Solingen 2 - 4 Oberhausen (368800340)

The 24147 fans in attendance at Zum Droste Stadion were roasting in the hot sun. Paul Schlachter was the appointed referee with assistance provided by Samuele Ciappesoni and José Orza Linares. All of Nordrhein-Westfalen was shut down for the day, as fans of both clubs came to the derby. Solingen had chosen a strategic 3-5-2 formation. They fielded: Nigah - Lipparini, D'Andrès, Eikema - Aisa, Leinfelder, Jung, Bally, Beringer - Bierenbroodspot, Churikov.

Oberhausen tactics involved an interesting 3-5-2 combination. The following players took the field: Ebersgöns - Terhaag, Cubinyà, Scheffl - Koczur, Pahlke, Mellen, Hofmair, Słupiecki - Kocijančič, Tache.

The wings were the focus of most of Oberhausen's attacks today. After 15 minutes, Oberhausen's E. Kocijančič made his way through the middle and nonchalantly placed the ball out of the keeper's reach, putting the visitors up 0 - 1. Some fine passing in the middle of the pitch, carving open the away defence, should have led to a goal for Solingen, but M. Lipparini's shot went over the bar. D. Terhaag received a delicate pass through the home side's central defence after 30 minutes, and chipped it past the flailing keeper to score making it 0 - 2. The Oberhausen fans went wild, whilst the home fans started to think about leaving early. F. Eikema did everything he could to get one back for his Solingen, but keeper K. Ebersgöns denied him with a spectacular block. The home crowd was given a certain amount of consolation when M. Churikov scored after a brilliant midfield combination through the centre, reducing the lead to 1 - 2. The sun seemed to put M. Lipparini in a great mood, and he showed off his technical skills all match long. Solingen tried to even things up by sending a long ball towards the centrally placed strikers, but the visitors' defence got the best of this rather direct style of play. It was 1 - 2 at the break. Possession in the forty-five minutes was dominated by Solingen, with 54 percent of the ball.

With 47 minutes played, a quick exchange of passes on the left wing freed E. Kocijančič of Oberhausen to slip through the defence and score another goal for the visitors. That made the score 1 - 3. Solingen's B. Bierenbroodspot managed a superb strike from the left after 48 minutes that would have left goalkeeper K. Ebersgöns without a chance, had it not hit the post. Solingen's L. Leinfelder was shown a yellow card for standing over the ball and blocking an opponent's quick free kick after 57 minutes. Some fine movement on the left led to a Oberhausen goal after 67 minutes, making it 1 - 4. R. Tache was noted down as the scorer. With 79 minutes played, L. Leinfelder was very close to reducing the score for Solingen with a low drive from the left, but a defender stuck his foot out just in the nick of time, blocking the shot to a corner. At 81 minutes into the game, Solingen's J. Beringer deftly knocked the ball home after an impressive run down the left, reducing the visitors' lead to 2 - 4. O. D'Andrès of Solingen was booked for kicking the ball away after the whistle. Solingen had most of the ball, with 59 percent of possession.

The most dominating Solingen player was without a doubt L. Leinfelder. T. Nigah was a disappointment, however. Oberhausen's best player was E. Kocijančič. K. Ebersgöns on the other hand, had a terrible day. The match ends 2 - 4.