VfB Lübeck and SV Eichede began the second half of the U17-Regionalliga Nord with clear defeats. Lübeck lost 1:7 to Hannover 96 II, while Eichede fell 2:4 to SC Hemmingen-Westerfeld. Both teams continue to fight for survival.
In the U17-Regionalliga Nord, VfB Lübeck and SV Eichede started the second half with heavy defeats. Following the promotion of Eimsbütteler TV and USC Paloma Hamburg to the DFB-Nachwuchsliga, the season continues with twelve teams.
VfB Lübeck lost 1:7 at table second-placed Hannover 96 II and remains in a relegation spot. The team held up for one half before energy and concentration waned. Coach Alper Gürsoy called it "an overall too heavy defeat," but acknowledged Hannover's superiority: "Spielerisch war 96 schon sehr stark and has consistently exploited our weak phase towards the end. The difficult preparation time has also not had a positive effect on us." The highlight was Daniel Sterzer's equalizer to 1:1 in the 9th minute with a shot into the far corner. A brace by Jarne Achilles in the 30th and 31st minutes was a turning point. The goals: 1:0 Hartmann (6.), 1:1 Sterzer (9.), 2:1 Achilles (30.), 3:1 Achilles (31.), 4:1 Neubauer (57.), 5:1 Hamann (71.), 6:1 Neubauer (75.), 7:1 Kaewer (80.).
The next matchday against bottom-placed SV Curslack-Neuengamme is crucial to avoid widening the gap to third-from-bottom SV Werder II. New signing Esatz Özkaya debuted from SC Rapid, while injured Kimi Schmüser moved to SV Eichede.
SV Eichede lost 2:4 to SC Hemmingen-Westerfeld and missed the jump to safe mid-table. The start was promising: Timm Keller scored 0:1 in the 22nd minute, nearly making it 2:0 but hitting the crossbar. A controversial penalty by Timo Laugwitz just before halftime to 1:1 was untimely, as coach Sinisa Gacanovic noted: "Das war vom Zeitpunkt her natürlich extrem ungünstig." In the second half, Hemmingen dominated, better prepared. Gacanovic: "Der SC Hemmingen-Westerfeld war in der zweiten Halbzeit viel präsenter and deservedly won. It showed that Hemmingen could prepare three weeks better for the second half. We were mostly limited to the hall." The goals: 0:1 Keller (22.), 1:1 Laugwitz (40., penalty), 2:1 El-Wayss (51.), 3:1 Wietholtz (61.), 4:1 Strübig (63.), 4:2 Keller (79.).
Despite the loss, Eichede qualified for the German Futsal Championships on March 21 and 22 in Duisburg-Wedau through indoor successes.
