Moving forward into the second division - Prussia aims to achieve sixth place.
There's only two possible outcomes for Münster's third division athletes on Saturday - either unbounded joy or more trepidation...
The "home finale" against Unterhaching (from 13:30/live on Magenta Sport and WDR) provides the players of head coach Sascha Hildmann (52) a second chance to write club history. With a chance for promotion back to Germany's lower soccer division after an impressive 33 years of absence.
A win at their home ground would eradicate any lingering doubts and put them in a prime position to face off against esteemed opponents like Hamburger SV, Schalke 04, or Hertha BSC in the upcoming season. While even a draw may suffice, provided their rivals, Regensburg, also fail to win their game against Saarbrücken. If Münster should lose, they would be unable to catch up, despite a possible loss by Regensburg.
Hildmann isn't interested in engaging in the mathematical exercise, instead, he is wholeheartedly devoted to his players - particularly in this "living room" at Hammer Straße, which is packed with 13,000 spectators: "We're determined to showcase our best game. Though we know our adversaries, Spielvereinigung, boast a powerful team that will fight back ferociously. So, it's crucial our phenomenal home fans continue to show their unwavering support and encourage us."
If they overpower Unterhaching, Münster would become the sixth team to make the leap from the 4th to the 2nd division after RB Leipzig (2013/2014), Würzburger Kickers (2015/2016), Regensburg (2016/2017), SV Elversberg (2022/2023), and SSV Ulm, who secured their spot early this season.
To make it happen, however, the "Black-White-Greens" must recapture the composure and passion they've demonstrated in the second half of the season. Though they were noticeably off-kilter in their 2-0 defeat in Verl on the preceding Sunday. Veteran midfielder Sebastian "Beppo" Mrowca (30) acknowledges: "It's possible some of our players, especially the newer ones, seemed stressed about making it happen."
But Mrowca is optimistic: "We're more than capable of performing better. And we'll display that against Unterhaching. We've analyzed and discussed what went wrong in Verl. This week's trainings have looked amazing. The entire team is eagerly anticipating the big game."
Hildmann shares Mrowca's optimism. "We're a formidable force at home. As demonstrated in our 4:1 victory against Saarbrücken, fortitude under pressure."
Apart from central defender Alexander Hahn (31), who will be replaced by seasoned defender Simon Scherder (31) due to acquiring his 5th yellow card, Hildmann's successful crew has no players out. Even right-back Dominik Schad (27), recovering from a ligament injury and a forced six-week layoff, is back but not an active player.
Forwards Malik "Batman" Batmaz (24) and Joel "Johnny" Grodowski (26), who both took a breather due to the flu until Wednesday, can also rest easy. They're healthy and ready to contribute towards their team's dream. With a total of 17 goals apiece, the dynamic duo could dethrone Ingolstadt's Jannik Mause (27/18) to claim the top scorer title.
Münster exhibited their finest performance against Unterhaching in the initial leg but fell short with a frustrating 3-2 defeat. Despite clocking 120 seconds of unintentional downtime towards the concluding minutes of the second half, during which goalkeeper Johannes Schenk (22) let in two spectacular goals. But Hildmann confidently asserts: "The game is just as far from our minds as Verl. Our focus is solely on Saturday."
If, at the game's end, Münster secures the final whistle with referee Richard Hempel (26/Großneundorf), who has never officiated a match involving Münster, then they'll be free to begin their well-earned vacation two days later. If not, they'll proceed to extra time. There's still the potential for realising their dream with a triumphant relegation against the third-from-last in the 2nd division - currently SV Wehen Wiesbaden. They'd then have the privilege of playing at home on May 24 (Fri.) and away four days later (Tue./28.5.).
However, the Münster players are solely focusing on their second shot against Unterhaching. Win, lose, or draw, they aim to give it their all and bring glory to their team.
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Source: symclub.org
