Regionalliga Bayern: A village club shocks the favorites

Last Saturday there was nothing to indicate the spectacle that was to take place just three days later in the same place. The players of SV Schalding-Heining crept with hanging heads from the field, they had just lost 3-1 to Illertissen. Not without a chance, but fully deserved. And yet coach Stefan Köck said after the game: “We want to create the surprise against Unterhaching.”

Three days later, after the final whistle, everyone was in each other’s arms. Coach Köck hugged his players, the players hugged their friends. Board member Wolfgang Wagner hurried to the clubhouse and got the XXL wheat beer mug. The spectators stood in line, the presence of Haching’s starter trainer Sandro Wagner briefly receded into the background. In the most spectacular game in recent history, the SVS defeated SpVgg Unterhaching on Tuesday evening: 5: 4, the winning goal came in the 89th minute. A game with countless ups and downs – and thus a symbol of the Lower Bavaria season so far.

A visibly proud coach Köck stood next to Wagner after the final whistle at the press conference and tried not to let the euphoria get too big. “We played in a disciplined manner, with a good order,” he said soberly, analyzing an anything but normal course of the game. After the score was 1: 1 at halftime, it got strange in the second round. Initially, Haching took the lead, but SVS turned the game around with Markus Gallmaier and three-time goalscorer Fabian Schnabel, who took advantage of a mistake by Haching keeper Alexander Weidinger. The guests hit back, but Schnabel brought Schalding back into the lead with a penalty before Patrick Hobsch equalized again from the point (84th). When it was getting increasingly gloomy – the main square in Schalding has no floodlights – Martin Tiefenbrunner started the solo shortly before the end and scored the 5: 4.

So far, there have only been victories against top teams, there is a lack of consistency to establish oneself in the middle of the table

For the only regional league team in Lower Bavaria – and therefore the district’s top-class football club – it is the third coup of the season against a top team. On the first day of the match, the Lower Bavarians defeated Wacker Burghausen 1-0, two weeks ago they surprised leaders FC Bayern II and prevailed 2-1. The problem from Schaldinger’s point of view: The successes against the top teams are the only victories so far, there is a lack of consistency to establish oneself in the middle of the table.

Köck justifies the fact that his team does not get their potential equally on the pitch every match day with the long Corona break – and the many changes in the squad. “We were on a really good path beforehand and have also improved a lot in terms of play,” explains the 36-year-old. But then came the pandemic, the Regionalliga Bayern paused. Important players migrated in that time, not infrequently to the more financially strong competition. Goalkeeper Markus Schöller, for example, went to Burghausen, top talent Tobias Stockinger is now playing in Bayreuth.

Although the SVS has been a permanent fixture in the fourth division for years, it operates – supported by many regional sponsors – with a mini budget. Squad planner Markus Clemens had to improvise once more, bringing mainly young players and scouting down to the district class, from which Marco Pledl, 20, moved to Schalding last summer – he has been on the field ten times this season.

Köck did not have much time to teach the new players the league and the system. August was full of English weeks. “Now we have a little more air, so we want to work something out in training,” says Köck. The secondary school teacher has been a trainer at the Passau district association since 2017, when he was promoted to the regional league’s first player coach. After a serious knee injury, the defender ended his career, but continues to give commands from outside. In the spring, the club silently extended with the coaching team.

“The league is rock hard,” says coach Köck. Therefore, for the SVS, it is only about staying in class

This season, too, is once again about nothing but relegation, says Köck: “The league is rock solid.” In front the professional teams, behind them many teams with similarly good cadres. The coach sees the solidarity in the club as a great strength, which was also visible on Tuesday. After the game, the players gathered in the club house, there was pizza, and lots of pats on the back from the fans. They have been playing and training at fourth league level for years, but Schalding has retained the image of the village club.

“But we didn’t celebrate too long,” assured Köck. Firstly, because most of the players had to go to work the next day. On the other hand, because it will continue on Friday. Away in Rosenheim, a beatable opponent on paper. “We have to switch from this highlight game to normal operations,” demands the coach, who knows this scenario. A few days after defeating FC Bayern II, Schalding traveled to Pipinsried – and picked up a 3-0 rebuff there. According to Köck, this should not be repeated under any circumstances.