Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
SV Darmstadt 98 thrashed SG Sonnenhof Großaspach 7-2 in their pre-season friendly at Bad Wörishofen. Fynn Lakenmacher scored a hat-trick as the 2. Bundesliga side ended their training camp with a fifth consecutive friendly win.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Darmstadt needed just five minutes to open the scoring. Kai Klefisch flicked on a corner at the near post and, after a scramble, Noah Weißhaupt was credited with the final touch. Two minutes later it was 2-0: Ibrahim El Kadiri was denied twice by goalkeeper Maximilian Reule but pulled the ball back for Lakenmacher to finish.
Hiroki Akiyama won the ball high up the pitch and fed Lakenmacher, who was fouled inside the box. Duijvestijn converted the penalty for 3-0 in the 36th minute. Großaspach hit back immediately through Tim Rossmann (38'), but Lakenmacher restored the three-goal cushion before half-time, finishing a pass from Duijvestijn after a turnover.
Nicolas Verkooijen, introduced at half-time for Weißhaupt, made it 5-1 in the 54th minute from a Kleinhansl cross. Großaspach pulled one back through Marlon Faß on a counter-attack (72'), but Lars Kehl produced the goal of the day — a free-kick from 18 metres hammered into the top-left corner (81'). Lakenmacher tapped home a Furukawa cross to complete his hat-trick and the scoring in the 85th minute.
The turning point
Darmstadt's lightning start made the contest a damage-limitation exercise for Großaspach from the eighth minute. The 2-0 lead inside seven minutes, built from a set-piece and a quick transition, allowed Florian Kohfeldt's side to play with control and rotate freely — seven substitutions across the second half gave minutes to fringe players including Kehl, who scored the standout free-kick.
Key performers
Fynn Lakenmacher (Darmstadt) — 3 goals, 1 penalty won. The striker was involved in five of Darmstadt's seven goals, stretching the Großaspach defence with relentless movement and sharp finishing. A strong candidate for a starting spot against Holstein Kiel on 8 August.
Lance Duijvestijn (Darmstadt) — 1 goal, 1 assist. The new signing from the Netherlands was "composed on the ball and everywhere on the pitch," per hessenschau.de. His penalty was confidently taken, and his assist for Lakenmacher's first-half strike showed vision.
Lars Kehl (Darmstadt) — 1 goal. The substitute's 18-metre free-kick into the top corner was the technical highlight of the afternoon.
Player of the match: Fynn Lakenmacher.
By the numbers — interpreted
The 7-2 scoreline reflects a game effectively decided in the first 45 minutes (4-1). Darmstadt's 36 goals in five pre-season friendlies — against progressively stronger opposition — suggest Kohfeldt's tactical setup is creating high-quality chances in volume, though the two goals conceded (both from open play, one a counter-attack) will be a concern. Kohfeldt himself said: "I didn't like the two goals we conceded at all; the problem there lay with the back line."
What it means
Darmstadt have now won all five pre-season friendlies this summer, scoring 36 goals (12-0, 8-0, 5-1, 4-1, 7-2). The next test is a higher-profile friendly against English League One side Portsmouth FC at the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor on 1 August (14:00 kick-off), which doubles as the club's official season opener. The 2. Bundesliga campaign begins on 8 August against Holstein Kiel.
Sonnenhof Großaspach, promoted to 3. Liga for 2026/27, face a more challenging gauge of their readiness in their remaining pre-season fixtures.
Verdict
Darmstadt's 7-2 victory was emphatic but not flawless — the two goals conceded will give Kohfeldt material to work on before the competitive season begins. The attacking output, however, is building a compelling case for confidence heading into the Portsmouth friendly and the 2. Bundesliga opener. Lakenmacher and Duijvestijn look like key pieces of the puzzle.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 26 Jul 2026