points and far outperformed the goal difference, having +46 to their name - and instead, they finished 6 points off the title. From a Metropola perspective, it was a strange season. Sometimes, they looked absolutely dominant and like the best side in the league. Beating 1912 Stelburg 3-0 away in the Oststelburgstadion, or Energija Chernovets 5-1 away were the best examples of this early in the season. But too often, right afterwards, it would just be too pedestrian. The 5-1 in Chernovets came just a week after losing at home 4-3 to FK Pomorie, for example. As the campaign went on, defeat in matches like the return leg in Pomorie (2-1) or, inexplicably, 3-0 at home to Marlesee 97, really took the Violets out of the fight at the top.

And yet, they were never truly out of it. That was the thing about this Metropola season - with every statement win came a crushing blow, but with every crushing blow came enough of a rebound to keep them around the top of the league. You never really got the feeling that Metropola could really take the title, but you also knew they’d wind up in the top 3 or thereabouts anyways. As the end of the season bore down, Metropola went on a campaign to try claiming their first title since the Republikaliga era. A win in the ‘other’ Borograd derby against SK Republika was followed by a 3-1 win over 1912 Stelburg, and then one of the most one-sided games of football you will ever see: 14 (fourteen) to 1 against Taifun Vorstock. Lionel an Deòir set a Superklasse record that is unlikely to ever be broken with 7 goals in the game, and suddenly Metropola were just 1 point back of Teussen with 2 games left, including one against the leaders.

Then, one week after the 14-1 win, Metropola’s attack fizzled out at the Stadion Razdrto against Zvezda Vlaikograd, coming away only with a 1-1 draw. Still, on the final day of the season, with a win against Teussen and favourable results elsewhere, Metropola could still be champions. Instead, they offered very little in the final match of the year at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, and will settle for 3rd place instead.

What Went Well: This team was very beautiful to watch in attack. Their movement patterns and transitions were as perfect as you can get in the modern game, with the front trio of Lionel an Deòir, Veljko Vadimic and Marjan Trstenjek seeming to understand each other quite well from the start. The Kelssek international an Deòir was in particular a revelation, battling his countrymate Rolando Cutter for the Golden Boot by the end of the season and finishing in 2nd place with 25 goals. When things were good, they were very, very good indeed and it’s a good sign for Metropola going forward.

What Went Wrong: It just wasn’t consistent enough. Rather than giving 100% in every game, Metropola seemed to give 200% one week and 50% the next. That’s not how you win titles, and for all the incredible talent in this squad you wonder if they’ll be targeting a veteran leader in the summer window - the same way Samuel McTavish helped turn TSV Marzig’s young squad into champions. Alan Dzekov is a manager who knows what it takes to win league titles, and you can bet he will be drilling it into the squad all summer long about how they can go the next step next season.

With a strong third place finish, Metropola will enter the IFCF Challengers’ Cup next season.

#4 - TSV Marzig

Story of the Season: A season with split focuses, TSV Marzig can be proud of this campaign, even if it didn’t end as incredibly as the last.

There was always bound to be a championship hangover for TSV Marzig - after such a great triumph in the club’s history, a first national title in many years - in the first season of the Superklasse. But in the opening part of the season, you wouldn’t have noticed such a thing. Einar Hackl’s brace helped them open the season with a 6-2 victory on the road in Reinbronn, and the club started the year with 4 strong wins off the trot. Then, however, in the midst of balancing their IFCF campaign with the league, they lost at home to Felsenkirchen and dropped points weeks later against Metropola Borograd. A painful loss to Taifun Vorstock was soon followed by another loss to FC Teussen Stelburg - and Marzig’s title defence was doomed before it ever really got off the ground.

From that point, the club threw everything into their IFCF campaign - which, as it turned out, proved very fruitful as the Marzigers advanced all the way to the Semifinals of the Challengers’ Cup in what will go down as one of the most memorable runs a club from Siovanija & Teusland has had in the competition in quite some time. Historical moments were written into the club’s history, and for everything they did for the coefficient this season they can be forgiven for not taking a Saturday evening fixture in Marlesee as seriously as usual. As the season wore on, however, Marzig earned some big results - a victory over Felsenkirchen, and 5 wins in their final 6 matches of the campaign.

One thing that Marzig continued to take seriously regardless of whether they were jetting across the region midweek or not were their all-important rivalry fixtures. The Pomorie-Marzig derby was a fixture marked off on every calendar when the Superklasse fixtures were released, and when the sides met first on matchday 14 at the Narodnistadion in Pomorie, there was tension in the air. The home side felt they could get one up on their rivals, but instead Marzig outlasted them - Wei Delan being the hero with a winning goal in the 78th minute. There were also wins at home (1-0) and away (4-2) over Zvezda Vlaikograd - but by the end of the season, with the Challengers’ Cup semifinal overwith, all Marzig supporters were focused on their penultimate matchday date with FK Pomorie again at home. With both clubs virtually locked into their positions, pride was the only thing on the line - and the Marzigers would claim the bragging rights. Einar Hackl had the opener, while Mats Winter and Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik would add the others in a 3-1 win.

Marzig were secured in 4th position in the league - probably lower than they had hoped starting the year, but mixed with the IFCF run and the rivalry success it would go down as a memorable season.

What Went Well: While this review is focused on the league campaign, it’s impossible to talk about Marzig’s season without factoring in their international success. Marzig’s team is full of talented stars, such as Einar Hackl and Mats Winter, and on the international stage they once again proved their value. Hackl was one of the top goalscorers of the entire Challengers’ Cup tournament, while the contributions of Winter, Silvio Rodl and the entire defence were vital many times. Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik also had opportunities to play the hero. We saw it many times as well in the league - in the victories over Pomorie, as well as Marzig’s strong win over Felsenkirchen towards the end of the season, Marzig’s top talents shone. The hope now for the Marzigers is that they can keep the squad together for one more season.

What Went Wrong: By the end of the season, you could tell there was very little to no gas left in the legs of Marzig’s top stars. Think about it: the marathon Regionalliga/Meisterschaft/President’s Cup Final campaign last season that resulted in the club’s title win was followed by the World Cup Finals for several of Marzig’s top players. Then, it was a hefty IFCF campaign with 22 matches - including several that went to extra time. Add on the Superklasse campaign and a Quarterfinal run in the Cup, and it’s just simply inevitable that these guys would be a little bit fatigued. It certainly had an effect on the squad through the season, with little injuries here and there and midfielder Bjorn Panzer missing significant time through the middle of the season. Now, with a full summer to recuperate and relax, the Marzig stars should be fresh once again for next season.

TSV Marzig finish 4th after a memorable campaign, looking forward to IFCF Challengers’ Cup football and a league title challenge next season.

#5 - 1912 Stelburg

Story of the Season: A disappointing campaign that never really got off the group for 1912 Stelburg ends in a positive story with IFCF football.

There was excitement going into the season with the further emergence of Xorge Le Meji at the World Cup Finals, and the addition of superstar Banijan winger Muhangi Wentibwa to the squad. But there was some concern around the Bluebirds, too - can we really trust young Liam Merz up front? Is Egon von Stein going to get his game back? How can we overcome the superteams in Felsenkirchen, Marzig and across town? Unfortunately for the Bluebirds, the answer to almost all of these questions was a negative one. The beginning of the campaign was rough for 1912 Stelburg - an early loss in the derby, dropped points against several lower-level sides, and a 6-5 loss at the hands of Energija Chernovets in a game the Bluebirds had led 4-1. It took until matchday 8 for the Bluebirds to win their second game of the season, and it wasn’t until matchdays 19-20 that they would win twice in a row.

The Bluebirds just did not seem to have it when up against stronger teams. In both Stelburg derby matches with FC Teussen Stelburg, they seemed a class below. At home, they generated very little offence and Liam Merz saw his penalty effort saved by Sepp Kranz in a 1-0 loss. Away from home, Teussen were 3-0 up by the half and a goal from Wentibwa was the only positive for the Bluebirds. It was a familiar story: FK Metropola Borograd defeated 1912 3-0 in Stelburg and later 3-1 in Borograd, while Felsenkirchen won 3-0 at home and 1-0 on the road. The two matches with TSV Marzig ended in 1-1 draws. So, in 8 matches with the teams ahead of them in the table, the Bluebirds went winless, coming away with just 2 draws and 6 losses. In those 8 games they managed a total of 3 goals. That is just unacceptable for a team looking to compete for the title.

There would come some positives from this season in the end, however. With TSV Marzig’s success in the Challengers’ Cup, it became quite clear that the 5th spot in the league would also earn IFCF football. After matchday 27, the Bluebirds sat in 8th position in the league - 7 points behind the Krutenau Kickers in 5th. In between them stood Energija Chernovets and VfL Reinbronn, each club hoping to claim that all-important spot. 1912 needed perfection from their final 3 games - and they got it. A 7-2 win at home over SK Republika Borograd and a 3-1 win over SW Stahlberg the following week meant they headed into the final matchday just 2 points back of Energija Chernovets for that fifth position - and after a win over Taifun Vorstock and Chernovets’ loss to TSV Marzig, the Bluebirds claimed the place.

A happy ending, then, for a season in which 1912 Stelburg fans probably found themselves cheering for TSV Marzig just as much as their own club.

What Went Well: Xorge Le Meji did Xorge Le Meji things. He plays such a unique role in the Siovanija & Teusland football sphere, and he was the main creative source for the Bluebirds all season. While there wasn’t much chemistry with Liam Merz, he formed a solid partnership with Mutengi Wentibwa at times - especially as the season drew to a close. The two were absolutely vital in the 3 wins in the final 3 matches to qualify for IFCF football. Credit for the final position must also go to the defensive line. Laurens Seuper has been one of the top centre backs in the country ever since his arrival on these shores, while young fullbacks Andrej Berkel and Rolf Gellner had strong defensive seasons as the club conceded the second-least amount of goals in the division.

What Went Wrong: In hindsight, watching your 35 year old forward Damien Gannot slow up and, in a league filled with forward talents, replacing him with a 20 year old academy product may not have been the smartest decision. Liam Merz had some moments that justified the faith put in him, but they were unfortunately few and far between. You can sense that there is a player in there, but the loss of confidence was brutal to watch and the Bluebirds will need to find a solution to this next year. Look at the forwards on the teams ahead of them: Rolando Cutter, Uwe Seidl, Einar Hackl, Lionel an Deòir. With a player of that calibre in the lineup, 1912 Stelburg would have far more points at the end of the year than they’ve ended up with here. The blame can’t entirely go to Merz, however. Egon von Stein was a Golden Ball winner just 2 years ago as he led this team to a national title, but this was a poor campaign from his standards. You wonder if he’s just trying to do too much out there, or if the partnership with Marcel Grunberg (who had a solid season himself) just isn’t a fit. The players do share similar traits. It’s worrying for the Bluebirds to see your star midfielder go through a rough patch of form, even moreso when it’s been over a season at this point - and work clearly needs to be done to get him back to his best.

Not a dream campaign by any means for 1912 Stelburg, but at the end of the day, they’ll return to IFCF football next year.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Feb 23, 2025 11:44 am

Kaiserhavener Nachrichten

FCK Capture Famous Cup Triumph

After so many years of hurt, so many years of ‘close but yet so far,’ the day has finally come: FC Kaiserhaven have lifted the President’s Cup.

Any true supporter of Die Matrosen knows just how long in the making this one was. Our club is a force in the south of the country, and everybody around Siovanija & Teusland knows just how wild and passionate our fans are. But for so many years, there has never been the success to go along with it.

Two Teus championship titles - and that’s it. Everyone knows the rest of the story - so many failures at the final hurdle, so many blown leads. In the President’s Cup, too, there has been a legacy of disappointment for the club. Prior to this season, 1972 was the only time the club had made the Final. Facing Zvezda Vlaikograd in the final, Kaiserhaven led 2-1 going into stoppage time. Then, however, the Reds struck back - a goal at the 90+5 mark sent things to extra time and eventually penalties, where it would be the side from Vlaikograd taking home the Cup. 5 other times Kaiserhaven have reached the semifinals - losing on all 5 occasions.

Every year, fans at the Stadion Kaiserhaven hope it will finally be time to go on a Cup run - and this year, that hope was perhaps more present than ever. It’s been a rough year for the club, after all. Finishing bottom of the Meisterschaft last season was a tough pill to swallow - what was even worse was getting blown out 5-0 by FC Rotmunde 1932 on aggregate in the playoff to qualify for the Superklasse. Despite playing in the Meisterschaft for 3 seasons, Kaiserhaven had failed to qualify for the top division in its first season and would instead be forced to go to the 2. Klasse.

There was the usual doom and gloom from certain corners: ‘the club can’t survive this,’ ‘we will never be in the top tier again.’ But as this season went on, it was obvious immediately that this edition of the Matrosen was determined to change the story and narrative. In the 2. Klasse, Kaiserhaven quickly emerged as the best team in the division. A run of early wins, including one over Olympia Borograd, had the south coast supporters convinced that FCK would once again reach the top of the pyramid. And then, there was the Cup.

The First Round saw Kaiserhaven handed as easy a draw as you could hope for - home at the Stadion Kaiserhaven, and taking on Zelena Vlaijka. A small club from the suburbs of the national capital Borograd, Zelena Vlaijka were no match for FCK. Norbert Stetter had 2 goals, while academy product forward Leon Metzinger got his first start for the club and knocked in his first as part of a 6-1 victory. When the draw for the Second Round saw Kaiserhaven once again at home, taking on 4. Klasse side VfL Bamerntal, there was already talk in the Kaiserhaven supporters’ pubs and on the terraces: maybe we can make a run this year.

Bamerntal, however, would not roll over easily. The visitors from the lower tier had their own belief and hope, and a legacy in this competition that they always seek to live up to. Bamerntal, despite never playing higher than the second tier in their entire history, have a President’s Cup triumph to their name, in an upset victory in the first season of the Republikaliga all those years ago. They showed up to the Stadion Kaiserhaven confident - and they were 1-0 up just 15 minutes into the game. It was a hard fight-back for FCK, but they would get the job done. Timo Geyer, Alex Gering and Erik Zippe had the goals and Kaiserhaven ended up winning this one 3-2. Now it was on to the Third Round.

Drawn away to Olympia Borograd, this was going to be the toughest test that the club had faced so far. In years past, an away day at the Olimpski-Stadion would have been viewed as a nice day out, but a death sentence for the hopes of advancing in the Cup. This year, however, was different. Was it not Kaiserhaven who was dominating the 2. Klasse while Olympia struggled to remain in a promotion spot? Was it not Kaiserhaven who had beaten this same team just 3 weeks prior in the league? This time around, it was a task we could overcome. In a hard-fought game that went to 120 minutes, the only goal of the game went to Norbert Stetter. FC Kaiserhaven had knocked out Olympia Borograd, and now had the Fourth Round to look forward to.

The draw for that round could not have been better, either. Of the top 5 teams in the country, FC Felsenkirchen 1879 had already been knocked out - while FC Teussen Stelburg and 1912 Stelburg would face each other in a Stelburg derby, and TSV Marzig would host FK Metropola Borograd. A path was opening up here - and for Kaiserhaven, it was another home draw, this time with Draija Debelets. The club from Debelets, in the Korjava region close to Pomorie, were no match for the Matrosen. Kaiserhaven knocked 5 past them on that day, and all of a sudden were into the Quarterfinals. The often dreamed about Cup run was in the making.

TSV Marzig. Did it get any more difficult than that? The Marzigers are known Cup specialists, and with players like Einar Hackl and Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik in their ranks, almost impossible to stop in attack. Almost. There were a number of moments of providence that helped Kaiserhaven in this one: this Wednesday night at the Stadion Kaiserhaven was one of the most miserable in terms of weather you could remember. The heavy rain turned the pitch to mud and disrupted Marzig’s preferred playstyle. In addition, the Marzigers were between two legs of their IFCF Challengers’ Cup Quarterfinal, and perhaps didn’t have the desperate intensity that Kaiserhaven did. Olaf Konz, the long-serving captain of the club, put in an all-time classic performance at centre back, and after 120 minutes the score remained 0-0. On penalties, every single Kaiserhaven taker was able to score - unfortunately for Marzig, Bjorn Panzer and Silvio Rodl would both miss. For the first time in nearly 30 years, FC Kaiserhaven were going to the semifinal.

The President’s Cup Semifinal is always a spectacle - the competition is moved to the weekend, the games take place at the Nationalstadion in Stelburg, and now it starts to feel real. Kaiserhaven drew Rulandea Karlsbrunnen, the Farf diaspora club from St. Jakob seeking to make history of their own. The draw guaranteed at least one 2. Klasse team would be in the Cup Final. On Saturday, Kaiserhaven supporters watched while Zvezda Vlaikograd defeated FC Teussen Stelburg 2-1 after extra time to book their own ticket to the Final. And on Sunday, the 35,000 Kaiserhaven fans who filled up their end of the Nationalstadion were treated to an excellent 3-1 win to secure their own place in the Final. The long semifinal curse was finally broken.

Who else could it be in the final besides Zvezda Vlaikograd? The club who Kaiserhaven had lost to in 1972. If Kaiserhaven were going to change history today, it was fitting to face the club against whom the reputation of serial bottlers had begun. With two of the best sets of fans in the country facing off, the Nationalstadion was full of smoke and flares as this one kicked off, and a triumph in the Cup would’ve been so welcomed by both sets of fans. You could feel the energy in every roar from the crowd, and every time one side made a move you could feel the tensions rise.

Zvezda Vlaikograd would grab the first goal of the game, when Rogelio Chianese would get a good look on his right wing side and beat Alexander Lehner clean. Kaiserhaven dug deep, however, and started to become the dominant side in the second half of the game. Things were getting tense, but finally, with 15 minutes to play of the originally scheduled 90, it was Alex Gering who found a way to beat Valentin Pospisil. 1-1, and we were headed for extra time. Zvezda clearly had the fresher legs in this frame, and they came so close to scoring when Bogdan Kubica drilled the post in the 115th minute. We were destined, however, for penalties.

10 penalties were taken total in the shootout, and only one would be missed: the first, from Zvezda’s Bogdan Kubica. Just as he had hit the post a few moments prior, he would repeat the trick, to his horror. From then on, with the shooters facing the Kaiserhaven supporters, all the FCK players needed to do was be perfect. Norbert Stetter: bottom left corner, goal. Erik Zippe: top right corner, goal. Alex Gering: off the post and in, goal. Inches away from disaster, but a goal nonetheless. Werner Stauffinger: right down the middle with power, goal. Finally, it was Olaf Konz. The 35 year old captain, in the final match of his career, one last kick of the ball in a Kaiserhaven shirt: a true defender’s penalty blasted into the top left corner. Goal. Kaiserhaven win the Cup.

Players stormed the field, and so did many of the Kaiserhaven supporters in attendance at the Nationalstadion who had made its South Stand their own. Many couldn’t believe their eyes - FC Kaiserhaven had won the Cup for the first time in history. When Olaf Konz lifted the famous old trophy, there were tears in those supporters’ eyes. History was made, and a new chapter written into FC Kaiserhaven’s storied past.

It was a season, and a night, that nobody who supports the famous yellow and blue will ever forget.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Feb 23, 2025 3:37 pm

Score! Magazine

Top 5 Moments to Remember from the First Superklasse Season

It’s finally time to put a bow on this, the first season of the Superklasse. It was a season with lots of great moments, and a championship win to be remembered for supporters of FC Teussen Stelburg, a Cup win that will be forever remembered in Kaiserhaven, and international nights under the floodlights that will be forever be a part of club history in Marzig. Let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable moments from this season!

#5 - Der Kronprinz Introduces Himself

FK Metropola Borograd 3-4 FC Teussen Stelburg (Matchday 15)

With every appearance Santutxo Kramer has ever made for FC Teussen Stelburg, the comparisons have been there: ‘oh, he looks like his father out there,’ ‘his first touch reminds me of his father,’ ‘when he shoots the ball I think of Thorsten.’ If you dug deep enough on some Teussen fan sites, you’ll probably find a comment saying something like ‘he drinks water like his father did.’ There’s a lot of hype around this player, plenty of it coming from his last name - but plenty more coming from the fact that he is, quite simply, a baller.

Anointed Der Kronprinz already, in reference to his father’s nickname of Der Kaiser, Santutxo stepped up into the first team this year with high expectations. But in the first few weeks of the season, there were some struggles. Kramer Jr never looked out of place, per se, but there were those human mistakes that you see in every player making the step up for the first time - sometimes a step out of place, or a pass just a second too late. And those mistakes are normal - unless your last name is Kramer. There was a great deal of media interest in every thing he did early in the season, and even after the 5-0 win in Felsenkirchen it didn’t quite slow down.

Then, FC Teussen travelled to the national capital to face FK Metropola Borograd. It was a huge match for both clubs, Teussen having the chance to pull themselves within a point of the Violets in the league table. The hosts, however, had other plans: Lionel an Deòir scored the opener, and Veljko Vadimic had the score at 2-0 within 25 minutes. Santutxo Kramer rose to the occasion. He first played a great assist to Reto Zschokke for the first goal, then pushed forward himself to grab the equalizer. In the second half, he assisted Zschokke again as well as Uwe Seidl as Teussen turned things around to win 4-3. Every time Kramer touched the ball, you felt that Teussen were going to do something. It was a 10/10 performance from the young man, and from that moment on he never looked back, becoming one of the most valuable players for Teussen this season.

If young Santutxo ends up with a career even half as storied as that of his father, that afternoon in Borograd will be remembered as where it all began.

#4 - Chernovets Stage Incredible Comeback

Energija Chernovets 6-5 1912 Stelburg (Matchday 5)

The early season contest between Energija Chernovets and 1912 Stelburg would turn out to be hugely relevant to the IFCF fight at the end of the season - but that wasn’t fully known at the time when the sides stepped onto the pitch at the Energija-Arena. On paper, 1912 Stelburg were the favourites, but not by too much. Their squad certainly had more quality than Chernovets, however, the Canaries could benefit from playing at home. In front of a sold-out stadium, Chernovets played one of the worst opening 15 minutes of football that you can remember. 1912 Stelburg raced to a 3-0 lead with goals coming from Heineken, Le Meji and Wentibwa. Chernovets appeared to be drowning.

Even after the home side got one back courtesy of Aengus Gosling, they were still very much the second best side on the pitch. In the 40th minute, 1912 Stelburg would score again, Alois Heineken getting his second of the day, and now it was 4-1. Game, set, match - 1912 would take the 3 points home back to Stelburg. Or would they? In the second minute of stoppage time in the first half, Dejan Mesko managed to knock in a corner with a strong volley that made it 4-2, and Chernovets could now take something with them into the halftime.

When the Canaries came back out for the second half, they were a different side. Clearly instructed to go all-out attacking, Jaro Jezek scored just 3 minutes into the second half and suddenly this was a one-goal game. 1912 Stelburg struggled to respond to the pressure put on them, and a key mistake changed everything. Andrej Berkel made a rash challenge on Veselin Oresnik just inside the box, was promptly sent off, and Oresnik converted the spot-kick to equalize at 4. The game was getting heated now, but Chernovets made proper use of their man advantage: Dusan Lypotal and Igor Lovrec would score the goals making it 6-4 for the home side, with each goal in the comeback coming from a different player. 1912 grabbed one back near the end of the match, livening things up at 6-5, but when the whistle blew it was the Canaries who had grabbed an improbable win.

Early in the season, this 11-goal thriller reminded us that no lead is ever safe, and just how exciting this league can be.

#3 - Felsenkirchen keep hopes alive in 10-goal Derby Thriller

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 6-4 FC Rotmunde 1932 (Matchday 29)

Matchday 29 - the penultimate round of the Superklasse. On Saturday night, the nation watched as FC Teussen Stelburg defeated the Krutenau Kickers 2-0 to ensure that they would be top of the league going into the final day of the season. But on Sunday at noon, one of the biggest games of the season awaited - the Northeastern derby between Felsenkirchen and Rotmunde. The stakes were clear for the Cogs: not only were derby bragging rights on the line, but the Blues needed to win this game to have any hope of remaining in the title race on the final day of the season.

Naturally, the old enemy in Rotmunde were determined to do anything possible to stop the Blues from winning the league title, and this was set up to be a fierce battle from the start. A full Mollin Park greeted the teams with blue smoke and flares, each side knowing just how important this one would be. The visitors rose up in the face of that hostile atmosphere early on - Heinz-Harald Schmidt scored just 7 minutes into the match to make it 1-0 for Rotmunde. But this was not going to be a low-scoring game. The see-saw went back and forth: Cutter for Felsenkirchen, Schafer for Rotmunde. Musoke for Rotmunde, Repnik for Felsenkirchen. When Songwei Milosevic scored just before halftime to equalize at 3-3, everybody knew that the final 45 minutes were going to be must-watch television.

Felsenkirchen came out for that second half with utter determination. A second of the day for Rolando Cutter put them up 4-3, and then it was Jesper Porsche knocking in a good free kick that gave Felsenkirchen a two-goal cushion for the first time with a 5-3 lead. This derby continued to entertain until the final moment - Rotmunde got going again, and after winning a penalty in the 73rd minute, forward Gottfried Schirmer would convert to make it 5-4. Rotmunde were really throwing everything forward now - their position in the league was already secured, so all they could do today was potentially deny Felsenkirchen the title. In the end, they would be caught out - Rolando Cutter’s 3rd of the day and 26th of the season secured him both the Golden Boot and 3 points for Felsenkirchen, keeping them in the title race.

It wasn’t meant to be on the final day for Felsenkirchen, but the fireworks against their biggest rival were a moment that won’t soon be forgotten.

#2 - Fourteen

Taifun Vorstock 1-14 FK Metropola Borograd (Matchday 28)

The result doesn’t even sound real. It’s what you see in pre-season friendlies when Teussen or Felsenkirchen pull up to a local amateur team and take things a bit more seriously than they probably should. How does this happen in the Superklasse? Taifun Vorstock weren’t terrible enough to deserve such a beating, and when this result went down were still fighting to avoid relegation. What happened at the Sudseestadion on this Sunday evening was almost surreal.

It was the perfect storm - FK Metropola Borograd knowing they needed to give everything in their final few matches of the campaign to win the league, Taifun missing their captain centre back Mario Kretschmer through injury, and a moment that would change the game just 37 seconds into it. That was how long it would take for young defender Niklas Walter to make a studs-up challenge on Veljko Vadimic and get sent off. Taifun were down to 10 men before a minute had even been played. For Metropola, that was a gift - not only did they need to overcome Teussen in points, but goal difference as well. They sat on +32 going into this one, with Teussen at +43 after their draw with Felsenkirchen the day prior. Knowing they would be facing Teussen on the final day, overcoming that goal difference was hugely important. Even the most optimistic Metropola fans, however, could not have imagined that they would do it in the next 90 minutes.

Lionel an Deòir. Lionel an Deòir. Veljko Vadimic. Lionel an Deòir. Marjan Trstenjek. Lionel an Deòir. Suddenly, it was 6-0 by the halftime break - a score not totally unrealistic in the Superklasse this season between title contenders and relegation fighters. Then, however, things got silly. Taifun made 2 substitutions at the halftime break, and were forced into a 3rd in the 49th minute when Fridolin Stoll went down with an injury. In the 54th minute, goalkeeper Paul Stelburger made what in hindsight was a poor decision to come out and challenge Lionel an Deòir. Red card and a penalty. With no substitutions left, Elmo Sissel put on the gloves and stepped up. Full credit to Sissel, because he actually saved Lionel an Deòir’s original attempt - but the Kelssek international would shortly thereafter bang in the rebound for his 5th of the night. Reiner Werkner managed to get one back miraculously for Vorstock, making it 7-1, but with 35 minutes left in the game, Taifun had 9 players left on the pitch and none of them were a goalkeeper.

The scoring continued. Lionel an Deòir. Rostislav Jagr. An own goal from Sissel. Lionel an Deòir again - his 7th of the night, setting an all-time record in Siovanija & Teusland football that would take something truly shocking to beat. By the time it was 11-1, Alan Dzekov started to sub in the kids - but even they couldn’t be helped. Dusan Smires. Sergey Goranov. Antoine Offord. 14-1. The biggest win in the history of football in this country.

The most credit must go to the Taifun Vorstock supporters who stayed in the Sudseestadion through all of it and applauded their battered players at the end of the match - they would be rewarded the next week with a 2-1 away win over Republika Borograd, even if the season did end in relegation.

#1 - The Massacre at Mollin Park

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0-5 FC Teussen Stelburg (Matchday 13)

It was billed as a possible early-season coronation for Felsenkirchen as national champions again. After all, through the first third of the season, the Blues looked near unbeatable, and had demolished many of their other title rivals. Already 8 points ahead of the pre-season favourites Teussen, and 4 points ahead of FK Metropola Borograd, things seemed very simple: beat your arch enemy at home, in a season where they have yet to truly get off the ground, and cruise from there to the title.

