Marco Stiepermann’s goal two minutes from time was enough to secure a deserved three points after the Shamrocks dominated the majority of the game, to end their three game winless run against Karlsruher SC.
The second tier of German football got underway last night as MSV Duisburg were comfortably beaten by 1. FC Kaiserslautern at Schauinsland-Reisen-Arena.
This tie brought back many unwelcome memories for the Fürth fans who have seen their side fail to beat Karlsruhe in their last three matches, but Marco Stiepermann’s eighty-eighth minute winner was enough seal all three points.
Stefan Ruthenbeck put his side through their paces over pre season and the time had come for him to take charge of his first game as manager. He was hoping to get off to a great start following his predecessor Mike Büskens slump to 14th in the 2. Bundesliga table.
For Karlsruhe, if things would’ve went differently they would be preparing for the Bundesliga season. However, their defeat to Hamburg in the Relegation/Promotion play off ultimately put them in this position opening their campaign against the Kleeblätter today.
Nervy start
Opening day nerves were evident in the opening twenty minutes, little chances came about for either goalkeeper to deal with but the temp of the game was fierce as many of Fürth games are, especially with their hostile supporters.
First chance for the hosts came after twenty-six minutes, after some brilliant one-two touch passing led to Sebastian Freis’ volley which was well blocked and Karlsruhe number one Dirk Orlishausen swept up the remains.
On the half an hour mark, from Orlishausen’s kick, the flick on landed to Rouwen Hennings, the 27 year-old’s quick burst opened up space onto his stronger right foot but he could only fire just wide, Sebastian Mielitz had his angles well covered to usher the ball wide.
Fürth came back knocking once again, debutant Jürgen Gjasula tried wrong-footing his marker to get a delivery in, it deflected, the looping ball landed in an awkward area for the goalkeeper and hiss defenders and Veton Berisha adjudged to have poked the ball wide according to the referee who awarded the goal-kick. It would’ve been a dream start for Berisha’s Fürth career following his free transfer from Norwegian club Viking, this summer.
The opening day showed no sign of players backing down due to occasion both sides were fired up. Twenty fouls were awarded in the first thirty-five minutes with referee Tobias Welz only cautioning Zhi-Gin Lam of Greuther Fürth.
Lam’s game was brought to an abrupt close as the full back limped off the pitch just before half time, he was replaced by Johannes Wurtz.
Half-time break sees welcome rest after a tough first 45
At half time, the sides went in goal less but there were moments of a breakthrough. Neither side were able to get that extra bit of space in the opposition final third to create the goal scoring opportunities.
The home side came straight out the traps after the second half resumed. Gjasula burst inside from his left wing position, he caught the strike perfectly but the ball curled away from goal and rattled the stanchion behind the goal. Fürth carried on their surge for a goal on numerous occasions, however, they couldn’t quite get a shot on goal as play broke down in key areas.
Following the flurry of Fürth pressure, the chances for them became few and far between. The Shamrock attacks were frequent but they couldn’t test Orlishausen with play usually breaking down as they approached his 18-yard box and the midfield battle was still fierce but Karlsruhe often second best.
Both teams were whole-hearted in their attempts to win the game
The blood-rushing battles flooded to individual battles, Dimitrij Nazarov and Marco Stiepermann came together and it looked like Nazarov stood on the Fürth winger but the referee and his assistants seemed miss the incident.
Nearing the last twenty-minutes, both sides were getting into good positions but either side failed to make the most of the opportunities as they overcooked a pass or the play from the sides broke down due to good defending or general bad play. However, Fürth created the better goal scoring opportunities earlier in the game.
Veton Berisha brilliantly picked out Robert Zulj who got the ball on the edge of the opposition box; he manoeuvred his way onto his left foot before firing on goal. Orlishausen could breathe easily as his shot whizzed over the bar, that was the last impact Zulj would make on the game as five minutes later Tom Weilandt replaced him.
With fifteen minutes left on the clock arguably the best chance came Fürth’s way. The Karlsruhe torwart misjudged Gjasula’s out swinging free kick but Benedikt Röcker at the back post fires over.
In the last five minutes it was end to end, from when the hosts sloppily gave away the ball on the edge of Karlsruhe’s box, the opposition broke through Azerbaijan striker Dimitrij Nazarov but the bounce was unkind to the 25-year-old and after the ball bobbled and hit the striker's knee, Mielitz welcomed the loose ball with open arms.
Stiepermann comes up trumps
With two minutes left to play, the dead lock was finally broken on Stefan Ruthenbeck’s managerial debut as Fürth manager. The original corner was cleared but not as far as Jürgen Gjasula who’s volley was deflected into the path of Marco Stiepermann who fired his shot into the floor going through the legs of Karlsruhe’s Martin Stoll and into the bottom corner to give the hosts the lead and let Ruthenbeck and his bench breathe a sigh of relief.
But it wasn’t over there, a long ball from Karlsruhe was chested by Rouwen Henning but the loose bounce took it into Mielitz’s hands but the ‘keeper fumbled the ball, luckily Röcker was at hand to fire away for a throw in. From the resulting throw in, the ball was launched into the box and Boubacar Barry controlled it before laying it off to Henning but the referee ruled the winger to have handled the ball and that was all the action for the game.
A shock defeat for Karlsruhe to start the game, but perhaps the beginning for something special for Stefan Ruthenbeck.