VfB Lübeck vs Victoria Hamburg

The opening 45 minutes followed a predictable pattern: VfB Lübeck held the ball, worked it patiently through midfield, and created chances through Dardan Karimani, Tom Kankowski and the lively Elias Al Sadi. But each time, the final touch eluded them. Victoria Hamburg sat deep, absorbed pressure, and went into the break with the goalless draw they had targeted.

Coach Kevin Rodewald rang the changes at half-time, making six substitutions to test his squad's depth. Felix Mandl injected pace down the left flank in the second period, while new striker signing Selim Ajkic had several sights of goal but could not find the target.

With 71 minutes on the clock, the visitors struck on the counter. Aquillis Seidi collected the ball in the VfB box and finished past the substitute goalkeeper to give Victoria a lead their share of play had barely merited.

Lübeck pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages, but clear chances remained scarce. The hosts registered attempts through Mandl and Ajkic, yet Victoria’s defence held firm to secure the win.

A pre-season friendly cliché proved true again: miss enough chances and you will be made to pay. VfB Lübeck created three or four presentable openings in the first half alone through Karimani, Kankowski and Al Sadi, all of which went begging. Rodewald's decision to overhaul the lineup at half-time disrupted the rhythm, and Victoria — who had offered little going forward — made the most of their one clear sight of goal.

For a team that won 4-0 and 2-0 in subsequent friendlies (against FC Mecklenburg Schwerin and SSV Jeddeloh respectively), this was a case of the scoreline not reflecting the balance of play.

Aquillis Seidi (Victoria Hamburg) — The match-winner with a composed 71st-minute finish. His only real chance of the game, and he took it decisively.

Felix Mandl (VfB Lübeck) — Provided the most thrust in the second half from the left wing, beating his man on several occasions and delivering dangerous crosses. Lacked a finishing touch from his teammates.

Maximilian Schütt & Jonas Dittrich (VfB Lübeck) — The two defensive newcomers formed a solid partnership in central defence, keeping Victoria’s attack quiet for long spells. Positive signs for Rodewald’s rebuilt back line.

Player of the match: Aquillis Seidi (Victoria Hamburg) — the only player to make the decisive contribution.

The match page shows a 0-1 scoreline that flatters the visitors. VfB Lübeck controlled the territorial battle and created the bulk of chances, particularly in the first half. The absence of detailed xG data for this friendly level is telling: the scoreboard alone suggests a tight contest, but the eye test and the youkick.de match report both confirm a one-sided game in which Lübeck simply failed to finish. The half-time score of 0-0 was a reflection of wastefulness, not parity.

This was VfB Lübeck’s first pre-season friendly of the 2026/27 campaign and the first match under the club’s new GmbH structure, with Kevin Rodewald in charge. Sporting director Hanno Behrens was quoted by the Lübecker Nachrichten as seeing “positive approaches” despite the result. Lübeck bounced back convincingly in subsequent friendlies, beating SSV Jeddeloh 2-0 on 4 July and FC Mecklenburg Schwerin 4-0 on 8 July.

Victoria Hamburg, an Oberliga Hamburg side, used the match as part of their own pre-season preparations. The result will give them confidence ahead of the upcoming Oberliga campaign.

A typical pre-season friendly in which the scoreline told only half the story. VfB Lübeck were the better side by a clear margin but lacked the composure to finish. Rodewald will have learned more about his squad’s depth and attitude than the 0-1 defeat suggests. Once the chances start going in, the results will follow.