FC Teussen Stelburg, however, had other ideas. Thorsten Kramer’s men walked into Mollin Park as heavy underdogs on the day, but from the get go you could tell that Felsenkirchen never had a chance. They fought for every single ball, forced turnover after turnover, and it was clear that Thorsten Kramer had devised a way of dealing with the deadly 3-4-2-1 formation - the wingbacks Milosevic and Metzger were almost totally neutralized in the game. Instead, eventual Golden Ball winner Reto Zschokke was the one running the show. He scored twice in the game, once in each half, and both times as the end product of a dynamic run that caught Felsenkirchen’s backline out. In that game, Teussen’s #7 took a step up to the next level and carried his team with him. In addition to the goals, Zschokke would assist on Uwe Seidl’s goal in the 40th minute that made it 3-0 at halftime, Santutxo Kramer having grabber the opener. The statistics were shocking: Felsenkirchen didn’t have a single shot on target, and only 3 touches in the attacking third. In the second half, it continued, as Uwe Seidl scored a solo effort for his second game - Zschokke’s second of the game came in the 65th minute to make it the 5-0 score we would finish up at.

The camera shot of Leonard Wagner staring into the void on the Felsenkirchen sideline told you everything you needed to know about this game. Over the course of 90 minutes, it went from a dream for Felsenkirchen fans to a total nightmare. Chants of ‘shame on you’ came from the stands, but by the end of the game, there was almost total silence, save for the Teussen away end who delighted in mocking their opponents. Felsenkirchen would put things right with their fans next week with a derby win over Rotmunde, 2-0 - but it would be months before they looked like the same side again. The loss of confidence from this game was a total swing in the league and ultimately was the catalyst that allowed Teussen to go on and capture the title. As a result, it has earned a high place in the history of both the Teussen-Felsenkirchen rivalry as well as the Superklasse as a whole. You know Teussen fans will never let their Felsenkirchen colleagues forget this one, and the Blues will be desperate to get their own big win over Teussen to avenge it in the years to come.

You don’t win the league on matchday 13 - but FC Teussen Stelburg came as close as you can after this crushing blow to their biggest rivals.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Mar 16, 2025 4:56 pm

FSST Hohenflug Tour - Ski Jumping Season I

Preview

Everyone knows the biggest team sports in Siovanija & Teusland: ice hockey and football are 1a and 1b, followed by cricket in Teusland, with minor sports like basketball, handball and water polo each following after. But what about the most popular individual sport? For those that have followed Siovanija & Teusland at the Olympics, the answer is an obvious one - ski jumping!

The high peaks of the Mittelgebirge mountain range invite climbers and skiers year round - and for those with an extra thirst for adrenaline, ski jumping has become an incredibly popular pastime and spectator event with a long tradition in the country. While we won’t claim to have invented the sport, it developed in this country on the Teus side of the mountains in the early 1840s, before spreading to Siovanija soon after and becoming the most popular winter individual sport in the country by the post-war years. We will, however, claim ski flying as our own - with the Belica mountain in Siovanija becoming a symbol of the even-more-extreme version of the event and even having its own song dedicated to the famous Letalnica that sees competitors challenging a 240m tall mountain. Culturally, ski jumping gets to the heart of all Siovanijans and Teus - it's a manifestation of our national character as a mountainous, wintry people. You'll see accordion music, traditional costumes in the crowd - and lots and lots of beer to keep spirits warm in the cold!

This country has produced many great ski jumpers over the years - of the 7 gold medals won at Winter Olympic games, 4 of them have come either in ski jumping or Nordic combined disciplines. 7 further medals have been won in events that involve ski jumping, and legends of the sport like Thomas Tannenberg have even carried the flag for our nation at the Olympic Games opening ceremonies. Domestic events draw large crowds with a great atmosphere, and attract big numbers on national television.

Owing to the massive popularity of the sport in Siovanija & Teusland, the Federation of Skiing in Siovanija & Teusland (FSST) has given its approval for the creation of a new national championship - the Hohenflug Tour, meaning ‘high-flyers’ tour.’ The Tour will feature an interesting twist on competition. The top 16 men’s and women’s jumpers in the nation have been selected, and will compete against each other for the prize of Schanzenkonig or Schanzenkonigin respectively (“Jump King/Queen”), across 8 of the best venues in the country. Each mountain will host 2 events per weekend. Scoring will be distributed based on finishing position, with a first place finish earning 100 points, 2nd place 80, followed by 60, 50, 45, 40, 36, 32, 29, 26, 24, 22, 20, 18, 16 and 15 for the 16th placed finisher.

Beyond that, however, some of the biggest sponsors of the sport in this country have been given the chance to create 8 teams. Each team will feature 2 men and 2 women, and at the end of each event there will be a mixed team event contributing to a team championship at the end of the season. It’s sure to be an incredibly competitive event - 7 of 8 teams feature a former Olympian, while 10 of the 32 competitors have an Olympic medal. The scoring for the team championship will be distributed by finishing position, with the winning team earning 400, runner-up 350, followed by 300, 250, 200, 150, 100 and 50. In addition, the team that boasts the championship winner in the male and female categories will earn a bonus of 200 points.

Without further ado, let’s introduce the events for the championship!

Venues

#1 - Himmelspitze

Venue: Himmelspitze Flugschanze
Location: Himmelspitze, Teusland
Type: Ski flying hill
Capacity: 40,000
Hill Size: 235m
K-Point: K-200

The season begins at the legendary Himmelspitze. Located in the northeastern section of the Mittelgebirge mountains, this is the second-biggest venue in the country and home to the first ski flying event of the year. The venue is famous for a great crowd atmosphere, with fans really getting into things and cheering on their preferred competitor. As the opening event of the tour, Himmelspitze sets the tone for the season to come.

#2 - Nanos

Venue: Nanos Alpine Centre
Location: Podnanos, Siovanija
Type: Large hill
Capacity: 25,000
Hill Size: 128m
K-Point: K-120

For the second event of the year, we jump - physically and metaphorically - both into Siovanija and from the second-highest to the smallest (yet still a large hill!) venue on the calendar. Nanos is the traditional opener to the Siovanijan part of the season, and the traditional performance of ‘Siovanija, od kod lepote tvoje’ (‘Siovanija, where does your beauty come from?’) before the first jump is not to be missed. Located in the southern section of the Mittelgebirge mountains, Nanos is famous for tricky wind conditions.

#3 - Sterzing

Venue: Sterzingsschanze
Location: Sterzing, Teusland
Type: Large hill
Capacity: 30,000
Hill Size: 142m
K-Point: K-125

The Sterzingsschanze is the home to the third event of the year - and was once the home of the Siovanija & Teusland Olympic team’s main training centre in this event. Sterzing is one of the most historic venues in the country, and also the biggest natural venue on the calendar. Home to the first all-Teus Empire competition in 1847, the venue has of course been modernized since then and winning at Sterzing is a prestigious prize for all ski jumpers. The hill is located in the centre of the Mittelgebirge just outside of the town of Sterzing.

#4 - Sankt Gotthard

Venue: Bad Ferlach Skisprungsschanze
Location: Sankt Gotthard im Himmelberg, Teusland
Type: Large hill
Capacity: 50,000
Hill Size: 147m
K-Point: K-130

Sankt Gotthard has long been a haven for winter sports enthusiasts - and its ski jumping facility is the biggest large hill in the country, having been rebuilt in preparation for the 15th Winter Olympic Games trials when the town and surrounding villages were declared the national Wintersportstadt and home base of the Olympic team. This is a legendary venue with a long history, and a great atmosphere as it is located quite close to the major city of Stahlberg and attracts plenty of visitors.

Sankt Gotthard has always had a unique, special place in the calendar - while most events take place on a weekend, Sankt Gotthard always takes place on December 31 and January 1, no matter the day. The Silvestertournee or ‘New Years’ Tournament’ is a major event in the sport, and the male & female athletes who accumulate the most points over both days are awarded a special medal in honour of their triumph.

#5 - Zmajeva Gora

Venue: Zmajeva Gora velikanka
Location: Zmajeva Gora, Siovanija
Type: Large hill
Capacity: 30,000
Hill Size: 140m
K-Point: K-125

We’re back in Siovanija for the 5th event of the season at Zmajeva Gora. Located in the western section of the Mittelgebirge mountains, the ‘Dragon’s Mountain’ is a tricky hill that requires great skill to get correct. By this point in the season, we’re starting to find out who our championship contenders are, and the event at Zmajeva Gora is absolutely crucial to the rest of the season.

#6 - Skrlatica

Venue: Skrlatica velikanka
Location: Skrlatica, Siovanija
Type: Large hill
Capacity: 40,000
Hill Size: 143m
K-Point: K-125

Skrlatica is one of the tallest mountains in all of Siovanija, in the southern section of the Mittelgebirge, and the ski jumping competition here has been absolutely legendary over the years. It was the home of the first Siovanijan competitive event in 1849 and has been the scene of regular record-breaking attempts since then. Skrlatica remains a crown jewel event, especially for Siovanijan jumpers, and the atmosphere here is incredible from the massive crowds that gather.

#7 - Kaisersbach

Venue: Tannenbergsschanze
Location: Kaisersbach, Teusland
Type: Large hill
Capacity: 30,000
Hill Size: 137m
K-Point: K-125

The second-last venue on the calendar, the Kaisersbach mountain is located in the southern section of the Mittelgebirge and has a special place in the national sporting history. Thomas Tannenberg, considered the greatest-ever ski jumper from this country, was born here - and the man who helped win Olympic Gold at the 15th Winter Olympic Games in Kelssek as part of the men’s large hill team event has since had the venue named for him. The second-smallest hill on the calendar, Kaisersbach is famous for sunny, calm weather, allowing competitors to really show what they can do in the penultimate event.

#8 - Belica

Venue: Letalnica Lubomir Sokol
Location: Belica, Siovanija
Type: Ski flying hill
Capacity: 60,000
Hill Size: 240m
K-Point: K-200

The Queen of the Snow - Belica. The name of the mountain is synonymous with ski jumping in this country, being the one where ski flying was supposedly invented by Lubomir Sokol in 1936. It has its own song dedicated to the mountain, and travellers on the highway between Stelburg and Borograd often detour just to catch a glimpse of the holy place. The tallest hill in the country, this is the event everybody wants to win - a win at Belica often launching young careers, or turning one into a national celebrity. Tickets sell out the moment they come available, the broadcast regularly attracts millions of viewers, and this event is truly the Queen of them all.

Now that we know where we’ll be competing, let’s check in on the teams themselves and the 32 competitors!

Teams and Competitors

BLAUER ELCHE

Base Camp: Niederkrüchten, Teusland
Sponsor: Blauer Elche (energy drink)
Tricode: BLA

Competitors

Elias Veil (age 27) (Olympic Bronze medalist, Men’s ski jump large hill team)
Moritz Hahne (age 24) (Olympic Champion, Men’s nordic combined large hill/10km; Bronze medalist, Men’s ski jump large hill team)
Odette Holzer (age 23) (Olympic Silver medalist, Women’s ski jump normal hill; Bronze medalist, Women’s ski jump normal hill team)
Catharina Fassbender (age 29) (Olympic Bronze medalist, Women’s ski jump normal hill team)

Overview

Blauer Elche (‘Blue Moose’) - the energy drink company known for its sponsorship of everything in extreme sports, naturally, could not stay away from the ski jumping competition. The energy drink company are always looking for a way to promote their brand, and that is what has led them to many sponsorship deals with the nation’s top athletes. That is how they have managed to assemble an absolute dream team for this competition as well - with a total of 6 Olympic medals between their 4 competitors, all of whom have a great pedigree between them. Elias Veil and Moritz Hahne will both be favourites in the men’s competition, while Odette Holzer is likely one of the co-favourites in the women’s competition. This all means that this team should be exceptionally strong in the team events, too - and you can expect Blauer Elche to be a name heard regularly at the top of this competition. The team will race in blue/red uniforms, and will have its base training camp at Niederkruchten.

HansAir TEAM EXCELLENCE

Base Camp: Sankt Gotthard, Teusland
Sponsor: HansAir (airline)
Tricode: HTE

Competitors

Arne Biel (age 25) (Olympian)
Rob Ramberg (age 20) (Olympic Bronze medalist, Men’s ski jump large hill team)
Klaudie Noskova (age 21) (Olympic Silver medalist, Women’s ski jump large hill; Bronze medalist, women’s ski jump normal hill team)
Natalie Werfel (age 25) (Olympian)

Overview

The other well-known company sponsoring sports in this country is HansAir - and they’ve made sure to get in on this action, too, with a team name standing both for their new ‘business class’ option on select flights and their goals in the competition this winter. Another team made up of incredible Olympic talent, the star is undoubtedly Klaudie Noskova, who came so close to Olympic gold last time around and with 2 medals to her name will be determined to continue her excellent young career. She is certainly a favourite in the women’s competition. Rob Ramberg is another young talent developing well who could have an outside shot at the men’s competition, while Arne Biel and Natalie Werfel will be looking for strong performances going into an Olympic year. Team Excellence are likely Blauer Elche’s closest competitor in the team event, too, and the battle between these two could be legendary. The team will be one of many based at the national Olympic centre in Sankt Gotthard.

MARIJKE HYPERSPEED

Base Camp: Sankt Gotthard, Teusland
Sponsor: Marijke (luxury cars)
Tricode: MAR

Competitors

Andreas Klein (age 27) (Olympian)
Elias Fleming (age 25) (Olympian)
Zara Liechtenstein (age 19) (Olympic Bronze medalist, Women’s ski jump large hill team)
Zoe Kiefer (age 23)

Overview

The most famous name in high-speed luxury cars was a natural fit to sponsor a team in this championship, and while Marijke will not be outright favourites they have a solid group of jumpers. On the men’s side, Andreas Klein and Elias Fleming are both Olympians who will be hoping to have a great season this time around to prove they should still be in contention for the next Games. Zara Liechtenstein is an incredible young talent on the women’s side, already an Olympic medalist at 19, and has a long career ahead of her - she’s a potential dark horse in this competition. Zoe Kiefer, the only non-Olympian on the team, is quite skilled herself and could surprise viewers this season. In the team event itself, Hyperspeed are unlikely to have a chance of winning the whole thing, but will always be there or thereabouts. The team will also have a base camp in the Wintersportstadt in Sankt Gotthard.

NORDPETROL DYNAMOS

Base Camp: Sankt Gotthard, Teusland
Sponsor: NordPetrol (energy)
Tricode: NPD

Competitors

Emanuel Frisch (age 30) (Olympic Bronze medalist, Men’s ski jump large hill team)
Boris Vanev (age 25)
Rebecca Fellgiebel (age 24) (Olympian)
Izabela Vlazak (age 20)

Overview

The biggest gas station company in Teusland - which has now expanded across Siovanija, too - NordPetrol have always been big supporters of the Olympic program in this country through athlete sponsorship, and it will continue here with their Dynamos team. The team’s centrepiece is Emanuel Frisch, who will be one of the main stars of the men’s competition this year and the leader of this team. An Olympic medalist, Frisch is coming up on the end of a great career and will be wanting to show that he can still compete with the younger crowd. Boris Vanev is a less accomplished name on the scene, but can learn from Frisch and continue his development. On the women’s side, Rebecca Fellgiebel will be hoping to show why she again deserves an Olympic spot, while Izabela Vlazak will be competing to get onto that same Olympic team - she is a highly-rated young talent at the moment. NordPetrol’s team won’t be competitors for the overall championship, but could have some exciting moments this season.

SK OLIMPIJA

Base Camp: Skrlatica, Siovanija
Sponsor: Olimpija Athletic Club
Tricode: OLI

Competitors

Jonas Vicek (age 24) (Olympic Bronze medalist, Men’s nordic combined large hill/10km)
Florijan Cech (age 18)
Miroslava Jendrova (age 23) (Olympian)
Aksinia Ivancic (age 18)

Overview

The oldest amateur athletic organization in the country, Sportni klub Olimpija continues to leave a legacy of sporting success in almost every sport imaginable - ski jumping, undoubtedly one of them. The club lays claim to several records in the history of the Skrlatica mountain, many legendary performers have come from its ranks, and the founder of ski flying, Lubomir Sokol, was even a member of the club. Today’s team counts two Olympians among its ranks - including bronze medalist Jonas Vicek. The real stars of the future, however, are the two 18 year old athletes Florijan Cech and Aksinia Ivancic. They are both highly-tipped for the future, and have the potential to turn Olimpija into a dominant force in the future. Jonas Vicek, for now, is the team’s main competitor on the individual side.

TEAM MRAZ+

Base Camp: Skrlatica, Siovanija
Sponsor: MRAZ+ (athletic wear)
Tricode: MRA

Competitors

Tsvetan Halozan (age 24)
Heinrich Salzwedel (age 26)
Silke Vogel (age 27)
Lucija Vasiliev (age 28)

Overview

It’s quite natural for a winter athletic wear company whose name literally translates as ‘Frost’ to have plenty of interest in winter sports - however, Team MRAZ+ are not exactly going to be favourites to take many victories this season. The only team without an Olympian amongst their lineup, the closest thing would be Tsvetan Halozan, who has looked incredible at times and inconsistent at others. Even though they aren’t a roster stacked with Olympians like the others, however, let’s remember that these are 4 of the best ski jumpers in the country and in the proper conditions, anything can happen.

TEAM ZLATOROG

Base Camp: Sterzing, Teusland
Sponsor: Zlatorog (alcoholic beverage)
Tricode: ZLA

Competitors

Lazar Bakalov (age 25)
Diether Frost (age 18)
Verena Kottmann (age 29) (Olympian)
Klara Andonov (age 24)

Overview

The most famous beer in Siovanija, and a favourite in Teusland too, Zlatorog (direct translation ‘Goldhorn,’ a mythical animal you may have heard of in this country before) brings an interesting team to this competition. Famous as the highest-altitude brewery in the country, it’s a perfect fit for the competition. On the men’s side, the one to watch is certainly Diether Frost, the young 18 year old being talked up as a potential future star - although this year is unlikely to be the real breakout campaign. Then, on the women’s side, we have a current star in her final years - Verena Kottmann, the Olympic competitor in the last cycle. Kottmann remains one of the stars on the women’s side, however, she’s running out of time to take the next step and join the truly elite tier of competitors. With the mix of youth and experience, Zlatorog should be an interesting team to follow.

TelekomSiovanija SNOWBIRDS

Base Camp: Podnanos, Siovanija
Sponsor: TelekomSiovanija (telecom)
Tricode: TSS

Competitors

Samuel Marek (age 30) (Olympian)
Miro Prokop (age 28) (Olympic Silver medalist, Men’s nordic combined normal hill/10k)
Sonja Bahr (age 25)
Anamarija Zlodej (age 17)

Overview

Ever since this Snowbirds lineup has been announced, fans have been eager to get a glimpse of them. Sponsored by major telecom company TelekomSiovanija, who are major sponsors in football and ice hockey and now wading into the world of individual sports, the team boasts a very exciting lineup. On the men’s side, you have 2 Olympians - both getting older, however. Fans are excited to see how Miro Prokop’s skills from the Nordic Combined competition will carry over, particularly at the ski flying events. Samuel Marek, meanwhile, is in the final stage of a great career and will be looking for a few more great performances to round things out. On the women’s side, Sonja Bahr was so close to cracking the Olympic team last time around and she’ll be pushing to earn a spot here, while Anamarija Zlodej has been talked up by many as the potential future of the sport on the women’s side. To emphasize just how good she is; the FSST does not allow skiers under age 18 to compete in ski flying events - Zlodej, however, has been granted a waiver to join the Snowbirds. She won’t become a champion this year, there’s still much to be rounded out, but she is sure to show why she is so highly regarded. In the team events, too, the Snowbirds will be ones to watch with such an interesting mix of competitors.

And there we have it! It’s sure to be an incredible season of competition ahead, so be sure to follow RBC Sports for the latest updates!

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri Mar 21, 2025 10:34 pm

FSST Hohenflug Tour - Ski Jumping Season I

Season Part I

Event #1 - Himmelspitze

Location: Himmelspitze, Teusland
Type: Ski flying hill
Capacity: 40,000
Hill Size: 235m
K-Point: K-200

Himmelspitze - Day 1
 1 Rob Ramberg (HTE)           173.6  201.3    374.9
 2 Samuel Marek (TSS)          191.9  167.8    359.7
 3 Lazar Bakalov (ZLA)         178.5  177.9    356.4
 4 Elias Fleming (MAR)         177.4  172.3    349.7
 5 Elias Veil (BLA)            189.8  150.4    340.2
 6 Miro Prokop (TSS)           171.9  167.8    339.7
 7 Jonas Vieck (OLI)           161.3  175.5    336.8
 8 Arne Biel (HTE)             178.5  156.5    335.0
 9 Heinrich Salzwedel (MRA)    175.7  157.0    332.7
10 Andreas Klein (MAR)         166.3  165.1    331.4
11 Tsvetan Halozan (MRA)       156.5  172.2    328.7
12 Boris Vanev (NPD)           153.0  168.6    321.6
13 Diether Frost (ZLA)         172.7  144.0    316.7
14 Emanuel Frisch (NPD)        168.7  145.2    313.9
15 Moritz Hahne (BLA)          135.7  167.0    302.7
16 Florijan Cech (OLI)         148.7  141.0    289.7

Himmelspitze - Day 2
 1 Rob Ramberg (HTE)           180.2  170.9    351.1
 2 Elias Fleming (MAR)         191.7  157.7    349.4
 3 Heinrich Salzwedel (MRA)    168.8  176.2    345.0
 4 Andreas Klein (MAR)         171.8  173.1    344.9
 5 Jonas Vicek (OLI)           168.6  175.7    344.3
 6 Arne Biel (HTE)             179.8  164.4    344.2
 7 Diether Frost (ZLA)         169.5  171.4    340.9
 8 Elias Veil (BLA)            156.1  175.2    331.3
 9 Florijan Cech (OLI)         164.2  163.9    328.1
10 Moritz Hahne (BLA)          151.0  174.4    325.4
11 Emanuel Frisch (NPD)        154.6  170.5    325.1
12 Miro Prokop (TSS)           165.4  159.4    324.8
13 Samuel Marek (TSS)          167.1  153.1    320.2
14 Lazar Bakalov (ZLA)         159.3  154.9    314.2
15 Boris Vanev (NPD)           130.5  171.5    302.0
16 Tsvetan Halozan (MRA)       154.6  139.8    294.4

Himmelspitze - Day 1
 1 Zara Lichtenstein (MAR)       217.9  222.4    440.3
 2 Verena Kottmann (ZLA)         217.4  219.2    436.6
 3 Aksinia Ivancic (OLI)         218.4  218.2    436.6
 4 Rebecca Fellgiebel (NPD)      218.3  218.3    436.6
 5 Klara Andonov (ZLA)           218.0  217.0    435.0
 6 Sonja Bahr (TSS)              218.0  207.6    425.6
 7 Silke Vogel (MRA)             208.6  214.1    422.7
 8 Miroslava Jendrona (OLI)      216.7  205.3    422.0
 9 Odette Holzer (BLA)           217.8  202.1    419.9
10 Klaudie Noskova (HTE)         199.3  218.0    417.3
11 Zoe Kiefe (MAR)               203.5  213.6    417.1
12 Anamarija Zlodej (TSS)        211.8  201.8    413.6
13 Lucija Vasilev (MRA)          217.8  192.8    410.6
14 Izabela Vlazak (NPD)          195.5  210.4    405.9
15 Catharina Fassbender (BLA)    198.5  204.5    403.0
16 Natalie Werfel (HTE)          207.8  191.6    399.4

Himmelspitze - Day 2
 1 Anamarija Zlodej (TSS)        223.0  225.2    448.2
 2 Klaudie Noskova (HTE)         218.4  224.9    443.3
 3 Odette Holzer (BLA)           220.4  219.0    439.4
 4 Verena Kottmann (ZLA)         221.4  217.7    439.1
 5 Catharina Fassbender (BLA)    219.0  218.8    437.8
 6 Miroslava Jendrona (OLI)      217.5  219.2    436.7
 7 Izabela Vlazak (NPD)          216.4  217.8    434.2
 8 Klara Andonov (ZLA)           214.9  215.2    430.1
 9 Zara Lichtenstein (MAR)       210.7  215.5    426.2
10 Aksinia Ivancic (OLI)         206.9  218.0    424.9
11 Sonja Bahr (TSS)              205.2  218.0    423.2
12 Zoe Kiefer (MAR)              218.1  199.1    417.2
13 Natalie Werfel (HTE)          211.1  193.5    404.6
14 Rebecca Fellgiebel (NPD)      196.7  203.7    400.4
15 Silke Vogel (MRA)             191.7  196.7    388.4
16 Lucija Vasilev (MRA)          188.7  173.3    362.0

1 HansAir Team Excellence          849.1  840.5   1689.6
2 Team Zlatorog                    822.7  805.1   1627.8
3 Blauer Elche                     806.8  798.8   1605.6
4 NordPetrol Dynamos               856.2  733.3   1589.5
5 Marijke Hyperspeed               859.2  629.1   1488.3
6 SK Olimpija                      769.4  700.4   1469.8
7 TelekomSiovanija Snowbirds       749.4  719.0   1468.4
8 Team MRAZ+                       805.9  565.0   1370.9

An incredibly exciting first weekend of competition at Himmelspitze! The skies were clear and sunny, and although it was bitterly cold outside, the stands and fan zone at the mountain were packed to see the country's top ski jumping athletes go flying - literally. The ski flying competition is always a highlight of the season, bookending the competition at Himmelspitze and Belica. This weekend, fans were in for a real treat.

In the men's competition, one man was dominant - Rob Ramberg. A remarkable score of 201.3 in his second jump on the first day of competition was enough to give him the round victory, and Ramberg came back with great confidence on day 2. Trailing Elias Fleming going into the final round, he had a bit of luck on his side as Fleming's second jump did not go to plan, and Ramberg was thus able to capture the double victory at Himmelspitze. A huge result for him to start the season. It was a difficult result for many of the former Olympians in the competition, with Samuel Marek for example coming quite close to victory on day 1 and being quite off the pace on day 2.

On the women's side, we were also treated to a great spectacle. Zara Liechtenstein, the Marijke Hyperspeed jumper, is already an Olympic medalist at age 19 - and she showed her class on day 1 of the competition, with a remarkable second jump pushing her ahead of Verena Kottmann for the win. On day 2, we were treated to a great performance from another young jumper. Anamarija Zodej is only 17 years old, and yet on Sunday she looked like a 10-year veteran of the sport. An incredible performance from her saw 2 of the 3 best jumps of the weekend combine to be enough to just edge out Olympic silver medalist Klaudie Noskova. Two young jumpers with a clear bright future in this sport were the story of the weekend at Himmelspitze.

Finally, in the team event, it was a bit of a carry over from the individual events in terms of the top jumpers. Klaudie Noskova and Rob Ramberg were huge for HansAir Team Excellence, as the team were absolutely dominant on Sunday. While NordPetrol Dynamos and Zara Liechtenstein's Marijke Hyperspeed put up a big challenge in the first run, it was the HansAir group who kept everything together for the second run and took the prize. It was a bit disappointing for Blauer Elche to finish in 3rd, after a poor weekend overall for their jumpers, while Team Zlatorog will be incredibly happy with a P2 finish. For Anamarija Zodej and her TelekomSiovanija Snowbirds, however, it's a performance to forget - 7th place in the end, only ahead of Team MRAZ+.

