KSC U23 fights for a point in a thrilling Reutlingen game!

KSC U23 fights for a point in a thrilling Reutlingen game!

In the Kreuzeiche Stadium in Reutlingen, the U23 of the KSC Grenke Academy achieved an exciting 1-1 draw against SSV Reutlingen on November 3rd, 2025. In front of over 1,000 spectators, coach Dietmar Blicker's team delivered a solid performance after their last defeat against TSV Singen and had to make some changes to the lineup.

After a yellow-red suspension for Marlon Dinger and the absences of Robert Geller and Meiko Waschenbach, who are in the professional squad, Jakob Distelzweig, Luis Dettling and Houssam Arbai took their place. Marius Mahle also had to step in at short notice because Fredi Recktenwald was unavailable. With these adjustments, the team showed a committed performance, even if the first few minutes were characterized by chances that could not be capitalized on.

The course of the game

The early game started promisingly: In the 2nd minute, Simon Heering parried a dangerous overhead kick from Markopoulos. Although Marius Mahle had the first big chance, he unfortunately shot over the goal. Although Reutlingen had more of the game, they were unable to pose any real threat offensively.

The turning point of the first half was a loss of the ball by Mahle, which led to a shot by Moritz Kuhn, which Heering was able to parry well. In the 53rd minute, however, Reutlingen took the lead 1-0 with a header from Yannick Toth after a corner. But the KSC players did not allow themselves to be discouraged and took on the pressure after Leander Vochatzer was sent off in the Reutlingen team.

In the final phase, the team finally rewarded themselves in the 78th minute: after a precise pass from Sonn, Marius Mahle scored the equalizer to make it 1-1. As a result, the KSC players had several chances to win the game, including a free kick from Dühring and an opportunity for Mateo Kritzer. Julian Gerold also celebrated his comeback after a long injury break.

Looking ahead to the next challenge

Coach Blicker described the draw as a “fair result” and was generally satisfied with his team’s performance. The U23's next game will take place on November 8, 2025 against FC Villingen 08. The KSC fans can be curious to see whether the team can continue their performance there.

The KSC U23 proved that they can perform well even under pressure. Despite the changes in the starting lineup and the deficit, they fought until the end and secured a point. So the KSC Grenke Academy is setting out to go into the upcoming games with fresh enthusiasm.