Frustration at 1 FC Magdeburg after the first half of the season against Fortuna Düsseldorf

Frustration and annoyance dominated the mood at second division club 1. FC Magdeburg after the 3-2 defeat to Fortuna Düsseldorf at the end of the first half of the season. For the second time in eleven days, the team from the Elbe city had squandered a lead against Fortuna and ended up empty-handed. As in the cup, when the visitors turned the game around in stoppage time, FCM helped out with massive mistakes of their own. FCM had already led 2-0 through Herbert Bockhorn (17') and Xavier Amaechi (37').

"That's a situation that has affected us more often this season: That we basically play very consistently, but don't do two things well - our own goal chance conversion to make the games clearer, and then defending it away consistently," coach Christian Titz drew a line from the defeat to the entire first half of the season. "However, we must not bury our heads in the sand, but will continue to work on things from January onwards," added the 52-year-old.

Team captain Amara Condé echoed the same sentiment. "You have to reward yourself, it's always the same thing. You come out in the second half, make simple mistakes - you just can't do that in the second division," said the midfielder angrily. "We have to ask ourselves why we can't follow through and finish a game. It often feels like we give the game away to our opponents in the second half." In fact, FCM can also perform well over 90 minutes, as shown against Osnabrück and Kaiserslautern, for example.

The Magdeburg side are currently outside the relegation zone with 20 points, but none of those involved were really happy with that. In particular, the period of eight games without a win from matchday 6 to 13 prevented a better position. "If we played our game, we might have had 15 more points in our account this season. We invest so much, but at the end of the day we end up with zero points again," assessed Condé.

However, there does not appear to be an obvious adjustment that FCM could make at the winter training camp in Turkey in January. "We talk about things, get it right for two weeks and then not again. I don't know why," admitted Condé. In any case, the Magdeburg team hope to be able to welcome new signings at the training camp. The full-back position in particular could be tight if Leon Bell Bell is actually nominated for Cameroon at the Africa Cup. Overall, Magdeburg are aiming to bring in two to three reinforcements - but Titz is hoping for an earlier return from injury for Luca Schuler at striker.