Event #2 - Nanos

Venue: Nanos Alpine Centre
Location: Podnanos, Siovanija
Type: Large hill
Capacity: 25,000
Hill Size: 128m
K-Point: K-120

Nanos - Day 1
 1 Arne Biel (HTE)             136.2  144.8    281.0
 2 Jonas Vicek (OLI)           148.1  130.7    278.8
 3 Tsvetan Halozan (MRA)       148.7  122.6    271.3
 4 Rob Ramberg (HTE)           147.8  117.7    265.5
 5 Elias Fleming (MAR)         133.6  131.1    264.7
 6 Emanuel Frisch (NPD)        135.3  127.5    262.8
 7 Elias Veil (BLA)            133.9  127.8    261.7
 8 Boris Vanev (NPD)           128.4  131.2    259.6
 9 Andreas Klein (MAR)         135.6  123.5    259.1
10 Miro Prokop (TSS)           127.6  129.1    256.7
11 Lazar Bakalov (ZLA)         132.0  124.3    256.3
12 Moritz Hahne (BLA)          138.9  115.8    254.7
13 Florijan Cech (OLI)         131.1  120.2    251.3
14 Diether Frost (ZLA)         127.7  119.6    247.3
15 Heinrich Salzwedel (MRA)    133.3   98.1    231.4
16 Samuel Marek (TSS)          126.4   95.4    221.8

Nanos - Day 2
 1 Elias Veil (BLA)            136.0  145.3    281.3
 2 Miro Prokop (TSS)           138.9  139.0    277.9
 3 Samuel Marek (TSS)          136.9  136.4    273.3
 4 Diether Frost (ZLA)         138.0  135.1    273.1
 5 Andreas Klein (MAR)         127.9  140.4    268.3
 6 Boris Vanev (NPD)           133.8  133.2    267.0
 7 Rob Ramberg (HTE)           131.7  135.2    266.9
 8 Elias Fleming (MAR)         130.9  134.7    265.6
 9 Florijan Cech (OLI)         130.4  134.9    265.3
10 Emanuel Frisch (NPD)        125.0  138.4    263.4
11 Heinrich Salzwedel (MRA)    135.3  128.0    263.3
12 Jonas Vicek (OLI)           134.3  124.6    258.9
13 Lazar Bakalov (ZLA)         119.8  138.8    258.6
14 Arne Biel (HTE)             118.4  135.0    253.4
15 Tsvetan Halozan (MRA)       134.4  114.7    249.1
16 Moritz Hahne (BLA)          117.8  123.3    241.1

Nanos - Day 1
 1 Klaudie Noskova (HTE)         125.1  132.1    257.2
 2 Sonja Bahr (TSS)              128.3  127.3    255.6
 3 Odette Holzer (BLA)           109.2  132.8    242.0
 4 Zara Lichtenstein (MAR)       131.1  103.2    234.3
 5 Lucija Vasilev (MRA)          119.0  113.0    232.0
 6 Natalie Werfel (HTE)          105.7  125.1    230.8
 7 Rebecca Fellgiebel (NPD)      113.2  115.6    228.8
 8 Zoe Kiefer (MAR)              108.4  119.9    228.3
 9 Klara Andonov (ZLA)            98.2  129.9    228.1
10 Izabela Vlazak (NPD)          120.5  106.5    227.0
11 Silke Vogel (MRA)             122.7  101.5    224.2
12 Catharina Fassbender (BLA)    127.4   88.6    216.0
13 Miroslava Jendrona (OLI)       95.8  116.7    212.5
14 Verena Kottmann (ZLA)          97.2  114.9    212.1
15 Anamarija Zlodej (TSS)        102.5  101.9    204.4
16 Aksinia Ivancic (OLI)          93.5   97.1    190.6

Nanos - Day 2
 1 Klaudie Noskova (HTE)         126.6  130.9    257.5
 2 Natalie Werfel (HTE)          131.2  124.2    255.4
 3 Zara Lichtenstein (MAR)       132.9  121.8    254.7
 4 Odette Holzer (BLA)           128.1  124.8    252.9
 5 Verena Kottmann (ZLA)         129.4  113.9    243.3
 6 Aksinia Ivancic (OLI)         121.8  110.9    232.7
 7 Catharina Fassbender (BLA)    105.1  127.3    232.4
 8 Sonja Bahr (TSS)              105.3  126.5    231.8
 9 Izabela Vlazak (NPD)          128.3   97.7    226.0
10 Klara Andonov (ZLA)           103.8  120.3    224.1
11 Rebecca Fellgiebel (NPD)      106.8  117.3    224.1
12 Silke Vogel (MRA)             128.4   89.4    217.8
13 Miroslava Jendrona (OLI)       83.4  131.0    214.4
14 Zoe Kiefer (MAR)               97.1  115.9    213.0
15 Lucija Vasilev (MRA)           93.9   90.2    184.1
16 Anamarija Zlodej (TSS)         75.1  105.1    180.2

Nanos - Team Event
1 TelekomSiovanija Snowbirds       788.1  795.9   1584.0
2 NordPetrol Dynamos               848.7  714.7   1563.4
3 Marijke Hyperspeed               854.2  698.8   1553.0
4 SK Olimpija                      750.3  799.1   1549.4
5 Blauer Elche                     813.3  726.1   1539.4
6 Team MRAZ+                       715.2  697.5   1412.7
7 Team Zlatorog                    670.6  742.0   1412.6
8 HansAir Team Excellence          682.0  598.2   1280.2

The competition runs forward at Nanos! Now into the normal large hill events, and the men got us started on Saturday with a great performance from Arne Biel to just beat Jonas Vicek to the victory. It's been a great start to the season for the HansAir team, having gone 3/3 in event victories on the men's side after Biel's performance. But it was destined to go wrong on Sunday - Biel finishing a disappointing 14th, while Rob Ramberg could only get up to 7th. Elias Veil, who many considered a pre-season favourite, captured the win with a second jump score of 145.3 that was untouchable. The Blauer Elche jumper did well to get the win - but his teammate, Moritz Hahne, is struggling so far this year. The Olympic Nordic Combined gold medalist has yet to have a top 10 finish this season so far, and there is definitely concern around those performances and a hope he will get back to his best soon.

The women's side featured total dominance from Klaudie Noskova on her home hill. While the results were quite close on both days, Noskova winning by a combined margin of just 3.7 across the two days, there was never really any doubt that the silver medalist would fall out of top place. It's a pleasure to watch her compete in this competition, and after a start to the season at Himmelspitze that wasn't really what she demands of herself, Nanos puts her right back on track. Teammate Natalie Werfel would grab 2nd place on day 2 to lock out the top two spots for HansAir Team Excellence, while Zara Liechtenstein had some great performances to finish 4th and 3rd, respectively. Young Anamarija Zodej would prefer to forget this weekend, we think - some key mistakes leading to a 15th and 16th place finish across the weekend. The talent is there, the consistency will come.

On the team side, there was a big shock - despite all of their dominance so far in the individual competitions, the HansAir Team Excellence jumpers managed to make a mess of the team event. The team scored far below what they are used to on both runs, leaving them to finish last in the competition. Ironically, with Team Zlatorog finishing 7th, the bottom 2 were the inverse of the top 2 from last week. At the top, Anamarija Zodej was a key part of TelekomSiovanija Snowbirds' victory after a great recovery - but it was Samuel Marek who was nearly untouchable on both jumps to keep the team in leading position. NordPetrol Dynamos did well for a second place finish, while Marijke Hyperspeed will be quite disappointed to turn their Run 1 lead into a 3rd place finish after a very poor second run.

Event #3 - Sterzing

Venue: Sterzingsschanze
Location: Sterzing, Teusland
Type: Large hill
Capacity: 30,000
Hill Size: 142m
K-Point: K-125

Sterzing - Day 1
 1 Elias Veil (BLA)            135.4  146.2    281.6
 2 Heinrich Salzwedel (MRA)    138.1  132.1    270.2
 3 Jonas Vicek (OLI)           138.1  131.7    269.8
 4 Andreas Klein (MAR)         136.5  130.6    267.1
 5 Arne Biel (HTE)             135.4  128.7    264.1
 6 Rob Ramberg (HTE)           132.9  128.2    261.1
 7 Moritz Hahne (BLA)          125.7  133.3    259.0
 8 Diether Frost (ZLA)         128.9  128.7    257.6
 9 Emanuel Frisch (NPD)        127.7  128.4    256.1
10 Boris Vanev (NPD)           130.6  125.4    256.0
11 Miro Prokop (TSS)           121.0  134.5    255.5
12 Elias Fleming (MAR)         125.2  127.9    253.1
13 Lazar Bakalov (ZLA)         122.8  129.1    251.9
14 Florijan Cech (OLI)         130.1  121.5    251.6
15 Samuel Marek (TSS)          118.9  121.1    240.0
 — Tsvetan Halozan (MRA)       133.3    DSQ

Sterzing - Day 2
 1 Rob Ramberg (HTE)           135.6  138.4    274.0
 2 Moritz Hahne (BLA)          130.8  141.6    272.4
 3 Samuel Marek (TSS)          145.0  127.1    272.1
 4 Jonas Vicek (OLI)           131.7  137.7    269.4
 5 Elias Veil (BLA)            132.2  136.6    268.8
 6 Elias Fleming (MAR)         131.3  135.1    266.4
 7 Tsvetan Halozan (MRA)       134.4  131.9    266.3
 8 Miro Prokop (TSS)           134.7  127.7    262.4
 9 Emanuel Frisch (NPD)        121.4  129.5    250.9
10 Heinrich Salzwedel (MRA)    127.1  123.7    250.8
11 Andreas Klein (MAR)         118.2  132.0    250.2
12 Florijan Cech (OLI)         125.8  124.2    250.0
13 Arne Biel (HTE)             130.1  118.2    248.3
14 Lazar Bakalov (ZLA)         137.4  106.0    243.4
15 Diether Frost (ZLA)         123.9  115.0    238.9
16 Boris Vanev (NPD)           112.5  118.3    230.8

Sterzing - Day 1
 1 Aksinia Ivancic (OLI)         130.9  129.0    259.9
 2 Zara Lichtenstein (MAR)       131.7  124.1    255.8
 3 Miroslava Jendrona (OLI)      127.4  127.6    255.0
 4 Anamarija Zlodej (TSS)        125.7  119.9    245.6
 5 Klaudie Noskova (HTE)         125.9  115.8    241.7
 6 Odette Holzer (BLA)           125.6  112.6    238.2
 7 Catharina Fassbender (BLA)    132.4  100.8    233.2
 8 Lucija Vasilev (MRA)          101.8  124.7    226.5
 9 Verena Kottmann (ZLA)         128.1   95.1    223.2
10 Silke Vogel (MRA)              95.0  123.0    218.0
11 Sonja Bahr (TSS)              101.7  112.5    214.2
12 Natalie Werfel (HTE)          118.0   87.6    205.6
13 Rebecca Fellgiebel (NPD)       99.1   95.9    195.0
14 Zoe Kiefer (MAR)               92.4   99.9    192.3
15 Izabela Vlazak (NPD)           72.1  113.9    186.0
16 Klara Andonov (ZLA)            84.6   90.3    174.9

Sterzing - Day 2
 1 Zara Lichtenstein (MAR)       127.3  128.5    255.8
 2 Odette Holzer (BLA)           126.4  126.4    252.8
 3 Klara Andonov (ZLA)           125.4  127.3    252.7
 4 Izabela Vlazak (NPD)          127.3  125.3    252.6
 5 Klaudie Noskova (HTE)         118.0  123.3    241.3
 6 Silke Vogel (MRA)             126.1  113.3    239.4
 7 Verena Kottmann (ZLA)         127.1  108.1    235.2
 8 Catharina Fassbender (BLA)    103.7  131.2    234.9
 9 Zoe Kiefer (MAR)              102.8  126.7    229.5
10 Anamarija Zlodej (TSS)        109.2  113.4    222.6
11 Sonja Bahr (TSS)               89.5  129.1    218.6
12 Aksinia Ivancic (OLI)         124.4   93.3    217.7
13 Miroslava Jendrona (OLI)      108.4  109.1    217.5
14 Rebecca Fellgiebel (NPD)      100.2  116.2    216.4
15 Lucija Vasilev (MRA)          118.8   97.2    216.0
16 Natalie Werfel (HTE)           96.7  112.2    208.9

Sterzing - Team Event
1 Marijke Hyperspeed               850.3  857.8   1708.1
2 HansAir Team Excellence          849.4  855.2   1704.6
3 NordPetrol Dynamos               839.8  854.2   1694.0
4 Blauer Elche                     861.5  814.9   1676.4
5 Team Zlatorog                    815.0  832.9   1647.9
6 Team MRAZ+                       832.0  808.5   1640.5
7 SK Olimpija                      769.3  847.6   1616.9
8 TelekomSiovanija Snowbirds       786.9  774.5   1561.4

Round 3 of the season continued at the Sterzingsschanze, and it was a pivotal round for the early-season storylines we've been following. Elias Veil came into the season as a favourite to win the competition, but had struggled until his second-day win at Nanos. This weekend, he took the competition by storm on the opening day at Sterzing, The Blauer Elche athlete followed up a solid first run with a storming second jump that was the high mark for the entire event, as he got his second win of the season. But on day 2, he would be unable to repeat that success, finishing in 5th. Instead it was Rob Ramberg, the overall leader and winner of the first two rounds in Himmelspitze, who grabs his 3rd competition win of the season. Ramberg is making a great impression so far and has a strong chance to win the championship. Elsewhere for Blauer Elche, it was good news as Moritz Hahne recovered from a tough start so far to finish 7th and 2nd this weekend - there is a lot of hope that he can carry that on into the rest of the year.

On the women's side, Zara Liechtenstein continues to be a stand-out performer at just 19 years of age. She finished second on day one, just behind a strong performance from Aksinia Ivancic from SK Olimpija, before coming away with the overall win on day 2. That's a total of 180 points for her in this round, and she continues to have an early lead in the women's championship standings. Other championship hopefuls Odette Holzer and Klaudie Noskova both had solid weekends, too, but if Liechtenstein continues with this consistency she is going to be very difficult to catch. As mentioned, young Aksinia Ivancic managed the win on day 1, and her teammate Miroslava Jendrona came in 3rd - but on day 2, it was disappointment for the Olimpija women as they finished 12th and 13th respectively.

Zara Liechtenstein's incredible form this weekend would also carry over into the team event - as her Marijke Hyperspeed team captured victory at the Sterzingsschanze. The Marijke group weren't expected to be this strong in the team event this year, and one could argue they should've won last week as well - this time around, it was a heroic performance in the second run that brought them back to the top. HansAir Team Excellence recovered well from last week's disaster to grab second place, NordPetrol Dynamos took a solid third, while Blauer Elche will be disappointed with 4th after a great score in the first run. Another example of how quickly things can change here - TelekomSiovanija Snowbirds dropped to last place after winning last week.

Event #4 - Sankt Gotthard

Venue: Bad Ferlach Skisprungsschanze
Location: Sankt Gotthard im Himmelberg, Teusland
Type: Large hill
Capacity: 50,000
Hill Size: 147m
K-Point: K-130

Sankt Gotthard - Day 1
 1 Arne Biel (HTE)             148.4  129.6    278.0
 2 Rob Ramberg (HTE)           134.4  138.7    273.1
 3 Boris Vanev (NPD)           133.1  138.9    272.0
 4 Jonas Vicek (OLI)           134.3  135.3    269.6
 5 Samuel Marek (TSS)          126.9  137.9    264.8
 6 Andreas Klein (MAR)         134.7  129.2    263.9
 7 Heinrich Salzwedel (MRA)    127.9  133.2    261.1
 8 Emanuel Frisch (NPD)        125.7  134.1    259.8
 9 Elias Fleming (MAR)         124.3  134.6    258.9
10 Diether Frost (ZLA)         121.9  131.0    252.9
11 Elias Veil (BLA)            125.0  126.1    251.1
12 Tsvetan Halozan (MRA)       118.2  131.4    249.6
13 Lazar Bakalov (ZLA)         122.1  123.3    245.4
14 Florijan Cech (OLI)         126.2  117.3    243.5
15 Moritz Hahne (BLA)          129.7  111.9    241.6
16 Miro Prokop (TSS)           121.0  119.2    240.2

Sankt Gotthard - Day 2
 1 Moritz Hahne (BLA)          139.6  149.1    288.7
 2 Lazar Bakalov (ZLA)         138.2  141.5    279.7
 3 Tsvetan Halozan (MRA)       131.2  147.1    278.3
 4 Samuel Marek (TSS)          138.1  133.1    271.2
 5 Elias Veil (BLA)            134.0  131.1    265.1
 6 Arne Biel (HTE)             125.1  134.2    259.3
 7 Diether Frost (ZLA)         133.3  124.8    258.1
 8 Miro Prokop (TSS)           122.4  134.1    256.5
 9 Boris Vanev (NPD)           115.9  136.8    252.7
10 Heinrich Salzwedel (MRA)    112.6  139.9    252.5
11 Andreas Klein (MAR)         135.2  115.9    251.1
12 Jonas Vicek (OLI)           125.7  117.9    243.6
13 Emanuel Frisch (NPD)        128.0  114.3    242.3
14 Elias Fleming (MAR)         130.2  111.0    241.2
15 Rob Ramberg (HTE)           132.7  104.8    237.5
16 Florijan Cech (OLI)         113.7  119.4    233.1

Sankt Gotthard - Day 1
 1 Zara Lichtenstein (MAR)       126.1  131.9    258.0
 2 Klaudie Noskova (HTE)         129.6  125.0    254.6
 3 Verena Kottmann (ZLA)         125.4  125.7    251.1
 4 Aksinia Ivancic (OLI)         124.7  125.8    250.5
 5 Izabela Vlazak (NPD)          112.9  128.7    241.6
 6 Klara Andonov (ZLA)           112.3  122.2    234.5
 7 Rebecca Fellgiebel (NPD)      125.9  107.1    233.0
 8 Anamarija Zlodej (TSS)        107.6  124.7    232.3
 9 Natalie Werfel (HTE)          104.4  126.2    230.6
10 Sonja Bahr (TSS)              124.0  103.1    227.1
11 Lucija Vasilev (MRA)          100.7  125.5    226.2
12 Catharina Fassbender (BLA)     96.1  128.9    225.0
13 Miroslava Jendrova (OLI)       94.3  120.1    214.4
14 Zoe Kiefer (MAR)              131.8   75.6    207.4
15 Odette Holzer (BLA)           104.9   93.6    198.5
16 Silke Vogel (MRA)             103.8   93.7    197.5

Sankt Gotthard - Day 2
 1 Klaudie Noskova (HTE)         129.6  130.1    259.7
 2 Sonja Bahr (TSS)              127.2  129.5    256.7
 3 Zoe Kiefer (MAR)              125.0  129.4    254.4
 4 Zara Lichtenstein (MAR)       129.7  112.4    242.1
 5 Odette Holzer (BLA)           117.7  119.9    237.6
 6 Rebecca Fellgiebel (NPD)      130.8  106.7    237.5
 7 Izabela Vlazak (NPD)          117.3  118.3    235.6
 8 Klara Andonov (ZLA)           110.0  123.5    233.5
 9 Silke Vogel (MRA)             104.8  126.2    231.0
10 Catharina Fassbender (BLA)     99.4  129.0    228.4
11 Lucija Vasilev (MRA)          122.5  102.9    225.4
12 Natalie Werfel (HTE)          111.6  112.9    224.5
13 Verena Kottmann (ZLA)          99.5  124.9    224.4
14 Aksinia Ivancic (OLI)         100.8  110.9    211.7
15 Anamarija Zlodej (TSS)         99.4   89.4    188.8
16 Miroslava Jendrova (OLI)       93.7   72.4    166.1

Sankt Gotthard - Team Event
1 HansAir Team Excellence          831.0  806.4   1637.4
2 Blauer Elche                     786.9  838.1   1625.0
3 Marijke Hyperspeed               809.1  783.9   1593.0
4 SK Olimpija                      742.6  775.9   1518.5
5 Team MRAZ+                       819.2  671.1   1490.3
6 NordPetrol Dynamos               777.9  667.9   1445.8
7 TelekomSiovanija Snowbirds       758.9  683.0   1441.9
8 Team Zlatorog                    548.3  699.4   1247.7

The first half of the season - and the previous year! - ends with a great competition at Sankt Gotthard im Himmelberge. One of the most prestigious events on the calendar, competitors were competing not only for championship points but also for the prize of being the Silvestertournee champion. On the men's side, things started out pretty much perfectly for the HansAir Team Excellence duo of Rob Ramberg and Arne Biel. On day 1, Biel took the overall win with a huge score of 278.0, while Ramberg finished in 2nd just behind him. Day 2 would prove much more challenging for the team. Rob Ramberg suffered his worst result of the season so far, placing 15th after a torrid time on his second run, while Arne Biel would finish 6th. Moritz Hahne grabbed the win on day 2, a big result for him and the entire Blauer Elche team. Arne Biel was crowned the Silvestertournee winner, managing a total of 140 points over the weekend. "It's a great prize to win, for sure, but I need to focus on keeping this form up for the rest of the year and into the Olympics," said Arne.

The women's championship is setting up to be an incredible battle between two of the best ski jumpers in the county - with Klaudie Noskova and Zara Liechtenstein going head to head over and over and over again this season. On day 1, it was Liechtenstein getting the jump on her Olympic team colleague, finishing 3.4 points ahead of Klaudie in P2 after a great second run. In run 1 on day two, the women were just 0.1 apart - but it was Noskova who had the much better second run and took the victory, Liechtenstein coming in 4th. Klaudie Noskova, with 180 points, was thus crowned the winner of the women's Silvestertournee. "It's been a great battle this year so far, and this is something I'm really proud of. But there's 4 more big events, and the grand finale at Belica, and the prize I really want is this championship," said Noskova. These two are really pushing each other to their bests and the second half of the season should be excellent.

It was a clean sweep for HansAir Team Excellence this weekend - 2 overall individual wins, both Silvestertournee winners, and also a title in the team event. The team seemed to be on another level in the first run, but a more difficult second run saw Blauer Elche coming close to reigning them in. It was not meant to be, however, and the team that has been the class of the competition on all fronts this year grabbed another victory. Marijke finished 3rd, a competitive first run score being offset by a poorer showing on run 2, while SK Olimpija rounded out the top 4.

Championship Standings

With half the season in the books, let's take a look at the championship standings!

Men's standings
#  Name                  Points
1. Rob Ramberg            522
2. Elias Veil             427
3. Arne Biel              395
4. Jonas Vicek            365
5. Samuel Marek           346
6. Elias Fleming          316
7. Moritz Hahne           311
8. Heinrich Salzwedel     297
9. Andreas Klein          288
10. Miro Prokop           271
11. Lazar Bakalov         260
12. Tsvetan Halozan       248
13. Boris Vanev           240
14. Diether Frost         234
15. Emanuel Frisch        218
16. Florijan Cech         166

Half the season down and Rob Ramberg remains in the lead of the men's event. He's got 3 overall wins so far, as well as a second place, and has been consistently strong the whole season, with the sole exception being day 2 at Sankt Gotthard. He has a healthy lead over Elias Veil in second place, of 95 points, but if there is anybody that could overcome such a gap it would be Veil. Veil, with 2 wins so far in the competition, just needs to be a bit more consistent to pick up points on Ramberg. Arne Biel is in third, and still has an outside shot at the championship if he can convey his form from Sankt Gotthard into the final events of the season. It's Olympians all the way down after him, with Jonas Vicek sitting 4th and the first non-Olympic athlete being Heinrich Salzwedel in 8th. There's no real surprises in the bottom half of the table, although more was expected out of young Florijan Cech. He hasn't been as terrible as the numbers show, certainly - but in comparison to some of the other young talents in this championship, hasn't shown his best either.

Women's standings
#  Name                  Points
1. Klaudie Noskova        576
2. Zara Liechtenstein     569
3. Odette Holzer          380
4. Verena Kottmann        338
5. Aksinia Ivancic        331
6. Sonja Bahr             330
7. Klara Andonov          279
8. Anamarija Zlodej       277
9. Natalie Werfel         243
10. Rebecca Fellgiebel    242
11. Izabela Vlazak        238
12. Catharina Fassbender  235
13. Miroslava Jendrova    227
14. Zoe Kiefer            221
15. Silke Vogel           208
16. Lucija Vasilev        192

It's almost impossible for it to be any closer at the top - Klaudie Noskova and Zara Liechtenstein are separated by just 7 points at the top of the standings! Both women have been incredible this season, and both deserve to be a champion - but only one can come out on top, and that's likely going to be whoever does a better job of maximizing their results in the final half of the season. Noskova has won 3 events outright this season, including the sweep at Nanos, while also finishing 2nd twice. Liechtenstein, for her part, has 3 wins as well, a second place and a third place. These two are challenging each other to find new limits week in week out, and it's clear there is a new (friendly) rivalry at the top of women's ski jumping in this country. Odette Holzer holds onto 3rd place, a bit too far back to likely find herself in the championship fight but having had a solid season for herself. The young talent has been performing quite well too - Aksinia Ivancic in 5th, and Anamarija Zlodej in 8th in the standings so far. At the bottom, however, it's a bit surprising to see some of the competitors from top teams in the bottom - Zoe Kiefer is Zara Liechtenstein's teammate, but has been certainly outperformed this season, while former Olympia Miroslava Jendrova also has not had the best go of things so far.

Team standings
#  Name                        Points
1. HansAir Team Excellence      1200
2. Marijke Hyperspeed           1200
3. Blauer Elche                 1100
4. NordPetrol Dynamos           1050
5. SK Olimpija                   750
6. Team Zlatorog                 700
7. TelekomSiovanija Snowbirds    650
8. Team MRAZ+                    550

It's a close, close fight at the top - HansAir Team Excellence and Marijke Hyperspeed are actually tied on points, with 1200 each. It's a reflection of the rivalry that has developed between the team's biggest stars on the women's side of things - Noskova and Liechtenstein, respectively - and also the strong performances in team events from Rob Ramberg and Arne Biel (HTE) & Andreas Klein and Elias Fleming (MAR). Just below those two are Blauer Elche, on 1100 points, certainly close enough to still take over at the top. NordPetrol Dynamos, despite not having won an event this season, have been consistent all year and also remain in touching distance of the top spot. Both the 4 remaining team events and the individual championship battles will be crucial, and the whole thing could come down to what teams get that coveted 200 point bonus for having a men's or women's championship winner. The bottom 4 teams are all quite close to each other, too, but seem to not have too much of a chance of breaking into the top 4.

Half the season is still to come - including exciting events at Zmajeva Gora, Skrlatica, Kaisersbach and the famous Belica. 3 championships are up for grabs, the race for Olympic spots is well and truly on, and the nation will be watching as the Hohenflug Tour continues!

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri May 23, 2025 5:21 pm

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Superklasse Podcast

Superklasse Season Preview Special - Part I

The Relegation Battle

Joachim Sturm: Good morning everyone and welcome back to the Superklasse Podcast! It’s an exciting time in the football world at the moment - with the nation gearing up to host World Cup 99, and the Superklasse season ready to kick off. Welcome now to the first of 3 preview shows to get you ready for the new season - and I’m proud to be joined by some legends of the game. First up, former Energija Chernovets and national team forward Miroslav Dinev, and FC Kaiserhaven legend and former national team winger Paulus Leistner. Good to have you with us!

Miro Dinev: Thank you, Joachim! Always happy to chat.

Paulus Leistner: It’s good to be here with you and Miro, too.

JS: Before starting this show, myself and our guests here have each taken a pen and paper and taken a stab at ranking the finishing order of the teams for the Superklasse in this upcoming season. Fans of the podcast also had the opportunity to vote on RBC Sports’ website as to what they think the finishing order will be. We’re going to put up on screen now everyone’s thoughts for the table from 12th through to 16th place.

MD: I’m not sure what Paulus was thinking with his picks, but that’s ok!

JS: Haha, well, we can get to that - but let’s start at the bottom. You two both agreed - and so did the fans, by a wide margin - that Karakanovski Fabrika will be at the bottom of the table.

PL: Yeah. Look, I think it’s a great story for that club - playing their first season ever in the top division, after a really incredible run in the 2. Klasse last year. But I look at that squad and I don’t see too many names that I think are really going to make an impact in this division. Crtomir Strnad, he led them in goals last season, and I think he might be able to step up to this level - but that’s one guy. This is a tough league, and it’s an unforgiving one - I really can’t see them beating out the other two teams that have come up, let alone an established Superklasse side.

MD: I’ll have to change my prediction! No, to be serious, I think Paulus is pretty well spot on. It’s massive for the club - they have an excellent fanbase, too. Small town, small stadium but they fill it up and I know it’ll be a great atmosphere for them. And being in this division will mean so many positive things for them going forward - also getting to play some international football in the Liga B trophy, too. But I think the challenge is just too enormous for them this year.

JS: I also have Karakanovski Fabrika getting relegated - but from 15th place. I actually selected Krutenau to finish last. I can already hear some of the comments: last? They finished 8th last year Joachim! But Miro and Paulus, you both had them quite low as well - why do you think they’ll be worse off this year?

MD: Krutenau had really a season of a lifetime last year - really, nobody would’ve predicted it. It was really cool to watch them and at times you even felt like they might somehow reach IFCF football. But it’s been a tough offseason for them. The manager, Jonas Pomen - who worked wonders with that squad - has taken the job at FC St. Jakob. And a few of the key guys from that team last year - Harald von Bergen, Heinrich Hartmann - they’ve gone and joined him. So the Kickers are going to have it rough, but I had them finishing 14th and at least getting into the playoff - Paulus, you have them a bit lower.

