Meerbusch vs Hilden

Hilden, preparing for the first competitive season in the club's history at Regionalliga level, controlled the match from the opening whistle against a Meerbusch side playing one tier below. The visitors established a first-half lead before adding to it after the break, though individual scorer names and minute marks for this fixture were not published.

The VfB 03 Hilden official website later confirmed the 4-0 scoreline, describing it as a "4:0-Auswärtssieg beim Oberligisten TSV Meerbusch" in their round-up of the club's pre-season campaign.

Hilden's first-half opener gave Antonio Molina's side a platform they never relinquished. Meerbusch, who finished mid-table in the Oberliga Niederrhein in 2025/26, struggled to create meaningful chances against a Hilden defence reinforced during the summer transfer window.

Individual scorer data for this specific match was not published by either club. However, the personnel Molina deployed against Meerbusch would have included several players who featured across Hilden's pre-season campaign. New signing Armin Deljkovic, who returned to the club in early July after his youth days, had been influential in earlier friendlies. Etienne Feese, who scored the opening goal against 1. FC Wülfrath three days later, and Harumi Goto, who bagged a double in that match, were also likely involved.

Player of the match: Not officially named.

The 4-0 scoreline reflected Hilden's clear superiority. The broader context is telling: Hilden finished their pre-season with consecutive 4-0 victories — against Meerbusch (26 July) and 1. FC Wülfrath (29 July) — an aggregate 8-0 across two matches that suggests Molina's defensive setup is ahead of schedule for the Regionalliga start.

The head-to-head record between these sides, dating back to 2021, now stands at six Hilden wins, two draws and two Meerbusch wins from 10 meetings. The fixture has historically produced goals — 42 in 10 matches (4.2 per game), with 90% going over 2.5 goals — though this was the first time Meerbusch failed to score in a pre-season friendly against their local rivals.

This was Hilden's penultimate pre-season friendly before the competitive season begins. Molina's side open their historic first Regionalliga West campaign at home against 1. FC Bocholt on 1 August 2026 (16:00, Bezirkssportanlage am Bandsbusch).

For Meerbusch, the match was part of their continued preparation for the 2026/27 Oberliga Niederrhein season. The one-division gap between the sides was evident on the pitch, with Hilden playing with the confidence of a newly-promoted side that has reinforced well over the summer.

Hilden's next fixture after Meerbusch was a 4-0 win at 1. FC Wülfrath on 29 July, completing a pre-season programme that included a 2-2 draw with Wuppertaler SV, a 4-0 win over Solingen 03, and a 1-4 defeat to Bergisch Gladbach.

A straightforward pre-season workout for VfB 03 Hilden, who did exactly what a side preparing for a higher division should do against a lower-tier opponent. The 4-0 scoreline was comfortable but primarily useful as a fitness exercise. The real test begins on 1 August when Hilden face Bocholt in their first-ever Regionalliga West fixture.