ZFC Meuselwitz vs Erzgebirge Aue

The game was barely two minutes old when Aue struck. The first attack went down the left flank: Willi Kamm lifted a cross to the far post, former ZFC Meuselwitz player Christoph Pauling won the aerial duel, and his knockdown was met by Marcel Bär on the volley. The ball arrowed into the top corner — 1-0 Aue inside 120 seconds.

The visitors nearly doubled their lead moments later when Pauling scuffed a shot from a good position, but the second goal arrived in the 11th minute. Aue broke quickly on the counter: Kamm fed Simon Skarlatidis, who released Linus Queißer on the left wing. The initial cross was cleared, but left-back Levi Wagner recycled the ball with a pinpoint cross back into the box, and Bär nodded home from close range for his second.

Meuselwitz pushed higher after the second goal and enjoyed more possession, but Aue’s defence held firm. The decisive third goal came in the 30th minute. A long ball found Pauling on the right flank, and he controlled it before pulling the ball back from the byline. Skarlatidis met it first time, drilling into the near corner past the ZFC goalkeeper.

Half-time: ZFC Meuselwitz 0–3 Erzgebirge Aue

Aue made a full XI change at the break, with only goalkeeper Max Uhlig (replacing Martin Männel) and an entirely new outfield line-up taking the pitch. The second half was a considerably quieter affair. Heavy legs from the intense training camp in Roudnice nad Labem, Czech Republic — which had concluded only a day earlier — were evident. Clear-cut chances were scarce. The closest Meuselwitz came to a consolation was a long-range effort late on, but Uhlig did well to tip it around the post.

Full-time: ZFC Meuselwitz 0–3 Erzgebirge Aue

Aue’s first attack of the match. The 2nd-minute opener — a beautifully struck volley from Bär after Pauling’s knockdown — set the tone and forced Meuselwitz onto the back foot before they had settled. Aue never relinquished control, and within 11 minutes the game was effectively over.

Marcel Bär (Aue) — Player of the Match. A classic poacher’s display: a spectacular volleyed opener and a simple header for the second. Two goals from two chances inside 11 minutes, both finished with the composure of a striker who scored 14 league goals last season.

Christoph Pauling (Aue). The former ZFC Meuselwitz man, given an emotional send-off before kick-off, marked his return with two assists. He won the aerial duel that led to the first goal and set up Skarlatidis for the third with a well-judged cut-back from the byline.

Simon Skarlatidis (Aue). The veteran winger scored the third goal and was involved in the build-up to the second. His movement caused problems for the Meuselwitz defence throughout the first half.

Martin Männel (Aue). The veteran goalkeeper had little to do in the first half but marshalled the defence well. He told the club website: “The most important thing from my perspective is that we came through without injury. It was a heavy workload so far and we had a good and physically very robust opponent in the Czech Republic. There and today nobody got injured and that is above everything.”

The provider payload shows a 0-3 scoreline with all three goals in the first half — a clean 0-3 at the break and no further scoring after the interval. The complete XI change at half-time explains the drop-off in attacking output: Aue fielded two entirely different line-ups, prioritising minutes across the squad over chasing a bigger scoreline. The single save from Uhlig late on was the only notable attempt from Meuselwitz, underscoring Aue’s defensive solidity across both halves.

This was Aue’s fourth pre-season friendly and their fourth win, extending their perfect start to preparations for the 2026-27 Regionalliga season after relegation from the 3. Liga. The side now continues their build-up with a friendly against VfL Halle 96 on 8 July 2026, followed by a marquee test against Schalke 04 on 19 July.

For ZFC Meuselwitz — also a Regionalliga side — the result offers a useful benchmark against a club that competed at a higher level last season. They continue their own pre-season programme with further friendlies ahead of the new campaign.

Aue’s first-half display was ruthlessly efficient: three goals from three well-worked moves, clinical finishing, and a defence that offered Meuselwitz nothing. The second half was a training exercise in all but name, but the intensity and sharpness of the opening 30 minutes suggest Shubitidze’s side are well ahead of schedule in their preparations.