PL: Yeah, so as you said, some very key losses for them. But also… last year they were in their debut year at this level, they’d been facing tough competition in the Stelburg league, and they played a very optimistic brand of football. They were able to catch out some opponents that didn’t know how to prepare for them - but towards the end of the season, it was beginning to be a real struggle for them. They had some tough times - the 6-1 loss at home to Felsenkirchen is really what comes to mind, for me - and… I don’t want to use the words ‘figured out,’ but they’d run out of steam. And I think they’ll struggle to get going this season and that’s going to be a problem for them.

JS: Miro, you had FC Rotmunde 1932 getting relegated directly instead. What do you think of the Islanders going into this season?

MD: This is a team that worries me, to be honest Joachim. This is a club that should never really be worrying about relegation - but a few years back you’d say that about Olympia Borograd too. There are really solid players on this team - Heinz-Harald Schmidt, I think, could genuinely play for the national team at some point in his career. But the depth isn’t there, there seems to be a bit of a gap between the way the coach wants them to play and what they’re actually capable of, and it’s just not much to be excited about. They saved themselves with pure luck on the last day of the season last year, and I hope for their sake they can do it again - but I just don’t see it happening.

JS: See, I don’t even have Rotmunde in my bottom 5 - I think like you mentioned, a player like Heinz-Harald Schmidt, he’s turning 21 this season. I just see some of the younger talents on that team elevating their game so much that last season will be completely forgotten.

PL: I think they’ll stay out of relegation, but I don’t think it’s going to be an easy season.

JS: Now we have to get to the biggest name on the list. We all had them in different spots here - 13th for Miro, 14th for Paulus, 12th for myself and 15th in the fan vote. Now, while I think that fan poll might be a little biased on behalf of fans from Stelburg and the purple side of Borograd… are Olympia Borograd in danger this season, and what does it mean for the club if they are?

MD: Well, the answer to the question is obviously yes. They struggled to get back up last season, going through the playoff in the end, and if you look at the squad, it’s not one you’re fully comfortable with to say ‘this team are going to stay up.’ It’s going to be a long, nervy year - and we know that things can get a little bit toxic around the Olimpski-Stadion when that happens. But I like some of the things they’ve done this summer. I think Charles Packard is a great signing. T1.5 million for a guy who I see a lot of potential in, and they’ve really been struggling in the forward position ever since Rolando Cutter left. Tomas Kohout and Valdemar Buran are going to make them a team that can score a lot of goals. It’s just at the back where they worry me, frankly - and it’s a real weakness. But I think they’ll end up finding a way to stay up. I just can’t see them really going down, and I don’t even want to think about what would happen if they did.

PL: Catastrophic. That’s what it would be. Look, I don’t know the numbers and I haven’t looked at the books, but a relegation could mean that this great, historic club disappears. Nobody wants to see that happen. But I think, to your point Miro, they just haven’t done enough to avoid that risk. And I get that they can’t spend a crazy amount of money - but you have to realize that that back line is shaky. If you have T1.5 million to spend, I’d have spent it there, personally. And when you mix in some young guys, who are going to be playing with - it’s probably more pressure than a title fight is, to be honest. I remember some really lean years at Kaiserhaven, but this is even worse. These guys are going to be dealing with the pressure that if they don’t win enough games, there’s going to be job losses, and I’ll speak the forbidden word: liquidation. It’s tough for any player to deal with, let alone a squad that has 5 under-20 players in it. I think they’re just much better than Karakanovski Fabrika and Krutenau, but I honestly don’t see them getting away without a fight - I think they’ll be in the relegation playoff.

JS: A few differences between our lists the rest of the way: I’ve got Kaiserhaven finishing 14th, and the fans have them in 13th. Miro, Paulus, you both have them not even in the bottom 5!

PL: They’re finishing 1st, mate.

JS: Hey, we said to leave the ex-player bias out of it!

PL: I went with the hometown club bias instead. No, but in all seriousness, I think having won the Cup last year and having won the 2. Klasse in such dominant fashion is really going to propel this team. Frankly, the squad was quality enough that they probably should’ve been in this division last season anyways, and I think they’ll have an easier go of it then some of the other promoted teams.

MD: It’s a good mix of a squad, you have some veterans like Alex Gering and Stephen Gessner but also a lot of young talents like Norbert Stetter. And I have faith in their academy too - just look at what Wolf Wind has been doing in Valanora!

JS: 12th spot. Not really what I’d call in the relegation fight necessarily, but that’s where we’re going to cut off. And we were all different! Miro has Marlesee 97, Paulus you’ve got FC St. Jakob and I had Olympia Borograd. Miro, the fans agree with you on Marlesee - why do you think so?

MD: Ha, well, they’re the classic yo-yo club of the league aren’t they? I don’t see them being bad enough to get relegated - really, I think the 4 clubs we’ve mentioned earlier are the only ones at risk this season. But I also don’t see them in the top 10. There’s nothing too standout about this team and I could easily see them being the lowest of the middle pack.

PL: For me, I had FC St. Jakob in a similar spot. We mentioned earlier some of the moves they made this summer - we didn’t talk about Bruno Baumer. He’s coming home from Tumbra, and I think the Saints are, maybe for the first time since even when you and I played Miro, laying a good foundation. I don’t think they’re quite ready to go for an IFCF fight just yet, and I think Jonas Pomen will still have to adapt to the bigger club and players when he takes over.

JS: One club that I have here that neither of you do are VfL Reinbronn.

PL: Yeah, I didn’t quite get that one Joachim.

JS: They’ve been pushing for a few years now to get into the IFCF fight, but it hasn’t quite worked out for them. Some of the squad are aging, and I could just see it being a year outside of the norm for them. As you guys have said, I don’t think there’s any danger of a relegation there, but I wouldn’t be too surprised if they underperformed.

MD: I don’t know about that; I think some of the young players they have have really stepped up in the last few years - that Jacintho Coutinho, he’s going to get a move to a bigger club in this league very soon the way he’s been performing - and I think they’ve kinda fully established themselves as a top of the midtable side.

JS: One final question I wanted to ask you both in this episode - we’ve talked a lot about who might go down. But who do you see coming back up from the 2. Klasse?

MD: Well, first one’s easy, I think SW Stahlberg are going to be pretty much the dominant power in the second tier. Vrnovo Mesto has a good squad too - that’s a tough away day as well, they are usually a team that is very very solid at home and I think they’ll benefit a lot from that. Plus, they have a new stadium ready for next season, and I’m sure the club would love to be in the top division to debut it. I can also see 1. FC Vaihingen reaching the playoff. They’ve really had an incredible run the last few years, and with all the money they’ve made from the international campaigns have put together a really solid foundation.

PL: Stahlberg certainly, that’s not really a question in my opinion. But - and I think this is the beauty of our second tier, it’s such a varied league - I’m going to go for two other options. FK Vlaikograd 1896 are going to join them in getting automatically promoted. Ever since they received that investment from Chromatika, they’ve been quietly in the background making some smart investments into the squad, their facilities, and there’s a lot of positivity around the club. I think this could be the year they break through. I think Taifun Vorstock are going to get into the playoff, too, but I don’t think they’ll be able to get back into the top tier.

JS: Excellent. That wraps up the first part of our season preview show! The next episode will be out soon, featuring Miro and Paulus taking on the midtable of the Superklasse!

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri May 23, 2025 7:18 pm

RBC Sports Football

Superklasse Podcast

Superklasse Season Preview Special - Part II

The Midtable

Joachim Sturm: Hello again! Welcome to another episode of RBC Sports’ Superklasse Podcast. It’s part 2 of our extra-special Superklasse preview show, and I’m joined again by two very special guests - 2 time Republikaliga winner, 2 time AOCL winner and 0 time President’s Cup winner Miroslav Dinev! And FC Kaiserhaven all-time Republikaliga appearances leader - Paulus Leistner!

Paulus Leistner: Miro, are you going to take that from him?

Miroslav Dinev: Really unbelievable, isn’t it Paulus?

JS: All in good fun! It’s nice that all 3 of us here on this panel have the same amount of President’s Cup wins.

PL: I’m a club ambassador at Kaiserhaven, so I think you can count last year for me. I’ll call up the club and have them send me a medal.

MD: They’d probably give it to him, too, they love him down there!

JS: Well, before we get too crazy - we’re meant to be here discussing our picks for the clubs who will finish in spots 11 through 6th in the Superklasse next season. Once again, the three of us here made our picks before the show, and we’ll also have the results of a fan poll. Can we get that up on the screen now?

JS: Perfect. So we’re going to go in a slightly different format for this one - I know many of the teams here are quite close in quality and it’s not necessarily easy to distinguish them all, so instead of asking ‘why are Pomorie in 7th, Miro’ we’re going to dig a bit deeper into the teams. I do want to start with that example though, Miro. You’ve got FK Pomorie quite high up - is there a player in that team you think is going to allow them to push on like that?

MD: Marian Hovlak. Yes, he’s 37. No, he’s not slowing down. This guy is incredible - he kind of reminds me of myself when I was around his age. Look, Father Time always wins. I found that out too, and Marian will someday. But when you’re in a rhythm, a routine, it’s really hard to slow down, and I know from chatting with him that he’s been training like crazy all summer. I’ve never seen someone at his age look so strong and score so many goals. Remember, during the isolation he was out of the country banging them in in Valanora, and at this point it’s just second nature for him. What he’s done for Pomorie is just unbelievable, and I think they’ve really grown as a team these last few years.

JS: Paulus, how about you? Amongst these teams, is there one player that you think could totally make or break his team’s season?

PL: No question at all - Dusan Korlikov. This is a huge year for him. World Cup on home soil coming up, and he seems to have fully taken the starting left wing spot on the team. But he’s not had the amount of club success with Zvezda Vlaikograd that his career deserves. He’s a child of the club, and absolutely one of the best players in the league - he can pull out incredible tricks and he’s single-handedly done a lot for the club. But I guess that’s the point - single-handedly. It’s not a bad squad around him at all, but he’s clearly a level up, and you just wonder how patient he can afford to be with them.

MD: To jump in on that - he’s 23 now. That’s when a lot of players we’ve seen have said ‘Ok, I need to take that next step in my career, and I’m going to do that abroad.’ There were a lot of transfer rumours about him this summer already, but I think he wanted to stay home with the World Cup on the horizon. Another excellent league season, and a solid World Cup? We could see him break the transfer record for a player from this country. That’s how talented he is. And I think that, realistically, unless Zvezda shock us all and can offer him Champions League football next year… it’s going to happen.

JS: Do you see any domestic opportunity for him, or will it be abroad?

MD: I don’t think so. Metropola are the only real big club that would go for him, and I don’t think they’ll buy him when they have Veljko Vadimic already.

PL: You have to think that if Olympia Borograd hadn’t collapsed, he’d look excellent in green.

JS: Ah, but would he go there? As a child of the club at Zvezda, as you say?

MD: I don’t think he could make that move, no. Most Olympia fans don’t really care about it, but for a Zvezda player to go to Olympia, it would not be well received in that fanbase. I don’t even think the board would sell him there at any price.

JS: Zvezda made two purchases in this summer market - bringing in Zagon Gerencser, the Pasargan midfielder, and Baker Park national team forward Terrell London. Quite the activity from Zvezda - but how do you think it will affect the team’s performance this year?

MD: Yeah, I thought those were really positive moves from Zvezda. As much as Bogdan Kubica is a legend there, they needed a new forward, and I think London offers them a lot. That was one that really made me perk up when it was announced. The midfield needed someone like Gerencser, too. It definitely improves the squad.

PL: I think they’re trying to put together all the pieces they can while Korlikov is still there, and hoping they can get IFCF football and convince him to stay - but also, players like London and Gerencser are both in the prime of their careers. They are great buys for the team for the next few years, and even if they lose Korlikov, you know that you’re in good hands.

JS: Last time we talked about VfL Reinbronn - I had them in my bottom 5 for this season. But you both think much more of them - Paulus, you have them in 7th place and that’s backed up by our fan poll, while Miro has them in 8th. Torsten Bohmer is the manager there and is an absolute legend of the club - entering his 12th season at the club, and let’s not forget he’s added a President’s Cup and IFCF Liga B Trophy to their cabinet in his time there. He’ll have a statue there one day for sure - but what I want to focus on is if you think the club can keep up its level of success once he’s gone.

MD: Is he going anywhere? He’s turning 65 next month, and I recall an interview with him once where he said he wanted to stay at Reinbronn for 20 years. What he’s done at this club is incredible. I actually think the future is really bright for Reinbronn. They have that wonderful new stadium, the city is growing and they’ve seen plenty of investment from the community in the last few years. I don’t think they’ll ever become giants of the game, no, but they’ve really hit their stride at a good time. As the Superklasse grows, they’re growing naturally with it.

PL: Reinbronn are such a special club - I always loved playing in that stadium, and as you said, Bohmer is someone who has absolutely defined the club. Like Miro says, I don’t think you’ll get him out the door anytime soon - but it’ll all depend on who they appoint after him. Energija Chernovets have never really found stability after Apostol Manevski retired, for example, while FK Metropola Borograd might be asking similar questions when Alan Dzekov retires one day. Teussen got very lucky that Thorsten Kramer’s timeline matched up perfectly with Kasper Knauer’s retirement, and that seems to be working out really well so far. It’s all about luck, but Bohmer has done such a good job defining the club’s values and standards and while it won’t be easy to follow him up, there will be a good chance the club looks to continue down that path.

JS: You mentioned Energija Chernovets. We were all unanimous in having them finishing 6th this upcoming season. Miro, I’ll start with you. What is it going to take for your former club to find their way back into the top 5?

MD: I wanted to see a bit more ambition this summer, to be honest. I really like where the squad is going, I think Tomislav Karapic is a great manager - but you look at the top 5 teams and you know that there’s going to have to be investment in the squad to get to that level. I’m not going to tear apart players that wear that shirt, but there’s areas of the squad where you know you’re outclassed by the opposite number at Teussen, Metropola, 1912, Felsenkirchen and Marzig. And the only way to get to that point is through investment.

PL: The gap keeps growing, too - all those clubs you mentioned are playing IFCF football, getting money from that, and they can sell their players for higher fees.

MD: I look back at my own career. We won the league in the first season of the Republikaliga, sure, but most of that generation ended up retiring and we fell to that spot the club is at now. We were ambitious and aggressive in the summers - Emiliano Gallegas and Enigma Armageddon were massive, massive pieces of our squad, and once they joined we went straight back to the top. I want to see that aggression again from Chernovets, because while I think there’s a good squad there it needs to be taken to the next level.

JS: Going back to our conversation before - what about Dusan Korlikov as an option?

MD: Yeah, I love that idea - I just don’t see it. He’s going to want to challenge himself at one of the world’s top clubs, not step into another team that can’t guarantee him Champions League football.

JS: Paulus, if you were the manager of Chernovets, where would you most look to improve the squad?

PL: Up front, without a doubt. Korlikov in that team would be lethal, but I agree with you Miro that it won’t happen. I think Veselin Oresnik has potential but to be honest - I don’t see him hitting the level of the forwards that some of the other clubs in this league can offer. One guy you didn’t mention Miro - the guy who retired you, Jezdemir Ocokoljic. You need a game-changing striker, because look at the top names in this league: Einar Hackl, Rolando Cutter, Lionel an Deòir, Uwe Seidl, Ben Bing. That’s who you’re competing with. If they can’t develop one, you need to spend the money.

MD: I know that there’s excitement about Karel Buran in the academy, but that’s still going to be a few years away. Spend the money now while the gap isn’t a canyon.

JS: One more thought on the midtable before we wrap up. Is there one player amongst these teams that you’re looking to see break out this year? Who do you think can really surprise?

PL: Reto Schoppi at Kaiserhaven. This guy had such a good year as a rookie in the 2. Klasse, which is a very hard league for young players to get accustomed to. There's a lot of big, physical forwards down there, real grizzled veterans, but when I watch Schoppi play I feel completely comfortable in almost every aspect of the game. I shouldn't be saying this, it'll attract more scouts to him, but I think it's inevitable anyways. He's so calm on the ball, far beyond his years, and I really think he's going to be key for Kaiserhaven this year.

MD: I’m going to say Reiner Werkner at VfL Reinbronn. He’s got big shoes to fill with Ben Bing heading to 1912 Stelburg, yes, but the body of work from him has been good. Even last year, yes Taifun Vorstock did get relegated but he was really by far the best player that they had. I think he’s going to fit in really well with this club, I think Torsten Bohmer knows how to get the best out of his forwards. And really - he’s a Felsenkirchen academy guy with plenty of talent. This could be a really good match for him.

JS: And that brings our ‘midtable madness’ edition of the podcast to an end! We will be back soon with the final part, with our predictions for who will lift the Superklasse title this season!

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri May 23, 2025 10:32 pm

RBC Sports Football

Superklasse Podcast

Superklasse Season Preview Special - Part III

The Title Fight

Joachim Sturm: Here we are again! Part 3 of our Superklasse season preview special, and today’s episode might be the biggest of them all - it’s the race for the title. I’m joined by 2-time national champion Miro Dinev, and a man who won a league title in Ethane with Letson Town, Paulus Leistner! Plenty of championship pedigree on the panel today.

Miroslav Dinev: Well, two is better than one, Paulus.

Paulus Leisnter: Yes, but I did it abroad! That counts for something.

JS: Before we go any further, and we’ll get into all of this, let’s put the predictions up on the screen. We’ve got the picks from myself, Miro and Paulus as well as the results of our fan vote.

JS: The clear pick of choice is FC Teussen Stelburg here. And we’ll get into why, and why I chose for a different option. But firstly - Miro, Paulus, you’re both champions. Can you tell us what it’s like as a footballer fighting for titles?

MD: Well, if we’re being honest, I was mostly a passenger for my second, aha, so I’ll focus on that first title in season 1 of the Republikaliga with Chernovets. That was a war. We went into the season with a good feeling, so you play with a lot of confidence. We had Teussen at our heels all the way until the end, I think it was only 1 point that we ended up being ahead of them by at the end, and what was really important was the mentality. If we saw Teussen play before us and win, it didn’t matter how, we had to do the same. We had a lot of tough fights but I think we just had such a belief we could pull it off. I remember the final game, against VfB Launitz., scoring the opening two goals and thinking ‘we’ve finally done it,’ you just feel so relieved. For my second title, I was coming off the bench mostly, so it was more of a focus on ‘I need to take my chances when I get them and help the boys out.’

PL: For me, it was my first season abroad, so I was still settling in and getting used to a new country and city. It was definitely different from all the years I had been in Kaiserhaven. I knew Letson were a strong club before I joined, so I was hopeful we could be in the fight. We also had a pretty close fight in the run-in, and I was honestly just focused on putting all of the chaotic stuff outside of football to the side. It was peaceful, honestly, I really enjoyed pushing as hard as possible in every game and our squad that year was really, really excellent - we scored something like 115 goals in the league. It was a very fun year.

JS: You’ve both chosen FC Teussen Stelburg to be champions. What is the biggest reason why you’ve made that choice?

MD: Mentality. I look at Teussen and see a team who really climbed the mountain to get where they are. They had a few heartbreaks, a young squad that needed time to develop and mature. But last season you saw them develop that iron nerve. There were so many times late in the season where they snuck out with a close one, what we call a champions’ victory, and let’s not forget how hard of a schedule they had. They faced Marzig, Felsenkirchen and Metropola - only the teams who finished 2nd through 4th - in the last 4 matches, and took two wins and a draw. Thorsten Kramer has them believing in themselves, they know what they can achieve, and the sky is really the limit for them.

PL: They’re also just such a talented group of players. Yes, they’ve lost Erwin Sanner, and that’s a big loss. But they’re pulling up Benedikt Tannenberg to replace him, who I think is one of the standout young defenders in the country - and they also brought Reinhard Listner back home to sit on the bench as a veteran presence. And I look at that attacking trio - Zschokke, Weber, Seidl, I mean, it’s a ridiculous group. And then Hans Gruber and Santutxo Kramer in the midfield? I don’t think there’s a more talented team in the country than this one, and you mix that in with what Miro said about their mentality, it’s their championship to lose.

JS: So I haven’t picked Teussen to win it. I think it’s going to be a really tight battle, I could see the top 3-4 sides all going down to the final day of the season - but I think the loss of Erwin Sanner is bigger than you guys think. Tannenberg looks great, yes, but he’s going to need time to make that step up, and when I see how a side like FK Metropola Borograd has gone out and improved their squad, I see them as the favourites personally. On the other hand of it, if Teussen don’t win the title, what do you two think a possible reason could be?

MD: Like you said, there’s really 3-4, even 5 sides potentially with a shot at winning it. So really, it could just come down to luck - a shot two inches to the wrong side of the post or something could cost you everything. There are plenty of very talented teams in this league and none of the top teams can be counted out.

PL: Injuries, too. If one of those front trio goes down, or if a player like the goalkeeper Sepp Kranz - who is really incredible, by the way - is out for a long period of time, that could hurt them. Teussen are going to have a heavy schedule with Champions League football, Arrosian football and the league.

JS: 3 out of 4 of our prediction-makers chose Teussen for the title - and 3 out of 4 also chose FC Felsenkirchen 1879 to finish second. Miro, let’s go with you, what makes you think they’re in the best position to challenge Teussen?

MD: Felsenkirchen’s season last year was such an interesting one to watch. They absolutely dominated the first 10 or so games of the year, then get absolutely demolished by Teussen 5-0. There’s a few shaky weeks after that one, and then dominance once again all the way to the end of the season. Really, apart from those 5 weeks where 8 points were dropped, they would’ve been champions. I think this is such a talented squad, Songwei Milosevic for me is the best fullback in the country and I think Rolando Cutter has an argument for being the best forward in this division. To me, they are almost equal to Teussen on paper - it’s just that there seems to be something in their heads when they go up head to head with them. Some sort of mental block, I’m not sure, but they need to get over it if they are going to have a hope of actually beating Teussen to the title.

JS: Paulus, you’re the only one here who didn’t have Felsenkirchen finishing second - you have them down in 4th. Why is that?

PL: Well again, 4th to me means they’ll probably be 3-5 points off the title, which is by no means a bad season. I just think that this is going to be a season where the points gained against the other top teams are going to be hugely important to determining the title, and last year, Felsenkirchen had a bit of a rough go in that department. Miro covered the Teussen situation, but they also lost key games in the run in against Metropola and Marzig. They have an excellent squad but they need to do better in those matches against the biggest opponents if they are going to take the title.

JS: Let’s talk now about FK Metropola Borograd, carrying the banner for Siovanija in the top 5 here. I have them as the title winners, but Miro has them 4th and Paulus in 3rd. Miro, your thoughts on this side?

MD: I like Metropola’s squad, I do - I especially liked their summer business. I think Kristian Achen is such a good pickup for them. He’s young, super talented and should fit in very well with their backline. But I think they haven’t fully developed that winning mentality yet. Teussen had to go through a few years of heartbreak before getting to the top, and I think right now it’s Metropola experiencing that. I can see this squad going on to become a real force in the league - I mean, with Veljko Vadimic and Marjan Trstenjek on the wings, how could they not? Damir Prekmurje in the midfield, too - it’s really a top-tier squad. Just give them another year or two to round themselves out and mature and they’ll be there.

PL: I think I expect them to be really involved in the fight for the title this year - I mean, they were last year too, just 1-2 strange results in the final ten games or so cost them pretty heavily. And really, if they won it, I wouldn’t be surprised. Lionel an Deoir is one of my favourite players to watch at the moment, there’s such excitement when he gets on the ball, and as a winger myself I appreciate so much how skilled Veljko Vadimic really is. If they really push on and learn the lessons from last year - and I think Alan Dzekov is going to do a good job teaching them how to do that - they have a chance, but I don’t think I’m ready to say they’ll knock off Teussen just yet.

JS: That’s fair enough. The other two top 5 sides left - let’s start with the one with the biggest variance in opinion. 1912 Stelburg. Paulus has them second, Miro third - while myself and the fans both have them firmly in 5th. Guys, they finished 25 points off the title last season - you see them as challengers this year?

PL: Absolutely. He’s moved on now and I don’t want to bash him too much, but Liam Merz wasn’t ready for the step up. So many points were dropped because this team just did not have a credible forward. I think the move to Kelssek will be good for him. But let’s focus on the present in east Stelburg. They’ve brought in Ben Bing - one of the best young strikers in the league. And I think that is a complete game-changer. Xorge Le Meji and Muhangi Wentibwa already had such a good connection last year - now imagine it with an excellent striker added in. Xorge Le Meji is absolutely dominant for the national team because of the great connection he has with Einar Hackl. Now imagine if he can get even half of that with Bing? That’s a duo that could be unstoppable. Offensively, if this works out, they can compete with anybody in the league on their day.

MD: Xorge Le Meji is such an x-factor for this team, it’s incredible. I think he’s the best player in the nation at the moment, personally. But for 1912, I also want to focus on their defence. Andrej Berkel is getting some looks with the national team, he’s been very good in those appearances, and Laurens Seuper is still a stalwart even at age 30. Rolf Gellner, too, is such an excellent fullback when he gets the ball forward. I know that a lot of fans have been worried about Egon von Stein the last few years in the midfield. I believe that a large part of the reason his form fell off was because of how difficult it was to create offence on this team without a true forward. Once the team is firing on all cylinders again, he’ll show everyone just why he won the Golden Ball in this league a few seasons back. He’ll also be desperate to get into the national team for a home World Cup.

JS: I definitely see 1912 improving, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to have them in the title conversation just yet. I’m not sure about the midfield, still, and I would’ve liked to have seen them replace Robert Ganz in goal. He’s a legend at the club, yes, but he’s also 37 and in such a close league, the title could come down to 1-2 mistakes here or there. Anyways, that takes us to 1 final club, and the predictions were quite similar on them: TSV Marzig. Miro and Paulus both have them 5th, myself and the fan vote has them 4th. Guys, you don’t see them really involved in this title fight, right?

PL: Not really. I think this is an awesome squad - you can never, ever count out a team with Einar Hackl up front, Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik on the wing, or Silvio Rodl in the backline. I just think they’ve stagnated a bit since they won the title a few years ago. Especially since the end of isolation, football at this level is an arms race. Every club at the top is going to be looking to splash the cash to stay there. Look at the @STLTransferMarkt squad values. In the final season of the Meisterschaft, they had Teussen’s squad valued at T61.75 million. Going into this season? T100.25 million. It’s a massive increase, and Marzig just haven’t invested enough into the rest of the squad in my opinion. They have the star power to compete with anyone in the league head to head, but I don’t think they have the depth through the squad to fight for the title.

MD: Yeah, and to jump in on that one, I think this is a pivotal year for them. We talked about Dusan Korlikov in the last episode and his future - what about Einar Hackl? He’s won a league title with his boyhood club, played IFCF football with them for a number of years. But he looks like he can become a global megastar. If he has a memorable World Cup at home, there will be interest worldwide in his services - and with key national team players like Wolf Wind playing in Valanora, he might want to prove that he can do it outside of the Superklasse, too. 10 years ago, Marzig were a great Cup team who tended to slightly punch above their weight in the league. Now, they’ve become part of the top 5 clubs, mainly due to Olympia and to a lesser extent Chernovets’ struggles timed perfectly with a golden generation. If they want to consolidate what they’ve built, they have to get these next few steps right.

JS: What would it take, then, for Marzig to do better than the 5th place you’ve both predicted?

PL: I mean, 5th is where I think they’ll come if everyone has a normal season. We know Einar Hackl can elevate his game. If he can unlock another gear, one we haven’t seen just yet, in a World Cup year, he could carry Marzig all the way.

MD: I don’t think we can overlook the defence in this, either. Marzig scores a lot - but they’re also just so solid defensively. Silvio Rodl and Thorsten Hertzog are such a good duo at the back, they gave up just 36 goals in 30 games last year. It was 15 in 22 in the title winning season. We know Einar Hackl can score at a ridiculous rate - if they can get a lot of those champions wins, those 1-0 and 2-1s that you fight so hard for, you never know what could happen.

