As a consolidated second in the table, VfL Osnabrück travels to Mannheim for the match against Waldhof. Before the game, coach Daniel Scherning spoke about VfL’s current situation, the upcoming opponent and the plan for Sunday’s clash.
Ten points from the last four league games, sole second in the table with a three-point lead over the competition: Osnabrück have built up a strong starting position ahead of the top match against Mannheim on Sunday. They have earned this, said VfL coach Scherning at the pre-match press conference, but so have the fifth-placed Mannheim side. “We’re going there to play a good game first and then, ideally, take the three points with us,” Scherning said.
Mannheim is an “absolute top team “
The 38-year-old knows himself that this will not be an easy task. Even though Waldhof have lacked a bit of consistency in recent games, the hosts are playing at the top of the 3rd division and were even third at one point. “They are an absolute top team in the league, very strong at home, they have only lost one home game “, said Scherning. “They are very well organised and want to determine the game and the rhythm especially in the offensive area, they also have really many good players in their ranks there.” The Osnabrück coach singled out Mannheim’s Boyamba and Martinovic as particularly dangerous.
We have to defend really well as a collective. Everyone has their job to do.
This offensive strength has to be intercepted as a team: “We have to defend really well as a collective,” explained Scherning. “That starts right at the front with good run-up behaviour. Everyone has their task, which they know. Against Munich, we did an outstanding job over 60 minutes. That’s exactly the kind of performance we need to get back on the pitch. “
Regeneration and tactics during the international break
The international break played into the Osnabrück side’s favour, he said, allowing them to focus on their own game more intensively than possible in normal league action. “We used the first week for regeneration. Then we worked a lot on tackling and transition play. These are things that are very important for Sunday, but of course also for our game overall.” From Thursday onwards, he said, they then dealt specifically with the opponent, as well as giving the players some rest. “Now it’s about getting freshness again to be able to physically deliver a top game on Sunday,” Scherning said.
VfL are four points clear of league leaders Magdeburg, so if everything goes smoothly for Osnabrück this weekend, they could move to within one point. Mannheim could move past Meppen and Braunschweig with a treble and take third place.