Football. - Victoria focuses on improvement rather than seeking advancement.
Viktoria Berlin's regional league footballers were the ones to collect the winning medals, following their third DFB Cup victory since 2019. The celebrations were joyful and loud, with the Viktoria players gleefully pushing over the railing at the winners' podium after the trophy presentation.
The couple, Monika and Gert König, who have led the team for years, were the first to receive these medals. Then the players from Viktoria surged forward, revealing their excitement at their triumph.
Coach Wolfgang Sandhowe of TuS Makkabi was content with almost everything, except for one thing—the outcome of the game. "It was a fantastic game," he said, "but sadly, not the win we'd hoped for." This happened when the lower-ranked team suffered a 3-0 (0-0) defeat at the Howoge-Arena in Lichtenberg.
Sandhowe, who is 70 years old, explained that the amateurs from Westend could initially keep up with the professional training of the young team, Viktoria, but only for a couple of minutes before the latter stepped up their game. Nevertheless, they came close to taking several points.
"Jack Krause saved our behinds," Sandhowe noted, using his characteristic German expression. "We had trouble with Viktoria's fast-paced play."
Viktoria had seven superb chances in the first half alone but couldn't take them due to a combination of factors. Berk Inaler then quietly scored the game's first goal just minutes after restarting play.
Keskin, Viktoria's coach, admitted that the team exhibited some anxiousness in front of the goal. "My boys can be forgiven for that," he said, expressing his satisfaction with their eventual three-goal haul.
Viktoria ranked third in the league with a ten-game unbeaten run—placed between Energie Cottbus and Greifswalder FC. The €200,000 receipts from the DFB's marketing program and a very capable opponent in the first main round of the DFB Cup present Viktoria with new possibilities. However, Keskin emphasized their focus on youth development: "We'll continue to look down, then look up again next season. That'll suit us well."
Keskin concedes that he wants to target loftier ambitions for his squad, but his immediate desire is to experience the Bundesliga. "We want to get the greatest possible result, whether it's Bayern, Dortmund, or Leverkusen," he shared.
Sandhowe, who was trounced 6-0 by promoted side VfL Wolfsburg during the previous season—with the dispossessed cup-winners Makkabi—also has larger objectives, post-defeat to Viktoria. "We'd like to be here again next year... with a different result."
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Source: www.stern.de