JS: That just about does it for our Superklasse season preview! Miro, Paulus, thank you both so much for joining us! I know we’re all looking forward to getting this season underway - it should be an excellent one with plenty of twists and turns! We’ll find out soon enough how close - or how far off - these predictions are. Until next time, I’m Joachim Sturm.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat May 24, 2025 9:16 pm

Superklasse Season II - Part I

Matchday 1

Karakanovski Fabrika 0–3 FC St. Jakob
1912 Stelburg 3–0 Krutenau Kickers
TSV Marzig 4–2 VfL Reinbronn
FC Rotmunde 1932 0–1 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–0 Energija Chernovets
FC Kaiserhaven 4–4 Marlesee 97
Zvezda Vlaikograd 8–3 Olympia Borograd
FK Pomorie 1–0 FC Teussen Stelburg

And we’re off! The opening match of the season on Friday evening took us to the home of Karakanovski Fabrika for the first time ever in the top flight for that club. A factory team, originally made up of workers from the local armaments facility, they have a small but proud fanbase and displayed a great tifo honouring the history of their club in the build-up to the game. Unfortunately, the on-pitch product was just not there as FC St. Jakob cruised to a 3-0 win, but it’s good to see Karakanovski in the top league. In Stelburg, 1912 Stelburg hosted district neighbours Krutenau Kickers for a mini-derby. It was also 3-0 at the Oststelburgstadion, Ben Bing getting his first goal for the Bluebirds. Plenty of football on the north coast this weekend - TSV Marzig getting their season off to a positive start with an Einar Hackl hat-trick being key to a 4-2 win over VfL Reinbronn, while Rotmunde struggled at home against FK Metropola Borograd who secured a 1-0 win. Songwei Milosevic scored a worldie for Felsenkirchen in a 1-0 win over Chernovets, while FC Kaiserhaven rallied from 2 goals down twice in their match against Marlesee to pick up a key point in their first-ever Superklasse match. Sunday evening saw a shock result as FK Pomorie managed to defeat FC Teussen Stelburg 1-0. Robust defending kept Teussen’s attack frustrated all night, and Marian Hovlak poked one home with just 9 minutes left to secure a massive win for Pomorie.

Zvezda Vlaikograd fans had this one circled on the calendar as soon as the fixtures were released for this season - the first team to face Olympia Borograd on their return to the top tier. Much has been made of this historic rivalry - viewed by many as one-sided in the modern day, with Zvezda caring far more than their rivals in the capital. The atmosphere in the Stadion Ivo Balikov, however, could be compared to any top derby in this league when the sides took to the field on Sunday afternoon. Red smoke and flags filled the air as the Zvezda fans sang anti-Olympia and anti-Borograd songs, while the away support had a few new numbers related to their time in the second tier last season. But it wasn’t a happy return home for the Greens - Zvezda played them off the park in the first half. Dusan Korlikov was at the heart of a crushing victory, with a hat-trick and 2 further assists, while Baker Park international forward Terrell London endeared himself to the fans on debut with 2 goals including the opener against the hated rivals. 8-3 is a thrashing, and Zvezda fans celebrated deep into the night. The Olympia fans making the 2 hour journey home by bus, meanwhile, must be wondering if this will be a long season for them.

Player of the Week: Dusan Korlikov (Zvezda Vlaikograd)

Matchday 2

FC St. Jakob 1–5 FC Teussen Stelburg
Olympia Borograd 3–0 FK Pomorie
Marlesee 97 1–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Energija Chernovets 3–3 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Metropola Borograd 0–0 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
VfL Reinbronn 1–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
Krutenau Kickers 0–1 TSV Marzig
Karakanovski Fabrika 3–5 1912 Stelburg

After last week’s crushing defeat, Olympia Borograd needed to get a victory at home to reset things for this season. And against FK Pomorie on Saturday afternoon, they looked… really solid? We haven’t said that about the Greens in quite some time, but Tomas Kohout scored 7 minutes in to give them a lead against Pomorie, Charles Packard picked up his first in the famous old shirt 15 minutes later, and it was smooth sailing from there. Next week will be a big test, however, as Olympia travel to Stelburg for the first National derby in two years. Zvezda Vlaikograd will be wondering where the powerful offensive display last weekend went, as they hit the post thrice against Marlesee 97 and saw Hans-Jurgen Holtz grab a late winner at the Stadion am Alten Dom for the home side. FC Kaiserhaven rallied again late in their game away at Energija Chernovets, as Norbert Stetter scored 6 minutes into stoppage time in the second half to grab a point for the Sailors. A match between FK Metropola Borograd and FC Felsenkirchen 1879 is one you’d expect to have a lot of goals - especially in recent times, when the sides have battled for trophies and titles. Today, however, it was a dead rubber. Both sides struggled to get much going, the only real chance being a break for Rolando Cutter in the second half. Felsenkirchen will probably be more happy with the point picked up away than Metropola are losing 2 points at home. VfL Reinbronn’s first win of the season was secured with a late Reiner Werkner goal, his first in the green and gold, while Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik grabbed the vital winner for TSV Marzig late on against the Krutenau Kickers. Karakanovski Fabrika actually led 2-0 at one point against 1912 Stelburg, but the new-look Bluebirds offence was firing on all cylinders: 2 from Bing, 2 from Wentibwa, 1 from Heineken - and 4 assists from Xorge Le Meji.

FC Teussen Stelburg were looking for a bit of revenge this week - not against FC St. Jakob specifically, but just in general after a shocking 1-0 loss to FK Pomorie. Playing a second straight match on the road in the nation’s biggest city, Teussen were by far the better of the two sides on the Draistadion pitch. It was 3-0 at the half already, with Reto Zschokke grabbing two and Uwe Seidl having the third, before the Saints pulled one back a few minutes into the second half. There was no real chance of a comeback, however, and Josef Weber added two goals in the closing stages of this one to secure a 5-1 victory for Teussen - and excellent momentum going into next week’s National derby.

Player of the Week: Xorge Le Meji (1912 Stelburg)

Matchday 3

1912 Stelburg 1–2 FC St. Jakob
TSV Marzig 1–0 Karakanovski Fabrika
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–0 Krutenau Kickers
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–1 VfL Reinbronn
FC Kaiserhaven 1–6 FK Metropola Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–3 Energija Chernovets
FK Pomorie 1–1 Marlesee 97
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–1 Olympia Borograd

FC St. Jakob fared much better this week on their trip to Stelburg than they did hosting Teussen last weekend - Gregor Bischoffshausen scored two first-half goals for the Saints and the defence did an excellent job containing the Bluebirds the rest of the way. Bruno Baumer in particular had a 10/10 performance, as the Saints held 1912 Stelburg to just one Xorge Le Meji goal in the Oststelburgstadion to pick up a win. TSV Marzig are top of the league after a 1-0 win over Karakanovski Fabrika - it was Einar Hackl who scored from the penalty spot to put them up 1-0, and ever-solid defending from the backline allowed them to hold onto that margin. Marzig have really made an art form of those 1-0 victories in recent victories, and we’ll see how long they can keep that up this season. Rotmunde would also win 1-0 over the Krutenau Kickers with Heinz-Harald Schmidt scoring an excellent effort from the wing. Felsenkirchen looked very strong at home against VfL Reinbronn, picking up goals from Rolando Cutter, Jesper Porsche and young winger Ingolf Haumann making an appearance off the bench. FK Metropola Borograd, held to 0 goals at home last weekend, exploded for 6 against FC Kaiserhaven this time around. Lionel an Deoir had a hat-trick, Veljko Vadimic knocked in two and Marjan Trstenjek scored the final in a huge win on the south coast against Kaiserhaven. Zvezda Vlaikograd led Energija Chernovets 3-1 in the 80th minute, but it was the Canaries with a big comeback in mind: two Veselin Oresnik goals in the 84th and 89th minutes meant both sides would leave with a point. FK Pomorie also secured a draw at home against Marlesee with a goal from Marian Hovlak.

Matchday 13 of the final season of the Meisterschaft. A cool early spring day in Borograd nearly 2 years ago - that was the last time that the two old enemies, FC Teussen Stelburg and Olympia Borograd, faced each other. Everyone knows what’s happened since: Olympia failed to qualify for the Superklasse in its first season, their financial crisis deepened, and they fought hard to get promoted this season. Teussen, meanwhile, took the next step and won the first edition of the Superklasse and are once again at the top of football in this country. “It’s good for the league to have them back,” said Thorsten Kramer in his pre-match presser - but it was clear the fans of his club did not necessarily agree. All through the match tifos were aimed at the rivals, mocking their financial situation, their season spent outside the top tier, and a ‘in case you missed it’ banner featuring Teussen lifting the league title last season. On the pitch, too, Teussen were relentless. Uwe Seidl scored twice in the first half, but it looked at one moment like Valdemar Buran was going to pull Olympia back into it when he scored in the 43rd minute. It wasn’t too be, however, and Teussen’s high press forced Olympia back before Santutxo Kramer capitalized on a mistake and scored his first goal of the year to make it 3-1. An important win for Teussen, but really, an important win for the country to have this game back.

Player of the Week: Lionel an Deoir (FK Metropola Borograd)

Matchday 4

FC St. Jakob 1–3 Olympia Borograd
Marlesee 97 2–3 FC Teussen Stelburg
Energija Chernovets 1–2 FK Pomorie
FK Metropola Borograd 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
VfL Reinbronn 2–0 FC Kaiserhaven
Krutenau Kickers 0–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Karakanovski Fabrika 1–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
1912 Stelburg 0–1 TSV Marzig

While Olympia Borograd may still have been a little disappointed about their performance in the National derby last week, they were able to put that to the side when they faced FC St. Jakob on Friday evening. Goals from Charles Packard, Tomas Kohout and young midfielder Zhelyazko Cizek made it a 3-1 victory for the Greens, an important one to build confidence after the derby loss. FC Teussen Stelburg were trailing 2-0 against Marlesee on the road, but came back with fury in the second half. Uwe Seidl had it tied by the 75th minute and Josef Weber won it in the 83rd to secure all three points. FK Pomorie have been having a solid start to the year and it continued with a big win away in Chernovets. Drazen Peterka scored both goals in a 2-1 win as Chernovets continue to struggle out of the gate. FK Metropola Borograd were surprised by an excellent Zvezda Vlaikograd side on Saturday evening, with Dusan Korlikov scoring an early goal that saw the Reds lead for the vast majority of the match. It was only when Veljko Vadimic scored from a direct free kick that Metropola salvaged a point, but the message continues to be sent - Zvezda Vlaikograd are a really strong team this year. VfL Reinbronn picked up another win, this time with Jacinto Coutinho scoring twice in the Flughafenstadion for a win over Kaiserhaven. The Krutenau Kickers remain winless after looking a bit hapless at home against Felsenkirchen, two goals from Rolando Cutter really made the difference in that one. Meanwhile, it’s a historic moment for Karakanovski Fabrika as they picked up their first-ever Superklasse victory. Crtomir Strnad scored an early goal for the Riflemen, and Rotmunde couldn’t get anything going on a rainy afternoon as they failed to have a single shot on target in the loss. A huge 3 points for Karakanovski, and no matter what transpires the rest of the way this will be a memorable moment in the club history.

The league leaders TSV Marzig travelled to the Oststelburgstadion on Sunday evening in a clash between two of the biggest clubs in the country, with two vastly different philosophies. Marzig seem to approach every match with the goal of winning 1-0, while 1912 Stelburg prefer to score as many as possible and throw caution to the wind. This time around, it was Marzig’s incredible defending that won the day. Silvio Rodl and Thorsten Hertzog might be the best centre back pairing in the country, and they certainly showed why today as Hertzog in particular made several great clearances and deal with the aerial presence of Ben Bing extremely well. Xorge Le Meji came close a few times for the home side, but just couldn’t find the back of the net. Einar Hackl, meanwhile, didn’t have a great deal of service in this one - but he only needed one chance. A real poacher’s effort gave Marzig the lead and eventually the 3 points - they’ve now kept the ball out of their net for 323 minutes straight.

Player of the Week: Thorsten Hertzog (TSV Marzig)

Matchday 5

TSV Marzig 3–3 FC St. Jakob
FC Rotmunde 1932 0–3 1912 Stelburg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 6–2 Karakanovski Fabrika
FC Kaiserhaven 3–1 Krutenau Kickers
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–1 VfL Reinbronn
FK Pomorie 0–3 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–1 Energija Chernovets
Olympia Borograd 1–3 Marlesee 97

Marzig supporters will be cursing that we mentioned their clean sheet streak in our matchday 5 report - because just 27 minutes into this game, it had been blown apart after a chaotic opening half at the Volksbankstadion. Gregor Bischoffshausen finally broke the streak in just the 3rd minute, but Einar Hackl had Marzig 2-1 up by the 15th minute. FC St. Jakob kept pushing and were rewarded for it - goals from Viktor von Brandt and Bruno Baumer off a corner ball made it 3-2 inside the first half hour. Marzig chased for most of the rest of the game, but Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik had the equalizer just before full time to salvage a point. 1912 Stelburg’s offence was back into top form, with Ben Bing getting two goals and Muhangi Wentibwa another in a 3-0 win over Rotmunde. But it was FC Felsenkirchen 1879 who had the biggest scoring performance of the weekend in a 6-2 demolition of Karakanovski Fabrika. Rolando Cutter scored four times in this one, each one in a different way: a penalty, a header, half-volley off a corner and a regular shot from inside the box. Jesper Porsche joined him with a goal and it was Songwei Milosevic, who assisted on 3 of Cutter’s markers, who had the 6th goal. Kaiserhaven picked up a win after a few rough weeks, an important one over the Krutenau Kickers as Erhard Westler scored a brace for the south coast outfit. Zvezda Vlaikograd were held to a draw as Iztok Gavoda scored for Reinbronn quite late, while FK Metropola Borograd counted on a brace from Marjan Trstenjek in their 3-0 win over Pomorie. FC Teussen Stelburg also stayed in the win column with a victory over Energija Chernovets. Dejan Mesko had the visitors 1-0 up quite early, but Teussen were never really in trouble as Uwe Seidl equalized minutes later and Zschokke & Weber put the finishing touches on it in the second half. Olympia Borograd struggled against Marlesee 97’s excellent counter-attacking strategy on Sunday evening, and lost at home despite dominating the possession numbers as the Domstadtclub took a 3-1 win with the winner scored by Delano London.

Player of the Week: Rolando Cutter (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

Matchday 6

FC St. Jakob 1–2 Marlesee 97
Energija Chernovets 1–0 Olympia Borograd
FK Metropola Borograd 3–5 FC Teussen Stelburg
VfL Reinbronn 1–5 FK Pomorie
Krutenau Kickers 1–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Karakanovski Fabrika 3–3 FC Kaiserhaven
1912 Stelburg 0–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
TSV Marzig 6–0 FC Rotmunde 1932

Marlesee 97’s second straight win was another excellent performance on the road as they defeated FC St. Jakob by the score of 2-1. Gregor Bischoffshausen gave the Saints an early lead, but Marlesee always looked dangerous - and two second half goals from Hans-Jurgen Holtz gave the Blues a key win. They’ve been the surprise package of the league so far and sit 5th in the table. Energija Chernovets needed a win badly against Olympia Borograd - and following an incredible defensive performance, they would get all 3 points at home in the Energija-Arena. Is this the spark they need to push for IFCF football this year? It’s been a rough start, but we’re not too deep into the season yet and with more performances like this one, anything is possible. FK Pomorie opened the floodgates against VfL Reinbronn with a big 5-1 win, Marian Hovlak getting two goals in that one while even defender Filip Kovar got involved in the scoring for the Guards. Zvezda Vlaikograd’s good start to the year continued against the Krutenau Kickers with an important 3-1 win. Terrell London had two goals while Rogelio Chianese scored the third in the victory. Karakanovski Fabrika showed fighting spirit at home as they rallied from 3-1 down against Kaiserhaven to come back and secure a hugely important draw for themselves in the relegation fight. 1912 Stelburg seem to be very hit or miss at the moment - they either score in bunches or score none at all. This weekend, it was none at all, as a ferocious performance from Felsenkirchen saw the Blues beat the Bluebirds 3-0. Songwei Milosevic was the man of the match with a goal and two assists but also an excellent performance at the back. The closest 1912 came was a Ben Bing header off the crossbar. TSV Marzig, meanwhile, kept a 4th clean sheet through 6 games - but this time seemed to feel like just 1 goal wasn’t enough. Einar Hackl had 4 in this one, Luciano Clotieri added another while Mats Winter capped off the scoring for the home side as Marzig keep pace with Felsenkirchen at the top.

A clash between two of the top teams in the country is always worth watching, and this edition of FK Metropola Borograd hosting FC Teussen Stelburg at the Stadion Razdrto ended up being quite an entertaining one. Both sides needed a win to keep pace with the current leaders of the division, and this game was played with the intensity one might find later in the season when the title is really on the line. Metropola took an early 1-0 lead through Lionel an Deoir, but Teussen were up 3-1 by the halftime after Hans Gruber, Uwe Seidl and Josef Weber took turns at scoring. Metropola made some key adjustments in the second half and looked to be back into it once Veljko Vadimic made it 3-2. The Vijolicni were awarded a penalty minutes later, looking to equalize - but it was stopped by Sepp Kranz, and Teussen would go all the way down the field to score on the ensuing counter in an absolutely wild minute of action. Reto Zschokke extended the lead to 5-2 with 10 minutes to go, and while Metropola would pull one back in stoppage time, it wasn’t enough - a huge victory for Teussen on the road, showing their great mentality once again.

Player of the Week: Einar Hackl (TSV Marzig)

With one-fifth of the season completed, let’s take a look in at the league table!

 # Superklasse               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879       6    5   1   0    16    3  +13    16
 2 TSV Marzig                  6    5   1   0    16    5  +11    16
 3 FC Teussen Stelburg         6    5   0   1    19    9  +10    15
 4 FK Metropola Borograd       6    3   2   1    14    7   +7    11
 5 Marlesee 97                 6    3   2   1    13   10   +3    11
 6 FK Pomorie                  6    3   1   2     9    9    0    10
 7 Zvezda Vlaikograd           6    2   3   1    16   10   +6     9
 8 1912 Stelburg               6    3   0   3    12    9   +3     9
 9 FC St. Jakob                6    2   1   3    11   14   −3     7
10 VfL Reinbronn               6    2   1   3     8   13   −5     7
11 FC Kaiserhaven              6    1   3   2    14   19   −5     6
12 Olympia Borograd            6    2   0   4    11   16   −5     6
13 Energija Chernovets         6    1   2   3     9   12   −3     5
14 Karakanovski Fabrika        6    1   1   4     9   18   −9     4
15 FC Rotmunde 1932            6    1   0   5     1   12  −11     3
16 Krutenau Kickers            6    0   0   6     2   14  −12     0

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun May 25, 2025 9:18 pm

Superklasse Season II - Part II

Matchday 7

FC Rotmunde 1932 4–4 FC St. Jakob
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–1 TSV Marzig
FC Kaiserhaven 0–8 1912 Stelburg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 5–1 Karakanovski Fabrika
FK Pomorie 1–1 Krutenau Kickers
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–0 VfL Reinbronn
Olympia Borograd 0–3 FK Metropola Borograd
Marlesee 97 3–0 Energija Chernovets

Goals, goals and more goals this weekend - but how were they divided up? In Rotmunde, things were pretty much even - with FC St. Jakob rallying from a 4-2 deficit in the second half to come back including a last-minute equalizer from Gregor Bischoffshausen. On the south coast in Kaiserhaven, the same number of goals were scored - but they were very much not even. 1912 Stelburg absolutely annihilated the home side on a sunny Saturday afternoon, with Xorge Le Meji getting 5 goals on his own and also assisting on two more - Ben Bing’s hat-trick getting overshadowed by the exploits of the national team takilante. Zvezda Vlaikograd also won big, with Terrell London’s excellent start to life in the Superklasse continuing thanks to a brace in the 5-1 win for the home side over Karakanovski Fabrika. The Krutenau Kickers got some help with a late own goal from FK Pomorie in order to achieve their first point of the season, while FC Teussen Stelburg picked up an important home win over VfL Reinbronn thanks to a brace from Reto Zschokke. Marlesee 97’s excellent start to the season continued on Monday evening as they beat Energija Chernovets 3-0 at home, with Heinz-Jurgen Holtz continuing to show why he is one of the top-rated young forwards in this league. One of the most important games of the weekend saw #1 face #2 when Felsenkirchen hosted Marzig - on this occasion, however, there was nothing between them. Felsenkirchen scored first when Joachim Koegel earned a penalty inside the box after being tripped by Arnold Apel, Rolando Cutter duly converted his chance - but Marzig would equalize through Einar Hackl in the second half to send the sides away on equal grounds. That meant, however, that FC Teussen Stelburg snuck ahead of them to now sit 1st after 7 matches.

This weekend also marked the return of the Borograd derby to the Superklasse. Despite a year apart, the hatred between these sides showed absolutely no signs of having died down on Sunday afternoon. The travelling Metropola supporters let the Olympia fans know exactly what they think about them, while the Olympia fans made no secret of the fact that their anger at Marjan Trstenjek still burns hot. Trstenjek, the one-time Green and current Violet, was the target of whistles and jeers every time he touched the ball - but that didn’t stop him from being the one to open the scoring. Despite all the vitriol, Trstenjek chose not to celebrate against his former club - but was still the target of bottles of various beverages being thrown his way in the aftermath, which led to both sides leaving the pitch for 15 minutes while the police removed the worst offenders. After the return to the pitch, it was really all Metropola the rest of the way. Lionel an Deoir and Antoine Gafford had the other two goals for the side in purple as they cruised to a 3-0 win over the eternal rivals. “What can I say?,” said Trstenjek after the game about the vitriol Olympia fans have for him. “I was a fan too. I understand it. All I can do is not let it get to me and play my best football.”

Player of the Week: Xorge Le Meji (1912 Stelburg)

Matchday 8

FC St. Jakob 2–1 Energija Chernovets
FK Metropola Borograd 4–4 Marlesee 97
VfL Reinbronn 0–3 Olympia Borograd
Krutenau Kickers 1–1 FC Teussen Stelburg
Karakanovski Fabrika 1–2 FK Pomorie
1912 Stelburg 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
TSV Marzig 2–0 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Energija Chernovets, what is going on? It’s another loss for them, this time away to FC St. Jakob - and they are now sitting above the relegation zone only on goal difference. There’s still a long way to go in this season, but they need to sort things out fast to have any hope at all of getting into the fight for IFCF football. Marlesee 97’s great start continued on Saturday as they managed to hold FK Metropola Borograd to a draw in a very high-scoring contest. It was a seesaw game that saw Marlesee lead 2-0 after 30 minutes, Metropola leading 3-2 and 4-3 in the final stages, and finally Marko Sieger being the hero for the visiting side to secure a point. Meanwhile, Olympia Borograd recovered from last weekend’s derby day loss to grab a hugely important away win over VfL Reinbronn. Charles Packard hasn’t taken long to adjust to the Superklasse, and he had two goals for the Greens in this one to get them the three points. FC Teussen Stelburg were held to a draw by the Krutenau Kickers in a very surprising result - but Teussen might be more worried about the consequences of an injury suffered by Benedikt Tannenberg in the closing stages. Tannenberg has had a solid start to life at Teussen so far this year, but this injury looked bad and could keep him out for some time. We’ll have a further update next week on his status. FK Pomorie came from behind to defeat Karakanovski Fabrika, a late winner coming from Marian Hovlak, while 1912 Stelburg and Zvezda Vlaikograd played out a very exciting game that ended 1-1, Dusan Korlikov getting the equalizer for the Reds. TSV Marzig temporarily went to the top of the league on Sunday night after a solid 2-0 win over Kaiserhaven in which Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik scored both goals, but they would have to wait for the results of the Northeastern derby to see if they would hold onto that top spot.

One of those derbies that is always exciting for the neutral, especially in recent years with plenty of goals shared between these teams, Monday evening’s Northeastern derby was no different in excitement. Rotmunde’s Stadion Veisel would play host to the first matchup of the year between Rotmunde and Felsenkirchen as they battled for supremacy on the north coast, and the home side looked very much up for it early on. Heinrich Gruber got them on the board first, 1-0 up, and for a moment it looked like Heinz-Harald Schmidt had them 2-0 up but it was correctly waved off by the linesman for offside. A stroke of luck for Felsenkirchen, and they’d take full advantage minutes later as Rolando Cutter evened things up. Jesper Porsche put Felsenkirchen ahead 2-1 in the opening minutes of the second half, but Rotmunde were still very much in it - until a rash challenge from Korbinian Bosch on the Kelssek international Cutter earned Bosch a red card and Cutter a penalty. After converting to make it 3-1, Dieter Rosberg would add another goal late to make it 4-1 and secure the victory for the Cogs, who return to the top of the league table.

Player of the Week: Marko Sieger (Marlesee 97)

Matchday 9

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–1 FC St. Jakob
FC Kaiserhaven 1–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–0 TSV Marzig
FK Pomorie 1–2 1912 Stelburg
FC Teussen Stelburg 2–0 Karakanovski Fabrika
Olympia Borograd 4–1 Krutenau Kickers
Marlesee 97 2–1 VfL Reinbronn
Energija Chernovets 4–4 FK Metropola Borograd

Another nice win for Felsenkirchen keeps them at the top of the table, as they score twice in the first half at home against FC St. Jakob to secure victory. Dieter Rosberg scored a magic direct free kick goal in the second half to add to the lead. Norbert Stetter opened the scoring just 16 seconds into Kaiserhaven’s match with Rotmunde, but the Islanders would answer with a goal of their own in the 4th minute - the sides felt content with those goals, it seems, and the match ended 1-1. TSV Marzig’s excellent run as of late came to an end on the road against hated rivals Zvezda Vlaikograd, with Dusan Korlikov’s late winner being the subject of wild celebrations for the Reds. Zvezda now sit 6th in the league and their fans are beginning to really dream about playing IFCF football next year. 1912 Stelburg had to fight perhaps a bit more than they would’ve expected against FK Pomorie, but in the end they get the win 2-1 thanks to two goals from the Banijan winger Muhangi Wentibwa. FC Teussen Stelburg beat Karakanovski Fabrika 2-0, but got the bad news in the run-up to the match that Benedikt Tannenberg is likely done for the year after his injury in last week’s game. Reinhard Listner got the start today, but we’ll see how Teussen’s defence is impacted by the loss as they have a tough run of games coming up including a Stelburg derby next weekend. Charles Packard scored a second brace in as many weeks as Olympia Borograd defeated the Krutenau Kickers, while Hans-Jurgen Holtz had a brace of his own in Marlesee’s win over Reinbronn. Energija Chernovets can take some inspiration from their rally at home against FK Metropola Borograd, as they came from down 3-0 to end up drawing the match 4-4 after an incredible performance from Dejan Mesko on the right flank, the fullback picking up 3 assists. Metropola, meanwhile, will be wondering how they threw the victory away after an inspired first half from Veljko Vadimic saw him score two goals.

Player of the Week: Dejan Mesko (Energija Chernovets)

Matchday 10

FC St. Jakob 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd
VfL Reinbronn 2–3 Energija Chernovets
Krutenau Kickers 3–1 Marlesee 97
Karakanovski Fabrika 2–0 Olympia Borograd
1912 Stelburg 4–0 FC Teussen Stelburg
TSV Marzig 3–1 FK Pomorie
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–3 FC Kaiserhaven

What a crazy, crazy weekend in the Superklasse! Derbies and upsets all over the place in the country this weekend, and it all started on Friday night as Marjan Trstenjek scored a late equalizer for Metropola Borograd to salvage a second straight draw for the Vijolicni. It’s not good enough for a team hoping to challenge for the title this year, however, and they will need to pull out of this very soon to make a charge at the top. Chernovets, meanwhile, get just their second win of the season after a great goal from Aengus Gosling in the closing stages of their trip to Reinbronn. Marlesee 97 have had an incredible start to the year but this loss to Krutenau is certainly one to forget for them. The Kickers picked up their first win of the season through goals from Falko Meier, Hourisse Tautierre and Gustaf Siegel. Another shock win for a side threatened by relegation as Karakanovski Fabrika fans will surely be drinking in every second of this one: a victory for their club over Olympia Borograd at home. Sure, it’s not Olympia at their full power - but it’s the same badge and the same shirt and you could tell from the celebrations at full time just how much this meant to the Karakanovski players and supporters. Crtomir Strnad had the brace that will go down in that club’s lore. FC Rotmunde 1932 have had a very poor start to the season and sit at the bottom of the league after a defeat at home to Zvezda Vlaikograd, Terrell London getting the winner, while south coast shocked north coast as FC Kaiserhaven scored 3 first half goals in a big win over Felsenkirchen.

Two derbies on Sunday afternoon this week - we’ll start in the Kaiserstadt as 1912 Stelburg hosted FC Teussen Stelburg at the Oststelburgstadion. It was not a pretty watch for those 6000 Teussen away supporters in the upper deck. Xorge Le Meji ran the show like clockwork, scoring twice on his own and assisting goals for Alois Heineken and Ben Bing in the second half. Teussen just never really looked on their game today, and the performance of Reinhard Listner at the back, frankly, did not give great confidence that he can be a reliable replacement for Benedikt Tannenberg. The 34 year old has given a lot to this club over the years, but today he looked very much his age. The Bluebirds, who had a rocky start in the first few matches of this season, are now just 4 points off Felsenkirchen at the top of the table and will be looking to get themselves involved in the title fight the rest of the way.

