Holstein Kiel secured a 1:1 draw against SV Elversberg after five straight defeats. New coach Tim Walter surprised by naming Jonas Meffert as temporary captain. Managing director Olaf Rebbe criticized a VAR decision on a potential handball.
The 1:1 draw against SV Elversberg brought Holstein Kiel some calm in Kiel on Saturday after a streak of five defeats. It marked the debut of new coach Tim Walter, who made an unexpected decision right away. Instead of the injured regular captain Steven Skrzybski, sidelined with a muscle tear in his adductor area, Walter named Jonas Meffert as captain. Despite alternatives like Alexander Bernhardsson and Stefan Schwab in the squad, Walter explained: "I wanted a captain on the field who always plays. Jonas isn't a loudspeaker on the pitch, but his energy is enough for five guys." The decision was made in consultation with Skrzybski and is temporary until his recovery. "Then he can gladly have the armband back," Walter added. He stressed that all players can take responsibility and that he communicates frequently with the team.
After the final whistle, sports managing director Olaf Rebbe expressed frustration over an incident in the second minute of stoppage time. He viewed a clear handball by Elversberg player Lukas Petkov, which referee Jarno Wienefeld did not penalize. The VAR reviewed the play but found no clear error. "For me, it was a clear handball, even if the referee thinks the player had no orientation," Rebbe said. He continued: "We don't want to complain about the referees, but in recent weeks many things have piled up. Similar scenes have been called as penalties against us before." Rebbe noted that from the club's perspective, such incidents are accumulating and need to be addressed.
