“We still have a score to settle with Taiskirchen”

SV Riedau sent an exclamation mark to the competition. At the start of the western district league, coach Roland Hofpointner’s team defeated the newly founded Utzenaich/Antiesenhofen playing community 5-1. A win that was well deserved even at this level. “We took another step forward in terms of play in the pre-season”, says section head Udo Niemetz. Young players were raised in the squad, and defensive man Christoph Denk von Eggerding was also signed.

After sixth place last season, Riedau is aiming higher this year. One “rank improvement”, i.e. a top 5 placement, according to Niemetz, it should be in the end. In addition, it is common in Riedau for the team to set their own internal guidelines. One of them is not losing a derby in the fall. There is now a big one on the second day of the game. The Hofpointner troupe is making a guest appearance at neighboring Taiskirchen on Sunday (5 p.m.). “We still have a score to settle with Taiskirchen”says Niemetz. “Last season we showed our worst performance of the season in a 1-0 defeat. So on Sunday we want to take something countable with us.” The opponents from Taiskirchen know about the qualities of the Riedau team. “Riedau will play a big role in this league this year”, says Sandro Helml, sports director in Taiskirchen. His team started the season 0-0 at Gurten 1b. In the derby against Riedau, however, you build on the usual home strength “No team likes going to Taiskirchen, and we proved that again last season”says Helml.

This strength will be needed all the more this season. “The league has once again gained enormously in quality with the three promoted teams”, according to Taiskirchen’s sports director. At the same time, the district league west offers numerous derbies every week. “A dream”says Udo Niemetz.

Premiere in Ranshofen

Geographically, Ranshofen and Weng are only 15 kilometers apart. However, the sporting distances have always been greater in recent decades due to the sporting successes of the Ranshofners. On Sunday (5 p.m.) the two first-class Southwest clubs will meet for the first time in a championship game. “It’s something special for us”says Johannes Meindl, sports director in Weng. “Even if Ranshofen was always in higher classes, the game has a derby character because of course you know each other.” In Weng they expect a game at eye level, in Ranshofen they are struggling with personnel problems. “Then the young players have to step into the breach”says sports director Andreas Oberauer. “Also, derbies always have their own laws.”

While in Ranshofen they are baking smaller rolls after relegation from the district league and a few departures, runner-up Weng is once again aiming for a top position. “It is logical that after second place you are forced to deal with the topic of promotion”says Meindl. “But you can’t force such a success. That has to happen.”

positive trend

There will also be another derby classic on Sunday in the 2nd class west north, where St. Willibald meets Enzenkirchen. In St. Willibald, a new player-coach, Nikola Georgiev, is in charge. His job will be to lead last season’s bottom to higher ground. The start was successful with the 3:1 win against St. Aegidi. “In the derby against Enzenkirchen we want to continue this positive trend, which has already become apparent during preparation”says sporting director Sebastian Lehner, who is looking forward to an exciting game with many spectators.