SV Sandhausen vs FC Saarbrücken

Kühlwetter's 63rd-minute miss was the decisive moment. With only the keeper to beat, a composed finish would have given Saarbrücken a deserved lead and likely forced Sandhausen to push forward, opening the game up. Instead, Lyska's save kept the score level, and neither side mustered a clear-cut chance in the final half-hour.

Christian Kühlwetter (FC Saarbrücken) — The FCS captain led the line in the second half and had the best chance of the match, but his one-on-one finish was uncharacteristically tame. Still, his movement and hold-up play caused problems for the Sandhausen defence.

Arthur Lyska (SV Sandhausen) — The Sandhausen goalkeeper made a vital save from Kühlwetter at 0-0 and commanded his area well during a second half in which the Regionalliga side were largely on the back foot.

Philip Fahrner (FC Saarbrücken) — The right-back was Saarbrücken's most dangerous attacking outlet in the first half, creating the 19th-minute chance with a driving run and low cross that deserved a finish.

Player of the match: Arthur Lyska (SV Sandhausen)

The official provider payload confirms a 0-0 scoreline with no goals, cards or substitutions logged at source level. Sandhausen's match report notes that the SVS "won several balls through pressing but could not convert them into anything countable in attack" — a game of territorial pressure without cutting edge. Saarbrücken's multiple first-half chances (three from Brünker alone, plus the 19th-minute scramble) went untaken, while the second half saw only one clear sight of goal (Kühlwetter's). The 0-0 reflects a team that dominated territory and chances (Saarbrücken) against one that prioritised defensive solidity (Sandhausen) and achieved it.

For Saarbrücken, this was the final test of their training camp in the Black Forest before heading into the final phase of pre-season. The 3. Liga side will be concerned by the wastefulness in front of goal — five presentable chances went begging across 90 minutes. Their next friendly is against Bundesliga side FC Augsburg on 25 July in Kaufbeuren (14:00 kick-off).

Sandhausen, preparing for life in the Regionalliga, will take confidence from a disciplined defensive display against a side two divisions higher. The SVS face further tests as they build towards the start of their league campaign.

A textbook pre-season friendly: plenty of running, wholesale changes at half-time, and a scoreline that tells only half the story. Saarbrücken will want to sharpen their finishing before the competitive season starts; Sandhausen's organised defensive shape was the real positive.