Across the country, it was also time for the first Pomorie-Marzig derby of the year. The fiercest rivalry in Siovanija & Teusland, away fans continue to be banned for the third straight season due to tensions both in the city and politically at the national level. That ban did not stop a clash between hooligans from both sides in the city centre hours before the match, in which police quickly intervened and arrested 27. Marzig supporters displayed a tifo before the match depicting a Teus knight from the 15th century Battle of Marzig, a Teus soldier from the era of the Great War, and a modern-day Marzig supporter, with the text ‘Forever defending our city’ - it’s probably for the best the away fans were banned, because Pomorie fans would certainly view this as a major provocation. On the pitch, though, it was all Marzig in the Volksbankstadion. Einar Hackl is a veteran of these derby matches by now, and with 2 goals today he’s actually become the all-time scoring leader in the history of the rivalry. Wei Delan had the other goal for Marzig in a 3-1 win that sees them tied on points with Felsenkirchen at the top.

Player of the Week: Xorge Le Meji (1912 Stelburg)

Matchday 11

FC Kaiserhaven 1–1 FC St. Jakob
Zvezda Vlaikograd 3–6 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Pomorie 1–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Teussen Stelburg 0–1 TSV Marzig
Olympia Borograd 1–4 1912 Stelburg
Marlesee 97 1–2 Karakanovski Fabrika
Energija Chernovets 2–0 Krutenau Kickers
FK Metropola Borograd 1–0 VfL Reinbronn

FC Kaiserhaven picked up another good point for themselves in the relegation battle, as Norbert Stetter scored a late goal to equalize against FC St. Jakob on Friday evening at the Stadion Kaiserhaven. Meanwhile, the title of most exciting match of the round certainly belonged to the Zvezda-Felsenkirchen clash. The score was already 4-3 for the Cogs at halftime after an explosive first half, Rolando Cutter getting a hat-trick in those first 45 minutes, and Felsenkirchen were able to pull away in the second half with another goal from Cutter and two from Jesper Porsche and Arne Repnik, keeping them at the top of the league table. Rotmunde have their second win of the season and have pulled themselves out of the bottom spot in the division after a key 3-1 win on the road against FK Pomorie, the away fans really pushed the players on to this victory and it will be key in their fight for survival this season. 1912 Stelburg blitzed Olympia Borograd just like they did Teussen last week, and with a similar result: 4-1 the final for the visitors, as Ben Bing managed a hat-trick in the big win. Marlesee 97 have enjoyed a great run in the league so far, but they were not on it at all Sunday afternoon against Karakanovski Fabrika as the visitors knocked in two goals late in the second half to pick up a huge away win in their relegation battle. Energija Chernovets’ improvement in recent weeks carried over to a 2-0 win over the Krutenau Kickers, while it was a goal from late sub Nyle Astericks that gave FK Metropola Borograd the victory over VfL Reinbronn. The biggest match of the week was TSV Marzig taking on FC Teussen Stelburg at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, and it was a ‘Marzig special’ as the visitors went 1-0 up early through a goal from Bjorn Panzer before holding on all the way till the final whistle, fighting hard for a 1-0 win to keep them level on points with Felsenkirchen.

Player of the Week: Rolando Cutter (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

Matchday 12

FC St. Jakob 2–2 VfL Reinbronn
Krutenau Kickers 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd
Karakanovski Fabrika 0–3 Energija Chernovets
1912 Stelburg 2–1 Marlesee 97
TSV Marzig 2–1 Olympia Borograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 5–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0–0 FK Pomorie
FC Kaiserhaven 0–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd

It’s not really considered a derby for either side, with both having bigger rivals elsewhere in the nation - but St. Jakob and Reinbronn are the closest clubs to each other by distance in the Superklasse, separated by just 57km, and for Reinbronn especially there is always a hope they can beat their neighbours from the big city. Today, however, the spoils were shared - Gregor Bischoffshausen scoring both of the goals for St. Jakob in the draw. Krutenau stunned FK Metropola Borograd with a late equalizer to steal a vital point in the relegation fight, while Energija Chernovets cruised to a 3-0 win over Karakanovski Fabrika. Some expected 1912 Stelburg to have a tough time with Marlesee 97, but two early Xorge Le Meji goals pretty much put that one to bed. TSV Marzig got a 2-1 win as well, over Olympia Borograd, that takes them up to first place in the league after 12 matches. Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik had the winner in that one at the Volksbankstadion. What is going on in Stelburg? FC Teussen got blown apart 2 weeks ago by rivals 1912, and now this week shipped 5 goals against bottom-feeders Rotmunde. Heinz-Harald Schmidt scored a hat-trick in the best performance of his young career to date. That makes it 3 losses in a row for the gold and black, who are indeed balancing a harsh fixture calendar with international football - but really, that’s no excuse. The pairing of Reinhard Listner and Sebastian Rosler is just not working at the back, the offence has gone quiet - and Thorsten Kramer will be considering what changes he needs to make ahead of next week’s Klassiker when Teussen will welcome Felsenkirchen to the Franz-Gorz-Stadion. Felsenkirchen’s preparation match for that one, however, ended pretty poorly as the Cogs slipped to a 0-0 draw with FK Pomorie to fall to second in the table. The final match of the weekend also ended in a 0-0, as Zvezda Vlaikograd missed a penalty late on away in Kaiserhaven and the sides split the points.

Player of the Week: Heinz-Harald Schmidt (FC Rotmunde 1932)

As we close in on the halfway point of the season, and with some key fixtures coming up, let’s check in at the league table.

 # Superklasse               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 TSV Marzig                 12    9   2   1    25    9  +16    29
 2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      12    8   3   1    31   12  +19    27
 3 1912 Stelburg              12    8   1   3    33   13  +20    25
 4 FC Teussen Stelburg        12    7   1   4    27   20   +7    22
 5 FK Metropola Borograd      12    5   6   1    28   17  +11    21
 6 Zvezda Vlaikograd          12    5   5   2    28   19   +9    20
 7 Marlesee 97                12    5   3   4    25   22   +3    18
 8 Energija Chernovets        12    4   3   5    22   23   −1    15
 9 FK Pomorie                 12    4   3   5    15   19   −4    15
10 FC St. Jakob               12    3   5   4    22   26   −4    14
11 Olympia Borograd           12    4   0   8    20   28   −8    12
12 FC Kaiserhaven             12    2   6   4    19   32  −13    12
13 FC Rotmunde 1932           12    3   2   7    16   26  −10    11
14 Karakanovski Fabrika       12    3   1   8    15   31  −16    10
15 VfL Reinbronn              12    2   2   8    13   27  −14     8
16 Krutenau Kickers           12    1   3   8     9   24  −15     6

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Fri May 30, 2025 10:21 pm

Superklasse Season II - Part III

Matchday 13

Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–0 FC St. Jakob
FK Pomorie 5–0 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Olympia Borograd 3–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
Marlesee 97 1–4 TSV Marzig
Energija Chernovets 1–1 1912 Stelburg
FK Metropola Borograd 5–0 Karakanovski Fabrika
VfL Reinbronn 1–0 Krutenau Kickers

Back in action with some major wins this weekend - it started with Zvezda Vlaikograd getting a late goal from Dusan Korlikov to break the deadlock at the Red Castle against FC St. Jakob, taking them up to 5th place in the league. FK Pomorie destroyed Kaiserhaven, 5-0 being the final with fullback Filip Kovar scoring a goal and getting in on 3 assists for the Guards. Olympia Borograd cruised to a 3-0 win over FC Rotmunde 1932 with Tomas Kohout getting involved in all 3 - a goal, an assist, and another assist via winning a penalty that was converted by Charles Packard. TSV Marzig put Marlesee 97 to the sword, scoring 4 goals in a ferocious first half performance, Einar Hackl and Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik getting two each. 1912 Stelburg were held to a draw by Energija Chernovets at the Energija-Arena, with Veselin Oresnik scoring the opening goal from the spot before Ben Bing equalized from a corner. FK Metropola Borograd shot down Karakanovski Fabrika’s hopes of stealing any result on the road this weekend, with Lionel an Deoir scoring a hat-trick in that one. Finally, Jacinto Coutinho had the goal for VfL Reinbronn to defeat the Krutenau Kickers in a much-needed win for the relegation-threatened Hunters.

The ‘classic of Teusland,’ as it has become known in recent years, is the match between FC Teussen Stelburg and FC Felsenkirchen 1879. In recent years much has been made of Felsenkirchen’s seeming inability to defeat Teussen, most famously seen last season when the Cogs looked to be sailing on course for a title until they were humiliated at home by the gold and black. Have we just seen a reverse of fortunes today? Teussen have struggled in recent weeks to get anything going in all areas of the game, and even though Uwe Seidl opened the scoring, you could still sense a nervy energy around the team. When Rolando Cutter equalized just before halftime, you had the sense the dam could burst - and it did in the second half. Ingolf Haumann, Jesper Porsche and Valterri Tirel all had goals for the Cogs as they ran away with this one, 4-1. After the match, Thorsten Kramer was asked if he can continue putting the pairing of Reinhard Listner and Sebastian Rosler out when it’s clear it’s not working. “I’ve been asking that myself,” he responded. No news yet on if the selection will change next week, but with goalkeeper Sepp Kranz demanding “more effort and more passion,” something has to give.

Player of the Week: Filip Kovar (FK Pomorie)

Matchday 14

FC St. Jakob 2–1 Krutenau Kickers
Karakanovski Fabrika 0–6 VfL Reinbronn
1912 Stelburg 0–0 FK Metropola Borograd
TSV Marzig 1–1 Energija Chernovets
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–0 Marlesee 97
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–1 Olympia Borograd
FC Kaiserhaven 2–5 FC Teussen Stelburg
Zvezda Vlaikograd 4–0 FK Pomorie

FC St. Jakob got a late winner from Bruno Baumer in the Draistadion to claim all 3 points against the Krutenau Kickers, a massive result for the Hafenstadt club to take them up to 10th place in the league and even further away from the relegation zone. Another team doing just that was VfL Reinbronn, who absolutely demolished Karakanovski Fabrika on an afternoon to forget for the Riflemen. Reiner Werkner scored the first hat-trick of his time in the green-gold shirt, while Federonise Alord also had two. 1912 Stelburg and FK Metropola Borograd celebrated 40 years of their fanfreundschaft between respective ultra groups with a brilliant tifo in both ends… and really showed their friendliness for each other by not scoring a single goal and sharing the points in a 0-0 draw. Energija Chernovets saved a point late away in Marzig with a goal from Veselin Oresnik cancelling out Wei Delan’s earlier tally, while Rotmunde had 2 on Marlesee to pull themselves further out of the relegation zone. Felsenkirchen would’ve been hoping for an outright win against Olympia Borograd, but a late goal from Tomas Kohout means that the points were shared also at Mollin Park. The big news of the week was at FC Teussen Stelburg, where veteran defender Reinhard Listner was dropped in favour of youth academy graduate Emil von Tessin. The 18-year-old von Tessin looked… excellent on his debut! Teussen as a whole looked a much different side from the one that has struggled so much of late, and Uwe Seidl’s hat-trick gave them a big win over FC Kaiserhaven to hopefully bring back good times to the Stelburg outfit. Zvezda Vlaikograd, meanwhile, got 2 goals and 2 assists from Dusan Korlikov in an important win over FK Pomorie to keep up the pace in the IFCF fight.

Player of the Week: Uwe Seidl (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 15

FK Pomorie 2–0 FC St. Jakob
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Olympia Borograd 2–2 FC Kaiserhaven
Marlesee 97 1–5 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Energija Chernovets 2–4 FC Rotmunde 1932
FK Metropola Borograd 1–2 TSV Marzig
VfL Reinbronn 1–3 1912 Stelburg
Krutenau Kickers 1–0 Karakanovski Fabrika

FK Pomorie’s solid season continues as we hit the halfway point with them grabbing all 3 points at home against FC St. Jakob thanks to two first half goals. Meanwhile, FC Teussen Stelburg faced a tough opponent in Zvezda Vlaikograd - but they came out on top, limiting the Reds to a solitary Terrell London goal while getting markers from Santutxo Kramer, Reto Zschokke and Josef Weber en route to a 3-1 win. Olympia Borograd led 2-0 in the first 15 minutes through Charles Packard, but Kaiserhaven pegged them back in the second half to steal away a point from their trip to the national capital. Marlesee 97 have fallen off a bit in recent weeks, and it really continued today as Felsenkirchen defeated them 5-1, Jesper Porsche having a goal and 4 assists in this one showing that even as he approaches his mid-30s he still has incredible skill. Felsenkirchen’s rivals Rotmunde also got an excellent win this weekend against Energija Chernovets. Certainly the underdogs in this one, the Islanders showed great resolve in the second half to come from 2-1 down to win 4-2 through goals from Heinrich Gruber (x2) and Heinz-Harald Schmidt. The biggest clash of the round saw TSV Marzig travel to the capital to face FK Metropola Borograd. The Marzigers took the lead 1-0 early through a goal from Bjorn Panzer, but FK Metropola Borograd had most of the run of play in the first half and before the break had equalized with a great goal from Marjan Trstenjek on a solo effort. Marzig would come out fighting in the second half, however, and Einar Hackl grabs the winner that keeps them atop the table. Xorge Le Meji had two goals and assisted Ben Bing for a third in 1912 Stelburg’s 3-1 win over VfL Reinbronn, while in a battle of two teams who have had a poor first half of the season and needed something positive entering the second half, a goal from Falko Meier gives the Krutenau Kickers a much needed win.

Player of the Week: Jesper Porsche (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

Matchday 16

FC St. Jakob 5–1 Karakanovski Fabrika
Krutenau Kickers 1–1 1912 Stelburg
VfL Reinbronn 1–1 TSV Marzig
FK Metropola Borograd 2–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
Energija Chernovets 3–0 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Marlesee 97 0–1 FC Kaiserhaven
Olympia Borograd 3–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–0 FK Pomorie

The second half of the season really got underway with a bang! FC St. Jakob started it off, a Gregor Bischoffshausen hat-trick at the Draistadion under the lights on Friday night helping lift the Saints to a 5-1 victory over a Karakanovski Fabrika side that seem more and more doomed with each passing week. The Krutenau Kickers, meanwhile, saved a point in the mini Stelburg derby after a great goal near the end of the match from Hourisse Tautierre that had the home fans going crazy. VfL Reinbronn held TSV Marzig to a draw as well, Einar Hackl’s early goal getting cancelled out by an equalizer from Reiner Werkner. FK Metropola Borograd were left stunned as FC Rotmunde 1932 came from 2-0 down in the second half to win the game 3-2, including an 89th minute winner from Heinz-Harald Schmidt. Schmidt has been having a great season and is a huge part of why Rotmunde are now in the top 10. For Metropola, however, it means they now sit 12 points back of TSV Marzig in first place - quite the gap, and they are actually behind Zvezda Vlaikograd at the moment. Another Northeastern club also had a bit of a shock result - but for Felsenkirchen, it was a brutal defeat on a rainy Saturday evening at the Energija-Arena. Dejan Mesko had all three assists as Chernovets defeated Felsenkirchen 3-0. South coast proved superior to the north as Norbert Stetter gave Kaiserhaven a win over Marlesee, while the most exciting action of the weekend was in Borograd without a doubt in the Red-Green derby. While Zvezda thumped Olympia 8-3 on opening day at the Red Castle, the Greens this time around raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first half. The Reds clawed things back, Dusan Korlikov getting two and setting up a Terrell London goal that many thought would stand as the winner - but Charles Packard would strike again for his hat-trick 2 minutes into stoppage time to salvage a point. FC Teussen Stelburg, meanwhile, had little trouble avenging their opening day defeat in Pomorie and defeated the visiting Guards 3-0.

Player of the Week: Charles Packard (Olympia Borograd)

Matchday 17

FC Teussen Stelburg 6–0 FC St. Jakob
FK Pomorie 0–0 Olympia Borograd
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–3 Marlesee 97
FC Kaiserhaven 2–2 Energija Chernovets
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–0 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–1 VfL Reinbronn
TSV Marzig 2–0 Krutenau Kickers
1912 Stelburg 2–2 Karakanovski Fabrika

Ever since Emil von Tessin got added to FC Teussen Stelburg’s starting XI, things have been nothing but rosy for the legendary outfit - 3 wins in a row, and now this weekend a 6-0 demolition of St. Jakob. The young defender, famous for being the only player in the entire division to… wear glasses as he plays? Interesting. But anyways, while he has been a revelation so far, the biggest factor in this turnaround is really the offensive output. Uwe Seidl managed a hat-trick, Josef Weber got on the scoresheet again and Reto Zschokke had the remaining goals in the big victory. Santutxo Kramer had an excellent performance and assisted on 5 of the goals. Weather conditions were poor in Pomorie this weekend, and on a windy, rainy evening Pomorie and Olympia could not manage to find the back of the net. Marlesee 97 got their first win in a few matches against Zvezda Vlaikograd, a good statement from the Blues that they will hope to continue their form into the second half of the year. Chernovets pulled it back late against Kaiserhaven to grab an important point, while the biggest game of the weekend was always going to be Felsenkirchen hosting Metropola. These two have played some intense matches in recent memory - but this one, frankly, wasn’t one. Felsenkirchen played them off the park, two goals in the first half from former Olympia man Rolando Cutter serving as a dagger for his old rivals and Jochen Koegel adding one in the second half for insurance. FC Rotmunde 1932, also playing at home on Sunday afternoon, beat VfL Reinbronn 2-1 to continue their recent purple patch. Two from Einar Hackl lets TSV Marzig stay at the top of the league - they had much better weather on Sunday than their city rivals Pomorie had experienced the day before. Karakanovski Fabrika have mostly been marked as already relegated by most fans, but they showed why you can never underestimate anyone in this division as they really stole a point from 1912 Stelburg at the Oststelburgstadion, Crtomir Strnad scoring a penalty and knocking one in from a corner kick to make it 2-2.

Player of the Match: Santutxo Kramer (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 18

FC St. Jakob 1–3 1912 Stelburg
Karakanovski Fabrika 0–3 TSV Marzig
Krutenau Kickers 4–3 FC Rotmunde 1932
VfL Reinbronn 1–5 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FK Metropola Borograd 3–0 FC Kaiserhaven
Energija Chernovets 2–3 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Marlesee 97 2–2 FK Pomorie
Olympia Borograd 5–1 FC Teussen Stelburg

Another incredible weekend in the Superklasse. Muhangi Wentibwa scored a hat-trick as 1912 Stelburg defeated FC St. Jakob 3-1 on the road on Friday evening, an important win for the Bluebirds in their fight for IFCF football. TSV Marzig, meanwhile, kept a hold on the league lead after a solid victory over Karakanovski Fabrika, 3-0 for the Knights as Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik had two goals. Krutenau and Rotmunde went back and forth in a seesaw clash, with Krutenau giving themselves some hope with a late goal to win it and grab all 3 points. Felsenkirchen continued their momentum from last week’s win over Metropola to defeat Reinbronn 5-1, this one was never really close and a hat-trick from Rolando Cutter sealed the deal. Metropola Borograd, meanwhile, recovered from the loss last week with an incisive victory at home over Kaiserhaven - one in which Veljko Vadimic scored an excellent goal from outside the box that will go down as one of the season’s best. Zvezda Vlaikograd can really sense that as we get into the closing stages of the season they have a real shot at IFCF football - and they just seem to find a way to get results no matter what. This time, it was Terrell London converting a 90+3 penalty to grab the win after a flurry of controversy surrounding a tackle from Brian Kilcullen in the box. Hans-Jurgen Holtz had both goals for Marlesee 97, meanwhile, as they came from behind to draw with Pomorie.

The National derby returned this weekend, following FC Teussen Stelburg’s win in the home leg - and with both teams looking stronger in recent weeks, there was a lot of excitement about this one. It has been a few years now - isolation was still ongoing, in fact - since Olympia had defeated Teussen, and many Greens fans were optimistic about a big game for the first time in a very long while. That optimism really, really paid off. Things went horribly for Teussen right away. Before they had even had a touch of the ball, a good spell of possession for Olympia paid off with a free break for Tomas Kohout - and goalkeeper Sepp Kranz was sent off for a last man challenge, penalty given, Kohout converts. 1-0 3 minutes in and Teussen down to 10 men. Teussen fought hard after this and stayed in it, actually coming close to a goal early, but the most controversial moment of the game saw Rolf Reichenbach become the second Teussen player to see red in the first 30 minutes of the game after a tackle on Valdemar Buran. Teussen were furious, the bench erupting onto the pitch, and an assistant manager was also shown red. From here, it was all Olympia - they showed no mercy, going up 5-0 by the middle of the second half. The only thing that Teussen supporters might want to remember about this game is that young Vito Reichmann, tipped as a future star in the forward position, was subbed on and scored quite a beautiful goal for the first of his senior career to make it 5-1. Tomas Kohout was overjoyed after the game: “We know we aren’t back where we belong yet, but today is a moment for everyone to cherish - because our fans know for sure now we’re on the right path.” Thorsten Kramer, meanwhile, was apoplectic: “Unacceptable. I don’t think there was a single positive from today. Poor decision making, poor play, everything was poor. This is one where we will simply burn the tape recording and move on.” Sepp Kranz was fined T5000 by the STFA for his challenge, and the usually so calm national team goalkeeper released a statement apologizing to the Teussen fans for his brutal mistake.

Player of the Week: Tomas Kohout (Olympia Borograd)

As we cross the halfway point and head towards the home stretch of the season, let’s check in with the league table.

 # Superklasse               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 TSV Marzig                 18   13   4   1    38   13  +25    43
 2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      18   12   4   2    49   19  +30    40
 3 1912 Stelburg              18   10   5   3    43   19  +24    35
 4 FC Teussen Stelburg        18   11   1   6    46   32  +14    34
 5 Zvezda Vlaikograd          18    8   6   4    41   30  +11    30
 6 FK Metropola Borograd      18    7   7   4    39   25  +14    28
 7 FK Pomorie                 18    6   5   7    24   28   −4    23
 8 FC Rotmunde 1932           18    7   2   9    30   38   −8    23
 9 Olympia Borograd           18    6   4   8    34   35   −1    22
10 Marlesee 97                18    6   4   8    32   37   −5    22
11 Energija Chernovets        18    5   6   7    33   34   −1    21
12 FC St. Jakob               18    5   5   8    30   40  −10    20
13 FC Kaiserhaven             18    3   8   7    26   49  −23    17
14 VfL Reinbronn              18    4   3  11    24   38  −14    15
15 Krutenau Kickers           18    3   4  11    16   33  −17    13
16 Karakanovski Fabrika       18    3   2  13    18   53  −35    11

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat May 31, 2025 6:57 pm

Superklasse Season II - Part IV

Matchday 19

Olympia Borograd 1–0 FC St. Jakob
FC Teussen Stelburg 5–2 Marlesee 97
FK Pomorie 1–4 Energija Chernovets
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–3 FK Metropola Borograd
FC Kaiserhaven 3–0 VfL Reinbronn
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–1 Krutenau Kickers
FC Rotmunde 1932 2–2 Karakanovski Fabrika
TSV Marzig 1–1 1912 Stelburg

It wasn’t quite the 5-goal explosion last weekend that gave Olympia Borograd their most memorable victory in many, many years, but Valdemar Buran’s goal for a second straight home win for the Greens is a huge one for the club as it brings them up to 7th in the league, and 10 points clear of the relegation zone they are as close as they can be to guaranteed safety in the top division. On Saturday afternoon, meanwhile, FC Teussen Stelburg responded to 5 goals conceded last week with 5 of their own this time out. Josef Weber had a hat-trick, Uwe Seidl had the other two, and the legendary Stelburg club will be hoping to continue this form to the end of the season. Chernovets had no trouble defeating Pomorie, 4-1 the final score in that one, while a showdown at the Red Castle between Zvezda Vlaikograd and FK Metropola Borograd had major IFCF battle implications. Lionel an Deoir scored his first of 2 goals just 15 minutes to give the visitors the lead, and even when Dusan Korlikov grabbed one back for Zvezda it never really seemed like they’d get back into it. A big win for Metropola in the IFCF race. Kaiserhaven defeats Reinbronn, 3-0 the final with Erhard Westler getting the two key goals to win it. Felsenkirchen were shocked by the Krutenau Kickers, conceding a goal just 86 seconds into the match before needing Rolando Cutter heroics to save a point at home, while Rotmunde were held by Karakanovski Fabrika, 2-2 the final there. TSV Marzig stayed on top of the league with a 1-1 draw against 1912 Stelburg, Einar Hackl and Ben Bing getting the goals, but will feel like they missed a chance to extend their lead at the top after Felsenkirchen’s slip up.

Player of the Week: Josef Weber (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 20

FC St. Jakob 2–5 TSV Marzig
1912 Stelburg 4–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
Karakanovski Fabrika 1–3 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Krutenau Kickers 0–2 FC Kaiserhaven
VfL Reinbronn 2–0 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FK Metropola Borograd 2–1 FK Pomorie
Energija Chernovets 0–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
Marlesee 97 2–0 Olympia Borograd

Recovering from last week’s draw at home, TSV Marzig really beat up on an FC St. Jakob side who are having a bit of a rough go of things at the moment to keep their lead at the top of the league as we enter the final third of the season. Einar Hackl had two, Aleks Kosch-Kovarik also had 2 and the 5th came from a header from Thorsten Herzog in the win. Xorge Le Meji set up all 4 goals in 1912 Stelburg’s big win over Rotmunde at the Oststelburgstadion. It was perhaps the Bluebirds’ most complete performance of the season, and they might sense a chance at catching up to the second position to claim a Champions’ League berth. Felsenkirchen, however, has kept up their own pace with a 3-1 win over Karakanovski Fabrika and sits now still 3 points off of Marzig and 4 points ahead of Teussen in 3rd, 1912 sitting 1 point behind them in 4th. FC Kaiserhaven got a second straight win and clean sheet to boot, with a 2-0 win over Krutenau Kickers, while VfL Reinbronn won by the same scoreline in a bit of a shock result over Zvezda Vlaikograd. For Reinbronn, it’s been a difficult season so far, and this win will be a huge one as the club look to avoid playing the relegation playoff at the end of the year. Metropola Borograd grabbed a late winner against FK Pomorie to follow up last week’s good win with more points, while FC Teussen Stelburg played a near-perfect match against Energija Chernovets to take a 2-0 win home over the mountains. The Stelburgers looked in excellent form, the defence in particular was quite strong and Sepp Kranz made 3 huge saves in this one. Marlesee 97 ended their recent slide by ending Olympia Borograd’s recent good stretch - Hans-Jurgen Holtz again the hero as they won 2-0 at the Stadiom am Alten Dom over the capital side.

Player of the Week: Xorge Le Meji (1912 Stelburg)

Matchday 21

Marlesee 97 4–0 FC St. Jakob
Olympia Borograd 3–3 Energija Chernovets
FC Teussen Stelburg 3–0 FK Metropola Borograd
FK Pomorie 2–4 VfL Reinbronn
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–0 Krutenau Kickers
FC Kaiserhaven 1–7 Karakanovski Fabrika
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 3–1 1912 Stelburg
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–2 TSV Marzig

FC St. Jakob have now lost 4 in a row, and after this brutal loss to Marlesee 97 the club are actually sitting in 14th position. Not a good few weeks for the Saints, and something needs to change very quickly because they look completely hapless right now. Hans-Jurgen Holtz, again, came up big for Marlesee with a hat-trick in the 4-0 win. Olympia Borograd got a late goal from Charles Packard to save a 3-3 draw with Chernovets; having led 2-0 earlier in the game it had appeared they would toss away the lead but the Greens managed to save a point. FC Teussen Stelburg dominated totally against FK Metropola Borograd, winning 3-0 and getting goals from Kramer, Gruber and Zschokke. The defence looks rock-solid at the moment, and one would argue that since the horrible National derby loss, they’ve looked like the best team in the league. Teussen sit 7 points off first place. VfL Reinbronn pulled themselves out of the relegation playoff zone with a great win away in Pomorie, Jacinto Coutinho the man of the match in that one, while Zvezda Vlaikograd snapped their losing streak with a massive goal from Dusan Korlikov late in the game to secure the win. What happened in Kaiserhaven? Karakanovski Fabrika exploded to score one-fourth of their total amount of goals this season in 90 minutes after an early red card put Kaiserhaven down to 10 men. Crtomir Strnad scored 4 goals and this is one that fans of the Riflemen will remember for some time. 1912 Stelburg entered Sunday’s fixture in Felsenkirchen with hopes of beating the Cogs and getting into the race for second place, but Felsenkirchen handled them very well and goals from Porsche (x2) and Haumann secured a 3-1 win. About 40km east, Rotmunde were defeated by Felsenkirchen’s title rivals Marzig. Next week will be a massive one in the Superklasse - TSV Marzig will host Felsenkirchen, while there’s also a Borograd derby on deck.

