Ditib-Vatanspor as winter runner-up: victory thanks to penalty drama!

Ditib-Vatanspor as winter runner-up: victory thanks to penalty drama!

In the exciting race of the Lower Rhine Regional League, Ditib-Vatanspor has consolidated its second place and is going into the winter break as the first pursuer of leader Wald 03. Last weekend they won their home game against DJK Neuss-Gnadental 2-1 (1-0). Head coach Engin Kizilarslan is satisfied with the performance of his charges, even if he admits that many opportunities went unused. The victory was also dedicated to the outgoing club chairman Naci Yilmaz, who actively supported the team in the first half of the season. Solinger Tageblatt reports that the Neuss team performed strongly at the start of the game, especially through the set pieces from former professional Ibrahima Traoré.

The ex-professional footballer, best known for his time at Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfB Stuttgart, now plays for Neuss-Gnadental in the sixth division. Traoré, who has only been active in amateur football for a few months, has integrated well into the new team. He also coaches the F-youth team of VfR 06 Neuss, where his son Jalen also plays. During the game against Ditib-Vatanspor, Traoré showed potential and proved that he can still contribute a lot to the offense despite his new role as an amateur. Ibrahima plans to use his footballing skills, especially his dribbling, even if he has to adapt to the level of play. [FVN].

Game history and highlights

In the exciting match, Bilal El Oumari gave the hosts the lead in the 33rd minute. Tarkan Türkmen went one better in the 69th minute when he converted a penalty after a Neusser handball and increased the score to 2-0. But Neuss-Gnadental didn't let up and reduced the score to 1:2 in the 76th minute. The goalkeeping coach Florian Ricken kept the box clean for the injured Danylo Zenikov and impressed with a strong performance.

However, the game's framework was not without its flaws, as the functional building was still a long time coming. Athletic director Kadir Yilmaz thanked the Theodor Heuss School and the Solingen Gymnastics Association for providing cabins. Despite these infrastructural difficulties, Kizilarslan's team shows that they can impress on the pitch and go into the next encounter with a lot of self-confidence.

Outlook for the upcoming games

After a weekend without games because TVD Velbert was withdrawn, the first round final against FC Kosova Düsseldorf is on the program on December 13th. The fans can look forward to an exciting game, as the Ditib-Vatanspor team is highly motivated and wants to continue its success story.