Geordie Al's Groundhopper Scrapbook: Energie Cottbus

Showing posts with label Energie Cottbus. Show all posts

Monday, 12 August 2013

Sandhausen 2-2 Energie Cottbus, Sunday 11th August 2013

'You're from the 70s and I'm a 90s bitch.' (a line from some Eurobeat tune - which may or may not be called 'I don't care' - prevalent at the last 3 matches I've been to)

Heidelberg and the Neckar valley

For a second day in a row I saw the home side have to settle for a point having been 2-0 up. It's going to be a real struggle for Sandhausen this season.
The fates decided my game today. Having had a taste of Bundesliga 1 yesterday, I rather fancied taking in Mainz-Stuttgart today. I'd looked on their website, there were still tickets left, and there was a direct train from Heidelberg (50 mins), where I was staying. However, going to bed at 5:30am after a drinking session with some Swedes and an English chemistry student did not endear itself to a mission. So I chose Sandhausen, which was Plan A all along. Whilst they're a small team from a small town, shooting well above their station in Bundesliga 2, it was 6 minutes (yes, 6 mins!) from Heidelberg by train. Can't they tap into the Heidelberg market (population: 150,000)? The attendance today? 3,200.

The bus awaits the journey back. Awaits 90 minutes (plus HT).

Fortune favours the brave and I caught the 12:48 from Heidelberg for a 13:30 KO. Had to maximise my sleep. The stadium looked walkable on my map (another mistake). As I disembarked at St. Ilgen – Sandhausen I was staring at my map, no idea what street was what (where IS this Netto mentioned on Google maps?) when a helpful DB official asked ‘Stadion?’ ‘Ja’ and he pointed at a bus, just setting off. He whistled and waved, the driver stopped and onboard I got. Fabulous, straight to the stadium (which was miles away, I’d never have made KO otherwise). The driver was on a cushy number too. He parked the bus at the stadium, went and saw the game himself, and drove us back to the station. THAT’S service. Free too. (Take note Reading, Coventry City et al).

The understated main entrance

In another case of history repeating itself, I got an upgrade again – by accident. I bought my €11 stehplatz, this time in the paddock by the side of the pitch. However, I think I went through the VIP entrance by mistake and ended up in the seats. A couple of well-dressed ladies greeted me, gave me a free programme and beckoned me in. How could I say ‘nein’?

I couldn’t find the entry to the terrace. All I found were metal fences separating the big nobs (me) from the hoi polloi. So I took my seat, looked around and noticed I was the only one in that section not wearing a green or red wristband, presumably noting a genuine VIP. Mind, the average VIP at Sandhausen appeared to be a 70 year old pensioner. Maybe I blended in nicely.

The posh seats (at half time).

After last nite’s shananighans, a seat was just what the doctor ordered, though they lacked a high enough back for true comfort. What a cute ground though! The stand I was in went about 2/3 the length of the pitch, with the aforementioned paddock in front. The latter 1/3, to my right, housed the Sandhausen ultras. For some reason it was €2 more to stand here. The away end was a small terrace behind the goal, while a seated stand stood opposite. (I wasn’t sure if this was temporary or not; it certainly looked it – perhaps needed as part of their licence to play Bundesliga 2?) Finally, the far side had another tiny terrace, devoid of fans though containing a couple of camera gantries and half a dozen coppers. Nice work if you can get it.

A watchtower and half a dozen police.

It was a good game though. You wait forever to see a keeper being rounded for a goal – then you get two in one game, one for either side. A penalty (see pic) had put Sandhausen one up before a long ball over the top completely deceived the centre half, allowing Sandhausen to run clear from the left, cut inside past the keeper and plant the ball into an empty net. Sweet. 2-0 up, barely 20 minutes on the clock.

A penalty puts Sandhausen one up.

Energie weren’t out of it though. Both sides played an open game and Energie in particular looked dangerous against the home side’s shoddy offside trap. Cottbus pulled one back before half time. Although not closed down, the ball was curled beautifully into the top corner from 20 yards. HT came and not many of us VIPs (!) stayed in our seats, most heading towards the ‘restaurant’ for tucker. Without much other scope for wander, I gently nursed the beer I’d had since before kick-off.

Sandy Ultras (possibly not their real name).

The 2^nd half was all Energie, or at least the chances were. Within 10 ins it was 2-2, the offside trap again failing miserably, leaving not one, but two men clear. The keeper was rounded in simple fashion and the ball rolled in right in front of the Cottbus contingent. Two-all and that’s how it stayed, despite the visitors’ dominance.

And now, here I am, top of a mountain (technically, it probably is) and I’m shivering. The sun is out, but my sweat-stained shirt has dried and I am officially cold. Time to sup up and get out of here. It’s downhill all the way!!!!!!!!!!
Attendance: 3,200 (Hardtwaldstadion)
The Damage: €11 ent €3 beer €3 badge = €17
There and back from Heidelberg (inc. match) in under three and half hours. At Sandhausen there appears nothing but a pizzeria/ice cream parlour, but on hot hot hot days like these, and half an hour to a train, you can’t beat two scoops of vanilla and cherry ice cream.

