Oberliga side in goal-scoring mood: what HSV can expect in Pirmasens! | OneFootball

Tomorrow, Saturday, HSV will face FK Pirmasens in the DFB-Pokal. Unlike the Bundesliga newcomer, Pirmasens is already in good form and can also rely on a "real" home advantage.

Unlike many other amateur clubs that have to relocate due to facilities not meeting DFB regulations, FK Pirmasens will host the match in their own stadium. 10,000 spectators will head to the Sportpark Husterhöhe on Saturday, which was opened in 2004 and replaced the venerable Stadion Horeb. Normally, not even 1,000 fans attend the home games of the Oberliga team.

In contrast to HSV, FKP, who narrowly missed promotion to the Regionalliga last season, has already played three competitive matches. They have shown excellent form. After a 1-1 draw in the opening game against former second division team TuS Koblenz, they followed with a 7-3 win in the Verbandspokal against TSG Kaiserslautern and a 5-0 victory at FV Eppelborn. Dennis Krob scored twice in both matches.

Pirmasens wants to challenge HSV

The coach Daniel Paulus, who is good friends with HSV goalkeeping coach Sven Höh, expressed his satisfaction (via kicker): "We are very pleased with the past 14 days." His team has set high goals for the duel with the Bundesliga newcomer. Currently, they are "relaxed. I hope we don't freeze in awe. But I don't expect that. We want to hold our own for as long as possible and challenge HSV as much as we can," Paulus explained.

Regardless of the outcome of the match, the coffers in Pirmasens are ringing. The entry into the DFB-Pokal, achieved with a 2-1 win in the final of the Südwestpokal over Schott Mainz, brings a starting bonus of 211,886 euros. Ultimately, according to chairman Jürgen Kölsch, after ticket sales, organizational expenses, and taxes, around 100,000 euros net would remain. A substantial sum considering a season budget of 750,000 euros.

Nur die Raute – by HSV fans for HSV fans

Advancing to the second round would double the money paid out by the DFB. Given the four-league difference, HSV, who has been anything but convincing in test matches, should not normally be in trouble. In the two previous competitive matches, both long ago, the Hanseatic team prevailed: 2-1 in 1958 and 6-3 in 1962 in front of over 60,000 spectators in Ludwigshafen.

FKP captain Yannick Gries is particularly looking forward to the reunion of both clubs. He is a passionate HSV fan. "It's definitely very special, especially the draw was special. I had goosebumps," reported the central defender. "It was very early in my childhood when Hamburg players like van der Vaart, Petric, or Son fascinated me," he explained his connection to HSV. On Saturday, the FKP homegrown talent will face the professionals of his favorite club for the first time in the biggest game of his career so far.

(Photo: Imago)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.