Player of the Week: Crtomir Strnad (Karakanovski Fabrika)

Matchday 22

FC St. Jakob 3–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
TSV Marzig 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
1912 Stelburg 8–1 FC Kaiserhaven
Karakanovski Fabrika 3–5 Zvezda Vlaikograd
Krutenau Kickers 1–3 FK Pomorie
VfL Reinbronn 1–3 FC Teussen Stelburg
FK Metropola Borograd 1–0 Olympia Borograd
Energija Chernovets 0–1 Marlesee 97

There, finally, comes the win St. Jakob have been waiting for - Gregor Bischoffshausen broke the deadlock early and the goals kept coming in the first half. Rotmunde the victims today, and St. Jakob create a bit of distance for themselves from the playoff spot. The big game of the round was in Marzig, with the battle between #1 and 2 in the league always looking like a thriller. In the end, thriller is probably not the term you’d use for it, both sides playing strong defensive football through most of the match. The winner came from the head of Paul Steinhausl from a corner kick, the one moment of luck for the visiting side that allowed them to claim the win - and thus climb above Marzig and claim top spot. Felsenkirchen now lead the way, and their first test next week? Only the Northeastern derby against hated rivals Rotmunde. Kaiserhaven, are you ok? That’s 15-2 on aggregate from the last 2 matchdays, last time a red card was the excuse but this time… 1912 Stelburg simply tore them apart. Muhangi Wentibwa was the player of the match without a doubt, scoring 4 goals and hitting a post as well as collecting 2 assists as the Bluebirds faithful at the Oststelburgstadion were treated to a true dream match. Terrell London had 2 and Rogelio Chianese chipped in with 2 of his own as part of a good win for Zvezda Vlaikograd, 5-3 over Karakanovski Fabrika, while FK Pomorie had little trouble with the Krutenau Kickers. FC Teussen Stelburg raced to a 3-0 lead over Reinbronn in the first half, and while the home side got one back in the second half it was never going to be enough. The Borograd derby was paused on 4 separate occasions for flares thrown onto the pitch from the away fans after Marjan Trstenjek scored the opening goal for the Violets - he seems to have a knack for scoring against his old club, and it drives Greens’ supporters absolutely insane. By the end of this one, the police had emptied the away end and there are serious discussions as to whether away supporters will be allowed at this fixture in the future. Marlesee 97 got a third win in a row with a great away performance in Chernovets - and someone other than Hans-Jurgen Holtz was the hero! Leopold Schumacher had the winning goal this time as Marlesee are now 7th in the league, an incredible achievement for the Blues.

Player of the Week: Muhangi Wentibwa (1912 Stelburg)

Matchday 23

Energija Chernovets 1–1 FC St. Jakob
Marlesee 97 1–6 FK Metropola Borograd
Olympia Borograd 1–1 VfL Reinbronn
FC Teussen Stelburg 6–0 Krutenau Kickers
FK Pomorie 3–1 Karakanovski Fabrika
Zvezda Vlaikograd 1–1 1912 Stelburg
FC Kaiserhaven 1–1 TSV Marzig
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 6–4 FC Rotmunde 1932

Friday night’s battle between Chernovets and St. Jakob was one of two sides struggling at the moment in the league - and unfortunately for both, it really resolved very little. Each side splits the points, knowing that they need to be so much better in the last 6 games to achieve their season’s goals. FK Metropola Borograd picked up from last week’s derby victory to put 6 past Marlesee 97, they know the fight for 5th place is very much alive and that is quite a statement indeed. Olympia Borograd, meanwhile, struggled for momentum at home against Reinbronn and allowed the visitors back into it late with a poor giveaway that cleared Reiner Werkner for an equalizer. FC Teussen Stelburg have been the best team in the league for a few weeks now and proved it once again today with a demolition of the Krutenau Kickers. The Kickers barely had a touch in the attacking third, such was Teussen’s superiority, and they seemed to score at will - Uwe Seidl getting 4 of them. FK Pomorie’s 3-1 win over Karakanovski Fabrika dooms the Riflemen even further, while Zvezda Vlaikograd still have faint hopes of IFCF football after a 1-1 draw at home against 1912 Stelburg, Arpad Pavlicek knocking in the free kick goal to tie it up. FC Kaiserhaven finally conceded less than 7 goals again - managing to hold TSV Marzig’s incredible attack to just 3 shots, one of which was converted by Wei Delan. But Norbert Stetter had an equalizer, and Kaiserhaven get a point.

Rotmunde would’ve loved to hurt Felsenkirchen’s title chances at Mollin Park on Sunday evening, but even after one of the wildest matches of the year failed to do so. The home side looked more up for it, knowing how huge this game was for them for many reasons, and jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first 10 minutes after a flurry of offensive activity. But to the delight of their travelling fans, Rotmunde pulled back into it and made it 2-2 after a great goal from Heinz-Harald Schmidt. Felsenkirchen were back up by the break, however, 3-2 after a goal just before the whistle from Rolando Cutter. In the second half, it was Rotmunde who came out with force, scoring just 37 seconds into the half and again 4 minutes later to lead 4-3. But it all fell apart in the final stages - Songwei Milosevic scored his second of the game to equalize, then pinged in the cross that met Dieter Rosberg’s leg and bounced in, and finally assisted Klaus Senger in the final minutes to really drive the stake in. Milosevic man of the match, Felsenkirchen still on top, and unfortunately for Rotmunde, 4000 away fans travelling home unhappy. Another step towards the league title for the Cogs.

Player of the Week: Songwei Milosevic (FC Felsenkirchen 1879)

Matchday 24

FC St. Jakob 1–4 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Rotmunde 1932 0–1 FC Kaiserhaven
TSV Marzig 0–5 Zvezda Vlaikograd
1912 Stelburg 4–1 FK Pomorie
Karakanovski Fabrika 0–4 FC Teussen Stelburg
Krutenau Kickers 3–6 Olympia Borograd
VfL Reinbronn 1–2 Marlesee 97
FK Metropola Borograd 0–1 Energija Chernovets

Felsenkirchen’s good run continues, this time beating St. Jakob by a score of 4-1 to keep hold on the top of the league table. The real good news for them would come later in the weekend, however - more on that in just a moment. FC Kaiserhaven defeated Rotmunde 1-0, a big win for the Sailors to keep them away from the playoff spot. TSV Marzig, meanwhile, collapsed at home against Zvezda Vlaikograd. This is always a high intensity fixture between two clubs that really do not like each other - and this time no different, with Marzig still hoping to keep up with Felsenkirchen for the title and Zvezda hoping to stay in the race for IFCF football. In the end, Zvezda’s will was simply bigger than Marzig’s. The defence that has been the league’s best this season crumbled before Dusan Korlikov, who scored 3 goals and assisted the other two as Zvezda absolutely crushed Marzig. That means Marzig are now 3rd, 5 points back of Felsenkirchen - it will be very difficult to turn things around from here. The rest of the big clubs playing on Saturday all had good results - 1912 Stelburg crushed Pomorie, while Teussen picked up a 4th clean sheet in 5 as they beat Karakanovski Fabrika 4-0. Coming in between two Arrosian championship fixtures, that was a good result for Teussen who are now up to 2nd and 4 points back of Felsenkirchen - who, by the way, they will face in the final few rounds. Next up, however, is a Stelburg derby. Olympia Borograd scored a big 6 over the Krutenau Kickers, a good win for them, while Marlesee 97 defeated Reinbronn on the road. Zvezda Vlaikograd needed help to keep their IFCF hopes alive - and they got it in the form of Dejan Mesko scoring a wondergoal against Metropola that would stand as the only marker across 90 minutes, Chernovets getting their best win of the season so far on the road in the capital.

Player of the Week: Dusan Korlikov (Zvezda Vlaikograd)

With just a handful of games remaining before we declare a champion, let’s take a look at the league table!

 # Superklasse               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      24   17   5   2    67   27  +40    56
 2 FC Teussen Stelburg        24   17   1   6    69   35  +34    52
 3 TSV Marzig                 24   15   6   3    47   24  +23    51
 4 1912 Stelburg              24   13   7   4    62   26  +36    46
 5 FK Metropola Borograd      24   11   7   6    51   32  +19    40
 6 Zvezda Vlaikograd          24   11   7   6    54   39  +15    40
 7 Marlesee 97                24   10   4  10    44   49   −5    34
 8 Olympia Borograd           24    8   6  10    45   45    0    30
 9 Energija Chernovets        24    7   8   9    42   42    0    29
10 FK Pomorie                 24    8   5  11    35   44   −9    29
11 FC Kaiserhaven             24    6   9   9    35   65  −30    27
12 FC St. Jakob               24    6   6  12    37   55  −18    24
13 FC Rotmunde 1932           24    7   3  14    37   56  −19    24
14 VfL Reinbronn              24    6   4  14    33   49  −16    22
15 Karakanovski Fabrika       24    4   3  17    32   71  −39    15
16 Krutenau Kickers           24    3   5  16    21   52  −31    14

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat May 31, 2025 8:25 pm

Superklasse Season II - Part V

Matchday 25

FK Metropola Borograd 1–2 FC St. Jakob
Energija Chernovets 1–1 VfL Reinbronn
Marlesee 97 2–0 Krutenau Kickers
Olympia Borograd 1–3 Karakanovski Fabrika
FC Teussen Stelburg 0–0 1912 Stelburg
FK Pomorie 0–2 TSV Marzig
Zvezda Vlaikograd 4–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Kaiserhaven 1–7 FC Felsenkirchen 1879

Starting with the key title contenders, we go first to Felsenkirchen who absolutely wiped Kaiserhaven off the pitch on Sunday evening. 7-1 was the final and Felsenkirchen looked cool and collected towards an 11th national title as they remain 5 points clear with 5 games to go. The other main contenders in the title fight were each involved in derbies this weekend: Teussen and 1912 at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion produced 0 goals, a result that probably says more about Teussen’s incredible defending than anything else. ‘The Man with the Glasses,’ as they’ve come to know Emil von Tessin, stood tall while Sepp Kranz made some incredible saves in this game to earn the point for Teussen. TSV Marzig also had a derby match against FK Pomorie away, and even after last week’s disappointment they were able to bounce back and claim a win that their fans were desperate for. Pomorie’s supporters were in full voice all game long, and had plenty of banners aimed at their rivals, but for once the Pomorie/Marzig derby appears to have gone by without any major civic disorder.

Elsewhere, the fight for 5th place is alive and well as Zvezda Vlaikograd crushed Rotmunde 4-1 in order to pull ahead of FK Metropola Borograd, who actually lost at home to FC St. Jakob in one of the more surprising results of the weekend after Bruno Baumer headed in the winner. Marlesee 97 beat the Krutenau Kickers who are now 9 points from safety and almost surely relegated, Karakanovski Fabrika gave their fans something to cheer about as they do the double over Olympia Borograd in the league this season after a 3-1 win. That will go down in the club lore without a doubt, even as survival slips further away. Finally, Chernovets and Reinbronn shared the points, 1-1 the final at the Energija-Arena.

Player of the Week: Sepp Kranz (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 26

FC St. Jakob 3–3 FC Kaiserhaven
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–4 FK Pomorie
TSV Marzig 0–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
1912 Stelburg 5–3 Olympia Borograd
Karakanovski Fabrika 2–1 Marlesee 97
Krutenau Kickers 0–4 Energija Chernovets
VfL Reinbronn 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd

This is a slip up from Felsenkirchen, there’s no doubt about that. At 1-0 they had the game under control, Rolando Cutter was inches away from scoring a second - and then Dusan Korlikov struck, as he has done so many times for Zvezda Vlaikograd this season, and levelled things up. Felsenkirchen had no other solutions for Zvezda’s defence, and this one ends in a draw. Luckily for the Cogs, their two challengers faced each other this weekend - Marzig hosting Teussen in a huge battle. Even if they can’t catch Felsenkirchen, 2nd place is still a Champions’ League berth, and both teams were fighting hard. Once again, Teussen’s defending was the story. It’s rare that Einar Hackl has a bad game, but he did tonight - Seb Rosler made sure of that, while Sepp Kranz made another incredible save on Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik. At the other end, Uwe Seidl hit Marzig for the first one off a counter attack and Santutxo Kramer scored an insurance goal in the final minutes. Teussen are now 2nd place in the league, 4 points back of Felsenkirchen - and will play the Cogs one more time.

How much of a battle do we really have here? After all, Felsenkirchen are 4 points ahead. But Teussen have been the most in-form team in the Superklasse for a month and a half now and are rolling on all fronts, looking dominant in the Hui La as well. The last time Teussen conceded in the league was on matchday 22 - that’s right, Sepp Kranz has kept a clean sheet for 387 minutes now. They’ve won 8 in a row in the league and have done it in a crushing manner. If Teussen win that showdown on matchday 28, everything is on the table. The ace up Felsenkirchen’s sleeve? Even if they fail to beat Teussen, they still will control their own destiny and winning every other match would still give them the title.

Elsewhere, FK Metropola Borograd would’ve really liked to beat VfL Reinbronn in their fight for 5th place as it seems to becoming more and more realistic that Zvezda Vlaikograd could qualify for international football next year for only the 2nd time in the club history. Instead, they get a draw, and this battle will go right to the wire. 1912 Stelburg are pretty much secured in 4th place after a good 5-3 home win over Olympia Borograd, while Karakanovski Fabrika are really giving their fans a memorable end to this season, beating Marlesee 2-0. This is going to be a fight to the end for this young team, as they are now just 3 points from safety having been 9 away just 2 weeks ago. Chernovets blew out the Krutenau Kickers who are still alive, technically, although any loss of points in the last 4 matches will guarantee their relegation, while Pomorie defeated Rotmunde with a late goal and St. Jakob drew Kaiserhaven in other action this weekend.

Player of the Week: Sebastian Rosler (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 27

VfL Reinbronn 1–0 FC St. Jakob
FK Metropola Borograd 2–2 Krutenau Kickers
Energija Chernovets 4–0 Karakanovski Fabrika
Marlesee 97 1–4 1912 Stelburg
Olympia Borograd 0–1 TSV Marzig
FC Teussen Stelburg 2–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
FK Pomorie 1–5 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
Zvezda Vlaikograd 5–5 FC Kaiserhaven

There was a lot of talk this week about Felsenkirchen being worried about their trip to FK Pomorie this week. After all, Pomorie are a solid side playing at home, and Felsenkirchen have a huge game against FC Teussen Stelburg coming up next week and know they must win out. Any nerves at all were quickly put to bed, with the Cogs coming out firing on all cylinders against FK Pomorie, ending up with 5 goals to keep the 4 point gap at the top. FC Teussen Stelburg, meanwhile, kept a 5th straight clean sheet as they defeated FC Rotmunde 1932 by a 2-0 score, Santutxo Kramer getting the first brace of his young career in the win. Next week, yes, it’s finally time for the Klassiker - FC Felsenkirchen 1879 will host FC Teussen Stelburg at Mollin Park with the league title on the line. Felsenkirchen win the title if they defeat Teussen; Teussen guarantee it will go to the final day if they beat the Cogs. We’ll keep TSV Marzig in the title contenders group for now, even if the odds are very unlikely for them - but thanks to a win against Olympia Borograd today courtesy of Mats Winter, a draw next week between Teussen and Felsenkirchen would give them an outside but real shot at lifting the championship trophy.

The battle for the final IFCF place remains red hot. Both Metropola and Zvezda dropped points at home this weekend in wildly differing circumstances. Metropola played poorly and trailed Krutenau 2-0, but a second half rally and two goals from Veljko Vadimic pulled them level. The point is ok for Metropola, but guarantees the Krutenau Kickers’ relegation to the second tier after a disappointing season. Zvezda, meanwhile, was part of a 10-goal thriller at home against FC Kaiserhaven. But the Reds will see this as a missed opportunity - they led 2-0 and 4-1 at points in this game before being forced to share the spoils. Zvezda remains 3 points ahead of Metropola with 3 matches to play. Karakanovski Fabrika’s dreams of safety seem far away now after a brutal loss at Chernovets, who have gone on a good run lately and are now up to 8th in the table. 1912 Stelburg, meanwhile, were officially eliminated from title contention even despite a 4-1 road win at Marlesee. The Bluebirds have had a great season, firmly putting themselves back amongst the top teams, and with such a dynamic attack have a bright future ahead of them with this lineup.

Player of the Week: Norbert Stetter (FC Kaiserhaven)

Matchday 28

FC St. Jakob 0–2 Zvezda Vlaikograd
FC Kaiserhaven 3–3 FK Pomorie
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0–2 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Rotmunde 1932 3–3 Olympia Borograd
TSV Marzig 2–1 Marlesee 97
1912 Stelburg 0–0 Energija Chernovets
Karakanovski Fabrika 1–4 FK Metropola Borograd
Krutenau Kickers 1–0 VfL Reinbronn

”Teussen aus Stelburg, du schaffst es wieder, national meister zu sein…” sang the Teussen supporters long into the night at Mollin Park after their incredible 2-0 win over the home side. It’s a line from the club’s anthem roughly translating as ‘Teussen from Stelburg, you will make it happen, national champions again,’ and on this night it reflected the devastating inevitability this side has been playing with in recent weeks. Another week, another clean sheet - and Sepp Kranz tonight put in another masterclass of a performance. He’s been playing like the goalkeeper from popular mobile game Score! Heroes of late, and tonight was no different as he stopped Rolando Cutter on a 1 on 1 and made a daring reaction-time save off a powerful Arnold Apel header. Kranz is getting help from his defence, who have been great too, but it must give them so much confidence to be playing in front of a man truly at the peak of his game right now. Hans Gruber had the first goal for Teussen on a rainy afternoon, and Uwe Seidl banged in the second to pull Teussen 2 goals into the lead - and in the end, to put them just 1 point back of the Cogs. TSV Marzig, meanwhile, hosted Marlesee 97 and cruised to a 2-1 victory, Einar Hackl getting both goals and keeping them in the fight - they are 2 points back of Teussen and 3 back of Felsenkirchen.

Two games remaining each. Teussen will host FC Kaiserhaven before travelling on the final day to Zvezda Vlaikograd, while Felsenkirchen travel to Olympia Borograd before hosting Marlesee 97 on the final day. TSV Marzig, meanwhile, travel to Energija Chernovets before hosting FK Metropola Borograd. You have to think Teussen in this form will be winning both of their matches, although Zvezda could put a spanner in the works on the final day if they are still fighting for a IFCF place. For Felsenkirchen, meanwhile, they’ll be favourites in both matches but both have their challenges. Olympia are unlikely to want to help Teussen do anything, sure, but they’re playing for pride this season and a result against Felsenkirchen would be huge for them. Marlesee, meanwhile, view Felsenkirchen as a rival, even if not as fierce as some derbies in the country, and will be looking to avenge a 5-1 defeat they suffered at home at the Cogs’ hands earlier this season. Marlesee are only playing for pride, looking for the club’s highest finish since the Republikaliga era, but that can be a tricky thing in football. Marzig’s schedule, meanwhile, is the trickiest, with two good teams ahead of them and they will need a lot of luck going their way to take the crown.

The two teams fighting for the final IFCF spot remained in lockstep with each other, as Zvezda Vlaikograd’s lead of 3 points is preserved after both teams win their matches. Zvezda batted first on Friday night in St. Jakob, and two goals from Terrell London saw them leave the Draistadion with all three points in tow. Metropola’s innings came against Karakanovski Fabrika on Sunday evening, where the Violets were able to grab a 4-1 victory and push the Riflemen closer to confirming their relegation - although, even now, they are still alive and 4 point away from safety. Next week will be key - Zvezda travel to FK Pomorie, while Metropola host 1912 Stelburg. Metropola will need points on Saturday afternoon to have any hope of getting that 5th spot. Kaiserhaven and Pomorie draw 3-3, Olympia and Rotmunde find themselves level on the same result, and the already-relegated Krutenau Kickers gave the home fans something to cheer with a 1-0 win over Reinbronn.

Player of the Week: Sepp Kranz (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 29

Krutenau Kickers 2–1 FC St. Jakob
VfL Reinbronn 1–1 Karakanovski Fabrika
FK Metropola Borograd 0–1 1912 Stelburg
Energija Chernovets 1–0 TSV Marzig
Marlesee 97 1–4 FC Rotmunde 1932
Olympia Borograd 0–1 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
FC Teussen Stelburg 4–0 FC Kaiserhaven
FK Pomorie 1–1 Zvezda Vlaikograd

It’s going to come down to the final day. Why wouldn’t it? Playing at the same time on Sunday afternoon, both Felsenkirchen and Teussen were able to defeat their opponents in vastly different games. Felsenkirchen struggled to get much offence going against Olympia Borograd, but a good goal from Jesper Porsche was enough for them to grab all 3 points and head into next week with the advantage of a 1 point lead. Teussen, meanwhile, torched Kaiserhaven for 3 goals in the first half and put on cruise control thereafter as they defeated the Sailors 4-0. That’s 7 clean sheets in a row, by the way. 657 minutes of football without a goal against for Teussen since Reiner Werkner scored in the 63rd minute for Reinbronn on Matchday 22. That is an absolutely incredible record especially after their defensive struggles in the middle of the season, and Sepp Kranz deserves every plaudit he gets. So too do Seb Rosler and the young cult hero Emil von Tessin, the 18 year old having really stepped up this season and pushed Teussen on for this title fight. TSV Marzig’s title dream was ended after a 1-0 loss on the road against Energija Chernovets. Marzig led the league for 12 weeks total this year but it won’t be enough, although there is still a chance for silverware this year in the President’s Cup Final. That would be a huge thing for the club, as they will surely want to maximize the amount of international football they can play next season to keep players like Einar Hackl and Mats Winter at the club, especially with a huge home World Cup looming.

Teussen’s job next week may have gotten easier, meanwhile, because Zvezda Vlaikograd have done the almost unthinkable and confirmed they will finish 5th and play IFCF football next year! They did it thanks to 1912 Stelburg’s win over Metropola Borograd on Saturday, a 1-0 result in favour of the Bluebirds - who are still chasing 3rd spot and thus a better seeding in IFCF competition next season - was the coup de grace before Dusan Korlikov’s goal to secure a point against FK Pomorie gave Zvezda the solitary point they needed to confirm it - guaranteed at least 1 match under the lights at the Red Castle next season. It’s a huge, huge moment for this club and the away fans were going crazy in their box when the whistle blew as they celebrated with the players. For Metropola Borograd, meanwhile, they will spend the summer wondering what went wrong - and surely will be looking to invest in the squad to take a step forward next year. Elsewhere, the Krutenau Kickers seem to have saved all of their good performances this season for the matches when they’re already confirmed to be relegated, beating FC St. Jakob 2-1, while Reinbronn drew Karakanovski Fabrika. Rotmunde, meanwhile, are fighting to avoid the relegation playoff and beat Marlesee 97 4-1.

One week to go, and it’s as simple as this: Felsenkirchen wins at home against Marlesee, they are champions. If they tie, Teussen need to win, and if they are defeated, Teussen also need to win (barring an unlikely scenario where Felsenkirchen lost by 6). One week to go.

Player of the Week: Santutxo Kramer (FC Teussen Stelburg)

Matchday 30

FC St. Jakob 1–2 FK Pomorie
Zvezda Vlaikograd 0–7 FC Teussen Stelburg
FC Kaiserhaven 3–0 Olympia Borograd
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 4–7 Marlesee 97
FC Rotmunde 1932 1–3 Energija Chernovets
TSV Marzig 1–1 FK Metropola Borograd
1912 Stelburg 1–0 VfL Reinbronn
Karakanovski Fabrika 1–3 Krutenau Kickers

It’s truly unbelievable! FC Teussen Stelburg are national champions again, following a wild series of events on the final day of the season. With all the games played on Saturday at 3pm, Teussen knew they needed to beat Zvezda Vlaikograd and get a helping hand elsewhere. Zvezda Vlaikograd offered no challenge for Teussen. This was a team that travelled to Vrnovo and partied for 3 days midweek after qualifying for IFCF football next year and they very much looked like it. There were complaints about that on social media from many Felsenkirchen fans, but what can you do about it? It was still in Felsenkirchen’s hands anyway. Until it wasn’t. What Teussen did to Zvezda shouldn’t have been broadcast on national television - they could’ve scored 10 if they wanted to, and probably would’ve had it not been for the crazy reports from the other game.

The other game. Felsenkirchen started out well - 2-0 up inside 15 minutes, and their fans were loving life. Then, the collapse started. A red card for Arnold Apel and a penalty given - 2-1, but still in control, right? Wrong. Marlesee were playing to potentially secure their highest-ever finish, 7th, and pushed with everything. At halftime, they were leading 4-2. Felsenkirchen came out swinging in the second half, making several substitutions for attacking players and playing with 5 attackers by the end of the game. They did score the 2 goals they needed to tie it - they just gave up 3 more on the way. One of the craziest Superklasse games you will ever see, and Mollin Park was silent by the end of it.

By the time the halftime score at Mollin Park came over the mobile phones in the away end at the Red Castle, it was 5-0. Teussen fans watched the Felsenkirchen match on their mobile phones for much of the second half, and when Hans-Jurgen Holz made it 7-3 for Marlesee the chants of “Campione, ole ole!” came out from the away section. Uwe Seidl made it 7-0 for Teussen with moments left and the goal was celebrated as if it was a last minute winner. The whistle went early in that one, no stoppage time played, and the players rushed to the away end to watch the dying moments in Felsenkirchen with the fans. After 3 minutes there, the whistle blew too - Teussen had done it. 8 clean sheets (747 minutes) and 12 victories in a row to end the season stands as one of the most incredible ends to a season in any league ever and shows that Teussen’s mentality is rock-solid. Even after being a punching bag for a few games mid-season, even after a brutal loss to their biggest rivals - they picked themselves up and got the job done. Of all the titles this club has won in its history, this will stand as one of the finest. Sepp Kranz lifted the replica trophy - the real one still in Felsenkirchen - and the real one the next day at Teussen's traditional parade in downtown Stelburg. He also lifted the Golden Ball award as the league's best player this year - and how can anyone deny that after the incredible run he went on to deliver a title for this club. This is one of the best individual performances this country has ever seen, and Kranz is surely establishing himself as maybe the greatest goalkeeper to ever wear the gold and black - an incredible thing to say about this young man, but what he has achieved is undeniable.

FK Pomorie seized a top 10 finish with a win at the Draistadion over St. Jakob, while Olympia Borograd’s loss to Kaiserhaven was part of a poor end to the season for the Greens that sees them finish 11th, just 3 points away from having had to play the relegation playoff. There were good and bad moments this season for the capital club, and most fans are just glad they will still be in the top division next year. Energija Chernovets capped off a late-season rally to finish 7th place after a good win over Rotmunde at Veisel, while the Islanders will now drop to play the relegation playoff against the 2. Klasse’s third-place finisher. 1912 Stelburg ended the season on a win, with Xorge Le Meji getting the goal against Reinbronn, Marzig and Metropola split the points, and in the last Superklasse fixture for both sides - for now - Krutenau Kickers got the better of Karakanovski Fabrika.

Player of the Week: Reto Zschokke (FC Teussen Stelburg)

End of Season Review

 # Superklasse               Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 FC Teussen Stelburg        30   22   2   6    86   35  +51    68     Champions
 2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879      30   20   6   4    85   39  +46    66     Champions' League
 3 TSV Marzig                 30   18   7   5    53   29  +24    61     Challengers' Cup
 4 1912 Stelburg              30   17   9   4    73   30  +43    60
 5 Zvezda Vlaikograd          30   13  10   7    67   54  +13    49
 6 FK Metropola Borograd      30   12  10   8    60   40  +20    46
 7 Energija Chernovets        30   11  10   9    55   44  +11    43
 8 Marlesee 97                30   12   4  14    57   65   −8    40
 9 FK Pomorie                 30   10   7  13    46   59  −13    37
10 FC Kaiserhaven             30    7  12  11    50   87  −37    33
11 Olympia Borograd           30    8   7  15    52   61   −9    31
12 VfL Reinbronn              30    7   7  16    37   54  −17    28
13 FC St. Jakob               30    7   7  16    44   66  −22    28
14 FC Rotmunde 1932           30    8   4  18    49   73  −24    28     Playoff
15 Krutenau Kickers           30    6   6  18    29   62  −33    24     Relegated
16 Karakanovski Fabrika       30    6   4  20    40   85  −45    22

Landesmeister
For the 44th time in club history/2nd in Superklasse era

FC TEUSSEN STELBURG

Season Awards

Golden Ball - Sepp Kranz (FC Teussen Stelburg)
Golden Boot - Rolando Cutter (FC Felsenkirchen 1879, 27 goals)
Golden Glove - Sepp Kranz (FC Teussen Stelburg)
Manager of the Year - Ivan Batic (Zvezda Vlaikograd)
Young Player of the Year - Emil von Tessin (FC Teussen Stelburg)
Best XI - GK - Kranz (TEU); LB - Wimmer (TEU), CB - Rosler (TEU), CB - von Tessin (TEU), RB - Milosevic (FEL); CM - Kramer (TEU), CM - Winter (MZG), CM - Le Meji (STE); LW - Korlikov (ZVE), RW - Zschokke (TEU), CF - Cutter (FEL)
Substitutes: Gottschall (MZG); Hertzog (MZG), Mesko (CHE); Gruber (TEU), Trstenjek (MET), Wentibwa (STE), Seidl (TEU)

The season isn’t over yet - there’s still coverage of the President’s Cup, the lower divisions, and international football this year! Silverware is still to be handed out, and we’ll be here to cover all of it!

