FC Magdeburg have become an ideal sparring partner for teams lacking confidence as the defeat against out of form FC Saarbrücken demonstrated.

Magdeburg have lost their home game against Saarbrücken 2-1 after the visitors benefitted from Magdeburg’s sleepiness during the first 15 minutes of each half.

The story of the game is quickly told:
After four minutes Saarbrücken were awarded a penalty, some say this was not justified. Henceforth Magdeburg took the game to Saarbrücken and duly scored, also from the spot. It is telling that Magdeburg cannot score from open play. With the scores level the game restarted. Nine minutes into the second half, Saarbrücken scored and Magdeburg were given a lesson in cleverness and efficiency. They made the game but Saarbrücken administered the result. For them, the visitors, it was sufficient; for Magdeburg it was not.

Even with a change in the starting XI it was not enough. Beck, the eternal Beck was on the bench, as were Sören Bertram and Sirlord Conteh. For them two new signings, Nico Granatowksi and Saniou Saneh began and Leon Bell Bell made his first start after a long injury. Experience and pace – normally a dead certain recipe for three points. Alas, not yesterday. Magdeburg just are not good enough. This is the insight after this match. This is underlined by the fact that Saarbrücken have not won one of their seven last matches – Magdeburg came as an ideal opponent to boost their confidence. Magdeburg cannot afford to boost other teams confidence, however!

Life for Magdeburg’s coach must be uncomfortable right now and rightly so. The gap is now four points to the non relegation zone. Magdeburg have fifteen and need another thirty to reach 45, to secure safety. With 21 games remaining until the end of the season, the current points per game ratio of 0.88 must dramatically improve. Quite how this could happen, remains unclear. Maybe the sporting director has an ace up his sleeve.

Games 2/7
Points 1/21
Goals 2:3

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