Dream debut and double weddings: Kickers Emden draw in Schalke!

Dream debut and double weddings: Kickers Emden draw in Schalke!

Kickers Emden had an exciting exchange of blows in the game against Schalke 04's U23s last weekend. The match ended 1-1, although Emden was initially in the lead. Pascal Steinwender put the Kickers ahead with a goal in the 57th minute, before Tristan Osmani equalized for Schalke in the 75th minute. This exciting duel took place as part of the preparations for the coming season and it was not only a competition for points, but also a game that was intended to showcase the team's new additions. All of the seven new faces were in the starting line-up, which says a lot about the ambitions of head coach Stefan Emmerling, who wants to bring a breath of fresh air into the game.

The game initially went without a rush of goals after the first half ended goalless. The Emden team encountered a few personnel challenges: three defenders were missing, two due to weddings and one, Dennis Engel, became a father for the second time. This shows once again how much private joy the players experience outside of the pitch. Captain Tido Steffens, who provided the assist for the opening goal, was unlucky when he missed a penalty after an hour.

Successful series of test games

However, there was also good news for the Kickers. They recently celebrated winning the Nevernot Cup, a blitz tournament in Meppen's Hänsch Arena, where they recorded, among other things, a 1-0 win against Schalke's U23s. Tido Steffens was the hero of the day and also scored the decisive goal. The tournament focuses on the defense, which did not allow a goal in both games. Coach Emmerling was very satisfied with the performance of his protégés and emphasized the progress in defensive play. Further test matches are already planned, including a duel against Hannover 96's U23s on July 17th.

A look into the future

The coming challenges are already in the starting blocks. Manager Henning Rießelmann has clearly outlined the goals for the season. The focus is on solid relegation in the Regionalliga Nord. The squad will be smaller, however, as some players who have not been used much recently are set to leave the Kickers. Rießelmann has geared his team's transfer strategy to signing young talent instead of relying on old ex-professionals. The club's infrastructure will continue to be upgraded for the future through planned investments in stadium improvements and floodlights.

The Kickers Emden seem to be well positioned to bring fresh impetus into the new season. With a mix of new additions, the strong core of the team and a solid strategy, everything looks as if Emden could be heavily involved in the football business again. The club's sporting decisions are designed for long-term success, and the upcoming start of the season between July 26th and 28th could be decisive for the Emden team.

The last few games have shown that there is still a lot of potential in the team, and Kickers fans can be excited to see how the team develops further!

NWZonline reports that the participating newcomers have to be quickly integrated into the team, while FuPa announces further test games. Also Kicker highlights the long-term goals of the club.