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat May 31, 2025 9:14 pm

Superklasse Season II - Lower Leagues

2. Klasse Review

 # 2. Klasse                 Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 SW Stahlberg               30   18   2  10    50   37  +13    56     Champions/Promoted/LBCT
 2 Vrnovo Mesto               30   17   3  10    44   26  +18    54     Promoted/LBCT
 3 TSV Georg-Blocher          30   15   7   8    43   24  +19    52     Playoff/LBCT
 4 Teufelsberg 97             30   15   7   8    32   27   +5    52
 5 FK Vlaikograd 1896         30   15   6   9    41   24  +17    51
 6 1. FC Vaihingen            30   12  12   6    30   22   +8    48
 7 SV Preisfeld               30   14   4  12    37   32   +5    46
 8 Rulandea Karlsbrunnen      30   10  14   6    37   32   +5    44
 9 FK Orlovska Bistrica       30   12   6  12    25   22   +3    42
10 FK Raketa Bukovets         30    9  13   8    19   21   −2    40
11 1884 Felsenkirchen         30   10   8  12    30   38   −8    38
12 SK Republika Borograd      30   10   5  15    33   33    0    35
13 1828 Pomen                 30   10   4  16    28   46  −18    34
14 Taifun Vorstock            30    7   6  17    33   51  −18    27
15 Rudar Trkev                30    8   3  19    21   39  −18    27     Relegated
16 NK Prevala                 30    6   4  20    22   51  −29    22

As many predicted, SW Stahlberg were the champions of the second division this year! It was a great year for the Miners in a tightly-contested league, as Alexander Bogen led the second tier scoring charts with 20 goals. Stahlberg always seemed a class above this season, and their promotion back to the top tier is deserved - the club will be wanting to reshape their squad going into next season, however, as the competition is getting tougher and they’ll also be playing IFCF football on the side in the Liga B Champions’ Trophy.

Vrnovo Mesto also earned promotion to the top tier, the club from the southernmost island of the country will open their new 50,000 seater stadium with Superklasse football. Vrnovo weren’t all that far off Stahlberg by the end of the season, although the Miners let off the gas a bit once promotion was guaranteed. Vrnovo’s excellent defence this season will have reminded many of their days as Republikaliga pests when Daniel Pingov led the line - but Pingov, who now stands behind the touchline for Vrnovo, has his lads playing a bit more freely. There’s still a sturdy, hard structure, but young forward Timotei Zakajev scoring 19 goals was no accident. Many are very excited to see the 20 year old in the top division next season.

The battle for the playoff spot, and the final IFCF spot, was intense as well with as many as 5 clubs considering themselves in the race at one point. The main players were TSV Georg-Blocher from Kaiserhaven, one-time Republikaliga side Teufelsberg 97, recently wealthy FK Vlaikograd 1896 and Presidents’ Cup underdog winners just two years ago 1. FC Vaihingen. For a long time it looked like it would be Teufelsberg, then Vlaikograd, but by the end of the season it was the club named for the famous explorer Georg Blocher that would grab the third spot. Georg-Blocher posted the best defensive record in the division and had a great run at the end of the season to secure that spot and will now face FC Rotmunde 1932 for the final spot in the Superklasse next season.

Other performances of note were Rulandea Karlsbrunnen, the team coming from the Rulandean migrant community of St. Jakob and the former club of national team starboy Xorge Le Meji, who finished 8th after a great season - this is a club we could genuinely see in the Superklasse one day, and that would be something indeed. At the bottom end, meanwhile, NK Prevala and Rudar Trkev got relegated - while Taifun Vorstock and SK Republika Borograd both had horrible seasons finishing in the bottom half, Taifun in particular having been in real danger of relegation.

Relegation Playoff

FC Rotmunde 1932 3–0 TSV Georg Blocher
TSV Georg Blocher 1–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Rotmunde 1932 wins 3-1 on aggregate

Rotmunde stay in the top tier! From the start you could just tell they had more quality than Georg-Blocher, and the big win at Veisel basically guaranteed their status in the top division for another year. Georg-Blocher would get the win at home to give their fans some positives for next season, but this one will be viewed as a missed opportunity. Could this be the last time we see the playoff in its current format? Nobody seems to like the current arrangement. Superklasse clubs question the need for a playoff at all, given 2/16 clubs getting relegated is already a large percentage and seems to suit the lower divisions just fine. Lower-tier clubs question why the first leg is always played at the Superklasse club’s home, which as we saw this year can mean the tie is over before it really gets started. Superklasse clubs proposed scrapping the playoff entirely; lower-league clubs proposed a one-game match at a neutral site, and the STFA has apparently counter-offered by meeting… none of these needs? They’ve offered an expanded playoff, allowing 6 teams from the 2. Klasse the chance to participate in the playoff. After a first round two-leg Quarterfinal, the 3 winning teams would be joined by the 14th placed Superklasse club for two-leg semifinals and a one-off final played at a neutral site. That proposal will be voted on this summer, and we will see what happens!

3. Klasse Review

 # 3. Klasse             Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Rot-Blau Altona        30   16   7   7    41   25  +16    55     Champions/Promoted
 2 Adler Rotmunde         30   14   8   8    37   27  +10    50     Promoted
 3 Stahl Sterzing         30   14   6  10    38   32   +6    48
 4 FK Kushovo             30   13   6  11    38   29   +9    45
 5 Gegenpapst Pomen       30   13   5  12    31   25   +6    44
 6 VfB Marlesee           30   13   5  12    33   33    0    44
 7 FC Einheit Marnau      30   11  10   9    37   30   +7    43
 8 NK Siovanska Gora      30   12   7  11    23   28   −5    43
 9 Arsenal Bukovets       30   12   4  14    35   32   +3    40
10 NK Vrnovo              30   10   9  11    32   28   +4    39
11 Traktor Stavropol      30   10   9  11    29   32   −3    39
12 Luttow-Vognitz         30   11   6  13    25   32   −7    39
13 TSV Sankt Gustaf       30   11   6  13    19   29  −10    39
14 FK Venkovets           30   10   8  12    28   29   −1    38
15 VfL Prutseren          30    9   7  14    28   42  −14    34     Relegated
16 NK Gabropol            30    7   5  18    20   41  −21    26

Another unsurprising result as Rot-Blau Altona win the 3. Klasse! Altona is a city where hockey is very far ahead of football in terms of popular interest, but Rot-Blau still attracted a good crowd of fans this season en route to the league title and promotion back to the second tier. Defensively they were very solid all year, and wins in their local derby against Adler Rotmunde helped put them atop the league. This club is very much considered a sleeping giant by many; the city has proven it can support big teams like the Altonauer SC hockey club that regularly draws 20,000 fans and the current Sportpark am Kronprinzplatz that seats 6000 will likely need an expansion if the club ever become consistent competitors in the second tier. Adler Rotmunde are also promoted, the cult club from the northeastern city reach the second division for the first time in many years after a good season. At the bottom, meanwhile, NK Gabropol are going straight back down to the fourth division and VfL Prutseren are going with them. Stahl Sterzing, the former club of Uwe Seidl, finished just 2 points off of promotion, while FC Einheit Marnau, no doubt the wealthiest club in the division and one-time Republikaliga midtable regulars, will be hoping for a better performance next season as they work their way back to the top.

4. Klasse Review

 # 4. Klasse                Pld    W   D   L    GF   GA   GD   Pts 
 1 Rudar Draijagrad          30   16   6   8    34   23  +11    54     Champions/Promoted
 2 VfL Reichmannsdorf        30   15   6   9    36   23  +13    51     Promoted
 3 FK Kostinbrod             30   14   8   8    39   26  +13    50
 4 Fortuna Emmerich          30   15   5  10    39   28  +11    50
 5 Hechingen                 30   11  11   8    38   26  +12    44
 6 Jaromirgrad               30   11  10   9    32   28   +4    43
 7 NK Piran                  30   11  10   9    33   32   +1    43
 8 SV Charlottenburg         30   11   8  11    40   37   +3    41
 9 VfL Bamerntal             30    9  11  10    34   34    0    38
10 Admiral Severno           30    9  11  10    33   36   −3    38
11 TSV Tarnitz               30   10   6  14    30   38   −8    36
12 Slavija Karapelit         30    8  10  12    22   36  −14    34
13 NK Kraljgrad              30    7  12  11    23   30   −7    33
14 Turbine Immengries        30    7  12  11    30   45  −15    33
15 Slavija Chotevice         30    8   8  14    23   30   −7    32
16 Lokomotive Lensbruck      30    6  10  14    19   33  −14    28

Rudar Draijagrad get promotion! Remember them? Prior to isolation, they had earned promotion to the Republikaliga and were owned by a local rich man who wanted to take his club to the top. Isolation killed that idea, and the club slipped all the way down to the fourth tier. But now, the miners from the Korjava have earned promotion to the third tier and one wonders if that millionaire - still involved with the club, we hear - will be interested in sponsoring them again. VfL Reichmannsdorf, meanwhile, are the surprise here - the village club play in very basic facilities, despite drawing sell-out crowds for each match, and one of the smallest towns in the top 4 divisions will now be playing third division football after a great year. One-time President’s Cup winner VfL Bamerntal finished 9th, while Mats Winter’s boyhood club Hechingen came 5th. No relegation from this division (yet) into the regional leagues, so Lokomotive Lensbruck and Slavija Chotevice only bear the honour of being the 2 worst pro teams in the nation this year and nothing else.

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sat May 31, 2025 9:56 pm

Superklasse Season II - President's Cup

First Round

Second Round

Third Round

Round of 16

TSV Marzig 1–0 Eintracht Aumuhle
Energija Chernovets 0–1 VfL Reichmannsdorf
FK Pomorie 0–2 FC Felsenkirchen 1879
SV Charlottenberg 0–0 FC St. Jakob (1–2 AET)
FK Raketa Bukovets 1–0 Taifun Vorstock
1. FC Vaihingen 2–3 Arsenal Bukovets
Stahl Sterzing 0–1 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–0 Krutenau Kickers

Quarterfinal

FC Felsenkirchen 1879 1–0 FC Rotmunde 1932
FC Teussen Stelburg 1–2 TSV Marzig
Arsenal Bukovets 2–3 FK Raketa Bukovets
VfL Reichmannsdorf 2–2 FC St. Jakob (2–2 AET) (3–4 pen.)

Semifinal

FK Raketa Bukovets 0–0 TSV Marzig (0–2 AET)
FC Felsenkirchen 1879 0–2 FC St. Jakob

Final

FC St. Jakob 1–1 TSV Marzig (1–2 AET)

One of the most unique President's Cup tournaments in history ends with TSV Marzig capturing the trophy!

For one thing, it was unique before a ball was even kicked - the Nationalstadion is closed this season for renovations and expansion to a 90,000 capacity in advance of the World Cup. That meant that for the first time since it was built, the Cup Final and semifinals would be held somewhere else. The STFA debated several solutions - playing the semifinals at the group of whatever team was drawn first, playing the Final overseas (quickly shot down, don't worry), and eventually opened it up to a mini-bidding process. However, the STFA wanted to avoid a situation where teams could play the Final or Semifinal at home, and thus bidding was restricted to teams eliminated prior to the Round of 16. The Olimpski-Stadion ended up winning the bidding for the semifinals and the final, with the caveat that the STFA reserved the right to move the final to the all-new 50,000 seat Stadion Kaiserhaven on the south coast if the Final ended up being between two Teusland clubs - this ended up happening, and so for the first and only time ever, the Cup Final was not played in Stelburg and instead took place in Kaiserhaven. One day that will be in a pub quiz, certainly.

It was also unique for the great matches on display, especially as we moved into the later rounds of the tournament. The Quarterfinal, for example, featured both a Northeastern derby between Felsenkirchen and Rotmunde and a Bukovets derby between Raketa and Arsenal, one of the most heated derbies in the lower divisions getting a national spotlight and it produced a very memorable Cup classic with Raketa winning in the dying moments. There were also great Cinderella stories - regional league side Eintracht Aumuhle getting all the way to the Round of 16 and putting up a great fight against TSV Marzig, or VfL Reichmannsdorf's improbable run all the way to penalties in the Quarterfinal at home after having defeated Energija Chernovets on the road.

Finalist TSV Marzig, 9-time winners of the Cup, were looking to avenge the final defeat two years ago against Vaihingen from the getgo. Marzig last won the Cup in season 11 of the Republikaliga, and got their Cup run started with a local derby, taking on TSV Sankt Gustaf whose home ground is literally 1.5km from the Volksbankstadion. The game was moved to the bigger stadium on this occassion, and a sold-out crowd watched as Sankt Gustaf took an early lead before Marzig youth player Peter Trimme scored a brace to secure the win. In the second round Marzig had to face another regional rival, NK Gabropol only a 25 minute drive down the road from Pomorie/Marzig, and this time sailed through with a 4-1 victory. A tough draw awaited in the third round, a trip to the capital to face FK Metropola Borograd but Marzig proved sturdier over 120 minutes with a 1-0 win. With a history as Cup masters, it was perhaps no surprise that Marzig held off the challenge of both underdogs Eintracht Aumuhle (1-0 at home) and FC Teussen Stelburg (2-1 away) in the Round of 16 and Quarterfinal respectively, the Teussen win coming from a late Einar Hackl winner. That set up a date at the Olimpski-Stadion with FK Raketa Bukovets - once again needing 120 minutes, but Marzig saw it through and reached the final in Kaiserhaven.

FC St. Jakob, meanwhile, have won the trophy a total of 12 times with the most recent coming in season 16 of the Republikaliga during isolation. The club also reached another Final during isolation, lost to FC Teussen Stelburg. The Hafenstadt club got things going with a big 4-1 win over 1807 Vettweiss on the road, before another 4-0 win over VfB Launitz to prove that they were the real deal in this competition. In the third round, the Saints had to fight to defeat one-time winners VfL Bamerntal but got the job done with a 1-0 victory. The Fourth Round and the Quarterfinal were both huge tests for St. Jakob as they played both matches on the road and played a full 120 minutes in each. The Round of 16 was won with a late winner against SV Charlottenburg, while penalties saw them get past underdog story Reichmannsdorf to head to Borograd for the semifinals. That was a matchup against Felsenkirchen, making the Saints serious underdogs - but with the Cogs focused on their league campaign, things got away from them, and St. Jakob achieved the upset. Playing their top team from the getgo, Gregor Bischoffshausen led the competition in goals leading up to the final with 7.

The final itself would also go the distance. TSV Marzig were the favourites, and were certainly playing with a bit of fire and energy after the disappointing end to their league campaign. They would score the first goal of the game, with Einar Hackl making it 1-0 just 17 minutes in, sending the Marzig fans in the south corner of the Stadion Kaiserhaven crazy. From there, Marzig tried their standard tactic when they get a lead: sit back, let them come to you and defend with the vigour we know we have. St. Jakob were getting desperate as the game went on, but were being squeezed out by the Marzigers. That was, at least, until Reto Grunewald entered the pitch. The young winger offered some youthful energy and his fresh legs earned him a one on one chance just minutes after coming on. He wouldn't make a mistake - 1-1, and St. Jakob were back in it. 90 minutes came and went, and we were heading to extra time again. For St. Jakob, it was the 3rd time in 4 Cup matches they would do so, while Marzig also played the extra half hour in their semifinal. On this south coast night, however, it was the team from the north coast who would have the luck. In the 117th minute, with St. Jakob's legs fading, Marzig won a corner. The outswing delivery from Aleksander Kosch-Kovarik caught the defenders off guard, and Thorsten Herzog managed to get to it first. The Pasargan defender had scored what would turn out to be the winning goal. Marzig fans flooded the field at the Stadion Kaiserhaven - which in just a few weeks will host a World Cup match - and the captain Silvio Rodl lifted the club's 10th Cup title high into the air. A good end to the season for Marzig, who will be hoping they can keep this squad together and go again for the title next year.

Pokalsieger
For the 10th time in club history

TSV MARZIG

IFCF Qualifications

Siovanija & Teusland (STL) qualifiers

IFCF Champions League: FC Teussen Stelburg, FC Felsenkirchen 1879
IFCF Challengers Cup: TSV Marzig, 1912 Stelburg, Zvezda Vlaikograd
IFCF Liga B Champions' Trophy: SW Stahlberg, Vrnovo Mesto, TSV Georg-Blocher
IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup: TSV Marzig

Arrosia Hui La/Sun League: FC Teussen Stelburg, TSV Marzig

by **Siovanija and Teusland** » Sun Jun 01, 2025 12:03 am

Stelburger Zeitung

Goals, a Golden Glove, and the Glasses of Emil von Tessin

FC Teussen Stelburg, Champions of Arrosia

FC Teussen Stelburg became the second club from this country to achieve the highest regional club honour tonight at the Stade Ismail II in Al-Tamazgha, defeating Quebecois reigning champions Kingston FC 1-0 after extra time.

The road to Al-Tamazgha was a long one for Teussen. “We’re in so many competitions at the moment, I haven’t thought about that one yet to be honest,” was Thorsten Kramer’s famous quote in the press conference when asked about Teussen being drawn against La + Querida in the Round of 16 of the Hui La, the Arrosian regional championship. At that time, Teussen’s season was going through a rough patch - some difficult losses in the middle of the year, a key injury to Benedikt Tannenberg, and nobody knew how things would end up. What did they need in the middle of all that chaos? Definitely not a trip to Farfadillis.

That’s exactly what they would get, however, as the team took the flight over the Westsee to the land of fire, uranium and takilantes for the first leg of their Round of 16 match. When asked about the conditions in Farfadillis, goalkeeper Sepp Kranz noted that they were “Alive, at least.” But that first leg was a good exercise in team bonding. Teussen looked in control of the game pretty much the whole way, and a good brace from Uwe Seidl set the team up nicely for a 3-1 victory heading home for the second leg. That second leg, played at home just a week before the National derby disaster in Borograd, would not go so smoothly: La + Querida came out swinging, and had two quick goals in the first half to even the tie. Under the old away goals rule, Teussen would’ve been through after 90 minutes - but on this occasion at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, the game required extra time. The hero was late sub Gustaf Liechtenstein, the old legend getting the job done one more time for Teussen in order to secure their path to the Quarterfinal.

Teussen were drawn against Baker Park’s New Bremen FC for that round, but by the time we got to the matches, so much had changed for Teussen. The team that faced La + Querida was still finding itself and growing into something - the team that faced New Bremen had suffered the harsh defeat against Olympia Borograd and come back stronger. In the first leg, this time played at the Franz-Gorz-Stadion, Teussen looked completely in control as they handled the visitors quite nicely, 3-1 being the final with Josef Weber getting a hat-trick in the important win. In New Bremen for the second leg, Teussen took an early 1-0 lead and were able to get some game time for other players going. Vito Reichmann came on and scored the third goal of the night, and in the end, it was a 6-1 victory for Teussen on aggregate.

Now, it was time for the semifinals. This is the point when you really start dreaming about winning the trophy. For Teussen, they were dreaming in several competitions at once - with the Superklasse title also in sight. But an international trophy is something very special, too. It had only been done one other time in the history of the club - the IFCF Cup Winners’ Cup was one of the proudest items in the club’s trophy case. The 1-0 win over Brenecian side Northern Union at the BBP National Stadium in Baker Park was one of its finest nights; equally the defeat the year after in the same competition’s final in Flavovespia to Raynor City United one of its most painful. The club had also reached a Challengers’ Cup final prior to isolation and fell to Megabrantid SC. The opportunity to add another international title to the famous collection of over 100 trophies total was alluring for the entire club. Furthermore, the regional title had only been achieved by one other club - Energija Chernovets having won two editions of the Atlantian Oceania Champions' League prior to isolation. It was a huge opportunity to say the least.

“Yeah absolutely, I mean that would be a massive achievement,” said Thorsten Kramer when asked about the possibility of winning the Cup. “But we still have to win this semifinal to even really think about that, first.” Teussen weren’t necessarily favourites amongst the teams left - but with the way they had been playing recently, things were coming together. “I think we’ve really hit our stride,” said Josef Weber in the pre-match press conference before the first leg of the semifinal.

That semifinal would see Teussen face Banijan giants Jinja City FC. One of the most revered clubs from that nation, Jinja would be dreaming the same dream as Teussen - the chance to become the second club from their nation to win the regional prize. In the first leg at the Gorz-Stadion, one of these teams was overwhelmed by their dream - and the other pounced on the chance. FC Teussen Stelburg six, Jinja City FC one. Uwe Seidl had a hat-trick in the first half, Santutxo Kramer had a goal, and Reto Zschokke and Leon Wimmer chipped in with the others in the huge victory for Teussen. A week later, with Teussen preparing for the final match of the Superklasse season, a B team went to Banija and were defeated 1-0 - it didn’t matter. The spot in the final was secured, the date with Kingston FC in Al-Tamazgha booked.

That weekend, Teussen would crush Zvezda Vlaikograd 7-0 to take their 44th national championship. Teussen’s story on the league title run-in had been quite clear: defence wins championships. 12 league wins in a row, 10 of them clean sheets (8 of those coming in a row) and an all-time legendary performance from Sepp Kranz in the goal. The story of young Emil von Tessin also made him a cult hero in the fanbase. Starting the year with the youth team, he joined the first team reserves after Benedikt Tannenberg’s unfortunate ACL tear and then made it to the starting XI. He didn’t quite look the part at the beginning - clearly hadn’t made much use of the weight room at the Gorz-Stadion, had a haircut that screamed ‘not expecting to be on national TV twice a week,’ and became famous as the only player in the entire professional pyramid to wear glasses on the pitch.

When von Tessin instantly stepped up and became arguably the team’s best defender on the run-in, all of this made him a cult hero. Suddenly his #44 kit was seen more and more regularly around Stelburg and the fans sang his name consistently. It was an incredible breakout campaign and the young defender could only say “I never imagined this would happen” when asked about his sudden rise to fame. Now, after the win against Zvezda, he’d won the league in his debut season at the club - and now had one more game left to become a regional champion, too.

In the Hui La to date, however, the story had been the inverse: offence wins championships. It was the goal in extra time against La + Querida that meant Teussen survived the Round of 16. 6 goals total against New Bremen, 3 in each leg. And a 6-1 demolition of Jinja City that confirmed Teussen’s place in the final. There was only one more game left to win - the Final.

For the third season in a row, the Quebecois outfit Kingston FC had once again reached the final of the Hui La. In the 4th edition of the competition, Kingston saw off the challenge of multiverse giants Raynor City United on penalties to win the title. In edition 5, they ran the gauntlet again, going all the way to the final against - yes - 1. FC Vaihingen. The President’s Cup winners embarked on a magical underdog run that time around, but they were no match for the defending champions and even though they pushed it to extra time, Kingston took a 3-1 win. This time around, Kingston would defeat Raynor City United again in the Quarterfinal before winning an all-Quebec semifinal over Mipojoseon, on penalties. They were hungry for a third successive regional triumph.

When the teams took to the field in Al-Tamazgha in front of a sold-out crowd of 30,000 - 12,000 from each club plus a few thousand extra seats for dignitaries and neutrals from the host city - no-one quite expected what would come next. Both teams had scored a lot of goals to get here, but on this evening, the deciding factor would clearly be who could keep them out. Kingston started the game with initiative. Alain Vadnais had the first good chance just a few minutes, but it was palmed over the bar by Sepp Kranz. Teussen’s first chance came when Reto Zschokke made a good run down the wing and got a cross in for Uwe Seidl, whose header was just wide of the goal. Both teams were so solid defensively that you felt they could play for days and not score.

Sepp Kranz would be called into action again just 5 minutes before the 90, when a Kingston corner started a flurry around the box that required Kranz to make 3 good saves in under 10 seconds to keep the ball out of Teussen’s net and hang on. The duo of Emil von Tessin and Seb Rosler, meanwhile, were holding up well overall against Kingston’s dynamic attack. And Uwe Seidl had a great chance to win it in stoppage time with a clear shot at the net - but the Kingston keeper put it just wide. Three blows of the whistle, and suddenly 90 minutes was over. This one was going 120, and penalties if possible.

“30 more minutes boys, come on, we can do this,” Thorsten Kramer was heard to tell his team in the dressing room during the pause. This would be the last action of the season for many of these Teussen players, their last competitive match before either summer vacation or preparation for the World Cup. They had to give everything - and they did. Teussen started the extra frame the better side, growing in confidence on the ball and really pushing Kingston’s defenders to their limit.

In the 116th minute, Josef Weber ran down the wing towards the corner. Not seeing a way through, he fired the ball off the defender’s legs and out for the corner. Teussen lined up in the box, and Weber took the corner very quickly. It went first to Uwe Seidl, but he couldn’t get a clean head on it and it instead bounced to the corner - and there rose Emil von Tessin. The young man who started this season expecting to maybe get a cameo appearance in the President’s Cup had just scored perhaps the most important goal of the season - his first at the senior level for the club. That would’ve been a memorable enough moment. What happened next made it one that will live forever in Teussen’s lore.

Von Tessin ran into the net to try to grab the ball - wanting to waste some time and not allow Kingston to kick off immediately. Goh Yeong-Rok, Kingston’s goalkeeper was very displeased by this, as well as having conceded the goal. The keeper attempted to block von Tessin from getting to the ball - and as he did so, grabbed the defender’s glasses and snapped them in half and threw them to the floor in disgust. The Teussen squad, in the midst of celebrating the goal, screamed at the referee to do something about this - and the referee, surely confused by the scenario, showed Goh Yeong-Rok a yellow card. Von Tessin picked up his broken glasses, held them in almost disbelief, then glanced up at the stadium clock and grinned as he saw how much time had just been taken off the clock as a result of this incident. The young defender walked as slowly as possible to the Teussen sideline to hand them to the trainer. Thorsten Kramer was seen asking “Can you play?” to which von Tessin shrugged and nodded.

A truly bizarre scenario, but there was still time left in this one and Kingston were going to push with everything for a goal. Late sub Chell Meadows had the best chance for Kingston in the final moments - managing to get a shot through that did force Sepp Kranz to make a save. But time was ticking on and it was clear nobody was going to beat Kranz on this night. And yes, Emil von Tessin was still able to see somewhat clearly, at least - as he showed with a well-timed tackle on Raymond Brasseur in those dying seconds. Josef Weber won back the ball, ran it into the corner - and there it was. The whistle.

Teussen’s players streamed out into the field, hands in the air, ready to celebrate their masterful regional triumph. Thorsten Kramer smiled on the sidelines, adding another trophy to his illustrious collection, and watched on as his players celebrated also with the fans in attendance. Everyone wanted to embrace Kranz and von Tessin, and both men were lifted on the team’s shoulders in front of the fans. The 12,000 Teussen fans who had made the trip serenaded them with a powerful version of the club’s anthem “In Herzen von Teusland,” with the lines “Teussen vom Drai, nur du sollst heute siegen…” (Teussen on the Drai, only you will win today) and “Teussen aus Stelburg, du schaffst es wieder, Arrosia-meister zu sein” (Teussen from Stelburg, you made it happen, Arrosian champions) ringing out into the night.

Soon enough, Hans Gruber was lifting the trophy, and 2 days later the team was gathered on the Nationalplatz again for the traditional parade through the city. Emil von Tessin appeared in new glasses, and when asked where the broken ones went, he smiled and said “You’ll see.” The parade for this one was even bigger than the league title celebration, and it was clear how much the regional championship meant to the club. When long-time Teussen man Dietrich Traeger came on stage for a speech, he started with “And what will we sing to the Bluebirds (1912 Stelburg fans) next year?”

The crowd responded clearly: “Champions of Arrosia, you’ll never sing that!”

Later that evening, FC Teussen Stelburg posted on social media a picture of the Arrosian championship trophy encased in glass in the famous trophy room in the club museum at the Franz-Gorz Stadion. And at the base of the trophy, paired forever, sits the broken glasses of Emil von Tessin.

Arrosiameister
For the 1st time in club history

FC TEUSSEN STELBURG

An ode to ’het brilletje van Van Daele,’ in honour of both Joop van Daele and Juan Ramon Veron, who both passed away this month.

RBC Sports One: Siovanija & Teusland Sporting News

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