A lack of consistency in attack cost 1. FC Magdeburg two points in a 1-1 draw at SpVgg Fürth. As a result, the Elbe city team missed out on a better starting position ahead of the duels against HSV, Hannover and Kaiserslautern. At least they managed to equalize immediately against the deep-lying Fürth side.
"There are games where you know you won't get a firework of scoring chances, but you could have left the pitch as the winner," said FCM coach Christian Titz, annoyed at the missed points. On the positive side, however, Magdeburg started with a revamped back three and hardly conceded anything in the new formation with Patric Pfeiffer in the center of defence.
More space against top teams
In the upcoming duels, FCM should be helped by the fact that their opponents also have to collect three points in the promotion race. As a result, more space can be expected than against the compact Fürth side, who were mainly concerned with securing the draw after the 1:1 draw.
Titz will have to reshuffle his defense against HSV, as Daniel Heber is suspended due to his fifth yellow card. Pfeiffer will therefore probably play from the start again, as playing in the center was something new for him. "It was a premiere for Patric, because I've actually often deployed him at left-back," explained Titz.
El Hankouri still missing
Magdeburg will have to do without Mohammed El Hankouri for the time being. The flexible attacker has suffered an injury that will be diagnosed in the coming week. His absence was already noticeable against Fürth, with Baris Atik and Abu-Bekir El-Zein having to carry almost the entire creative load and barely being able to take a break.
The Magdeburg side still have something to make up for against Hamburger SV, as they put in one of their weakest performances of the season in the first leg. "We play down to our DNA, want to show who we are and we should keep that up," Baris Atik told MDR after the draw in Fürth and looked ahead to the top games: "Like every game - we go in there and want to get three points."
Directional weeks
Even if coach Titz doesn't like the term "six-point game", the upcoming games are likely to be directional. If FCM pick up the majority of possible points, the club and team will still be in the thick of the promotion battle in April.
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