BSG Chemie Leipzig vs Eichstätt

Chemie exploded out of the blocks. Midfielder Luca Bürger was given space 30 yards from goal and unleashed a fierce drive into the top-right corner that left the Eichstätt keeper with no chance (7'). Two minutes later, Rajk Lisinski crossed from the right and Julius Hoffmann met it with a crisp volley to make it 2-0 (9').

Eichstätt grew into the contest after the first 15 minutes. Their reward came through Lucas Schraufstetter, who lifted the ball over Chemie goalkeeper Marcel Bergmann for the deserved consolation (31'). The score stood at 2-1 at the break.

Schmidt replaced almost the entire outfield XI at half-time, and the new combination took time to settle. Eichstätt missed a headed chance before Elias Kratzer punished them: Kratzer drove a ball across the six-yard box and, with the ball slick from a half-time rain shower, the Eichstätt goalkeeper let it squirm through his grasp for 3-1 (57').

Kratzer's 57th-minute goal was the decisive moment. Eichstätt had just wasted a header from close range and were building momentum when the slippery surface and the visiting keeper's handling error handed Chemie a two-goal cushion. The third goal killed any prospect of a fightback, and Chemie controlled the remainder of the second half.

Luca Bürger — the midfield pivot scored the opener with a stunning long-range strike and was the hub of Chemie's first-half play, dictating tempo from deep.

Julius Hoffmann — took his ninth-minute volley cleanly to double the lead inside ten minutes, an early statement of intent.

Elias Kratzer — provided the assist for the second goal from Lisinski's cross, then scored the crucial third himself, driving the ball across the face of goal.

Robin Friedrich — a notable absentee from the pitch since September 2025 due to a cruciate ligament injury, Friedrich made his return as a second-half substitute, a significant milestone for the player.

The 3-1 scoreline flattered neither side in a game that was more competitive than the margin suggests. Chemie's two-goal burst in the first nine minutes was the decisive period, with Eichstätt controlling the middle third of the first half before the break. The second half was more fragmented due to wholesale changes, but Chemie's physicality in midfield duels gave them a platform they didn't relinquish. The 80 spectators (including roughly 30 travelling Chemie fans) saw a meaningful workout for both fourth-tier sides.

This was Chemie's second friendly of the 2026/27 pre-season, following a 1-1 draw with FC Schweinfurt 05 on 24 June. The win gives Schmidt positive signs ahead of a tougher test: a friendly against SC Wiedenbrück (Regionalliga West) on 4 July, followed by Hannover 96 II (8 July) and a marquee fixture against 2. Bundesliga side 1. FC Magdeburg on 12 July. Eichstätt, who finished 7th in the Regionalliga Bayern in 2025/26, continue their own pre-season build-up.

A professional pre-season workout from Chemie, who showed both clinical finishing in the opening spell and resilience after Eichstätt's equalising push. The squad depth on display — with two entirely different outfield XIs — and Friedrich's return from long-term injury were the biggest positives. Eichstätt will take heart from the period they controlled before the break, but defensive lapses on the counter proved costly.