Sandhausen club shop

Back of stand behind the goal

Sneaking a view...

Note covering (it's all scaffolding under here)

Stadium plan

Today's main attraction

Energie team coach

VIP tunnel (restaurant above)

Match action, including camera gantries

The sparsely populated temporary stand

Balustrade. Nice touch.

Energie ultras (the journey home).

Sunday, 4 August 2013

1.FC Magdeburg 0-1 Energie Cottbus, Saturday 3rd August 2013

1.FC Magdeburg 0-1 Energie Cottbus (DFB Pokal)

Hundertwasser's Pink Palace

I counted 3 bridges on my way to the 'MDCC Arena' from the city centre, as I gazed at the trams going past to the game (#15). I'd elected to see a bit of the city centre, and tidy place it is too, including Hundertwasser's last architectural masterpiece, the Grüne Zitadelle (Green Citadel). What a building this is - though 'Pink Palace' might be more apt. And you'd think I was here just for the football! (Reminds me, must check how the Super Reds have opened their account back in England: Christ, lost 4-0 at home. I'm pleased I'm here!)

Crossing the Elbe

What an odd time it must be for 'regionalliga' sides like 1.FC Magdeburg: your biggest game of the season is potentially your 1st - a DFB Pokal 1st round home tie against higher league opposition. In this case, another East German side, Cottbus. There were 12,000 odd there today. It's doubtful they'll get another crowd like it all season. Even odder, Magdeburg's ACTUAL highest attendance of the season would have been the full house (26,000) that turned out for a FRIENDLY - Borussia Dortmund. Who are these people who'd rather watch a friendly than a competitive game?

A bottle collector counts his luck (before being run over).

I have never seen empty bottles flung with such abandon as I did in the walk up to the MDCC Arena. These Magdeburgans (?) absolutely couldn't give a s*** about their own town, drinking their beer, then chucking the empty into bushes, or over the bridge into the river. Or leaving it right in the middle of the road. At least have the good grace to leave them by the pavement for one of the many 'bottle collectors' to claim it for the deposit. Have some pride in your town. Don't s*** on your doorstep (or, if you do find one there, wait for your mate's mum to clean it up, as once happened at uni). ***can I say, we were carrying said mate's piles of stuff up for him; we're not all bad.

Got to the ground, plenty of police, including those 'Dark Knight' characters, tooled up to the eyebals, dressed in all black (inc. facemasks, so all you see is their eyes) and leg protection, like Robocop. I was dripping with sweat. They looked the epitomy of cool; do they have in-built air-con?

Robocop

The stadium itself was pretty much as I'd seen in photos - a one-tiered pre-fab concrete structure with a propped cantilever roof, holding 27,000. The only discerning features were terracing in diametrically opposite corners and a press/executive building jutting into part of the stand, meaning that some seats either side have been taken out cos they can't see one goal. Not sexy.

Not sexy

Unlike the lady who served me my bratwurst. Resplendent in leather bustiere, with her cleavage pierced. Yes, you read that right. Her cleavage, the bit just above her chest. Now, either you run a million miles from such a woman, or you're a member of your local S&M club. Me? I couldn't possibly say. At another refreshment kiosk I counted 4 ladies with tatts, while inside the ground was the largest collection of topless shaven-headed men this side of G.A.Y.

The toilets (graffiti intended).

For mementoes, Magdeburg proved one of the best yet. Not one, but two supporters' club kiosks, as well as the official one. I picked me up a cracking postcard celebrating some 1.FCM match in the 70s (the glory days?) I 'ummed' and 'arred' over a t-shirt, gave myself time to think (do I REALLY need another t-shirt?) and, sure enough, the kiosk was closed at half time and after the game. Nevermind.

The 1.FCM ultras put in a decent effort, with a giant banner being surrounded by fans waving blue and white flags. I was thinking the chants might fall down, being that half these were fans were making their annual pilgrimage, but everyone seemed to know the words.

There's always one...

Cottbus brought a fair few too; at 3 hours or so away, it was a virtual derby for them, positioned as they are on the Polish border. Two divisions lower, Magdeburg made life difficult for Energie, though for an hour, one team could choose the right options, but dcouldn't execute, while the other team chose all the wrong options (when they had the ball) and got everyone behind the ball (when they didn't). However, just as I was looking forward to extra time and the possibility of penalties, Cottbus nicked it. The home side ceded possession in their own half, Energie broke down the right and a low cross was tapped into an empty net from no range at all. There were still 1 mins left but 1.FCM were a spent force, barely able to close down an opposition side calmly stroking the ball around and seeing out time. Several Magdeburg players looked distraught at the end. They knew they'd done themselves proud but, sadly, it wasn't enough.

Attendance: 12,044 (MDCC Arena)

The Damage:
ent €11.50
badge €3
postcard €1
programme: €1.50
beer (x2) €8
bratwurst €3
'zine: free (picked up off floor)
Total: €28

The Tunes:
Lost Horizons - Lemon Jelly