Stuttgarter Kickers vs SSV Jahn Regensburg

Regensburg started the brighter of the two sides and took an early lead through David Philipp in the sixth minute. Nassim Boujellab drove into the penalty area and went to ground, but the ball rolled kindly for Philipp, who placed a composed finish into the far corner to make it 1-0.

The 3. Liga side could have doubled their lead soon after. Patrick Hobsch combined neatly with Boujellab on a one-two but saw his close-range effort saved by Kickers goalkeeper Dornebusch (14').

Stuttgarter Kickers grew into the contest as the half wore on. Sebastian Müller forced a sharp foot save from Regensburg goalkeeper Hannes Hermann in the 35th minute, and the equaliser arrived five minutes before the break. Melkamu Frauendorf collected the ball on the left side of the box and curled a precise finish into the far corner to make it 1-1 (40').

Regensburg head coach Sascha Hildmann made eight substitutions during the second-half water break, and the reshuffle paid dividends. With five minutes left on the clock, a swift counter-attack saw substitute Seibold lay the ball back to Stolze, whose shot cannoned off the post. John Posselt was on hand to convert the rebound from close range, restoring Regensburg's lead in the 85th minute.

Kickers pressed for a second equaliser in the closing stages. David Dojak had a late chance after a defensive error in the Regensburg backline but could not find the right moment to pull the trigger (88').

• David Philipp (SSV Jahn Regensburg): Opened the scoring with a calm finish inside six minutes and was a persistent threat from midfield before being substituted.
• Melkamu Frauendorf (Stuttgarter Kickers): The Kickers' most dangerous outlet, scoring the equaliser with a well-taken curling effort and creating several chances.
• John Posselt (SSV Jahn Regensburg): Came off the bench to score the decisive 85th-minute winner, showing sharp instincts to follow up Stolze's shot off the post.
• Felix Strauss (SSV Jahn Regensburg): The centre-back anchored the Jahn defence and later told Jahn TV: "It was a very good preparation game. Stuttgart Kickers made it really hard for us."

Player of the Match: David Philipp (SSV Jahn Regensburg)

Regensburg dominated the opening 20 minutes, creating two clear chances and converting their first through Philipp. Kickers responded with a sustained spell of pressure from the 30th minute onwards, culminating in Frauendorf's equaliser. The second half was more evenly contested, with both sides creating chances — Regensburg's volume of substitutions (eight after the water break) gave them fresh legs in the final phase, which proved decisive. The 1-1 scoreline at the break reflected Kickers' growing influence, but Regensburg's greater depth and the quality of their finishing told in the closing stages.

This was a key pre-season test for both sides. SSV Jahn Regensburg (3. Liga, third tier) face their final pre-season fixture against SSV Ulm on 1 August before the league campaign begins. Stuttgarter Kickers (Regionalliga, fourth tier) continue their preparations with a test against Eintracht Frankfurt II on 29 July. The narrow defeat will give Kickers encouragement that they can compete with a side from the division above, while Regensburg will be pleased with the resilience shown by their rotated squad.

A competitive, good-natured friendly between two clubs with a well-established fan friendship. Regensburg's early control and late finish told the story of a side with greater depth, but Kickers more than held their own for long stretches and could have snatched a draw. Posselt's winner was the difference between two well-matched sides on the day.

Sources: SSV Jahn Regensburg official website (ssv-jahn.de), SV Stuttgarter Kickers official website (stuttgarter-kickers.de), Jahn TV interview with Felix Strauss (YouTube).