"Unterhaching, here we come!" FC Puchheim fights its way into the grand final of the Merkur CUP

Created: 07/04/2022Updated: 07/04/2022 17:21

FC Puchheim's e-youth made it to the grand finale of the Merkur CUP.

The successful team includes (standing from left) trainer Florian Gögelein, Luis Schiller, Flori Kabashi, Johannes Fröhlich, Leonhard Reum, Simon Kapitz and assistant trainer Verena Huber as well as (front from left) Georg Altmann, Nick Schicht, David Moloca, Simon Gögelein, Fabian Fischer , Ilija Badovinac, Mihajlo Keller and Lukas Galler.

© Peter Weber

The home game atmosphere helped.

For the first time in 20 years, she carried FC Puchheim into the grand final of the Merkur CUP.

Puchheim – Nobody really expected that, not even before the semi-finals, when the strong and previously unbeaten FT Starnberg were waiting.

But the coaching duo Florian Gögelein and Verena Huber dug deep into their bag of tricks.

"We pushed the guys again, got them in the final mood, reminded the fans in the stands," says Huber.

With success.

At least the Puchheimers were more alert in the game - and were quickly 2-0 ahead.

Because Georg Altmann and David Moluca touched the ball a little earlier than their Starnberg opponents.

Their coach Erhan Tikves had to say afterwards: "We slept through the first six minutes."

But the Starnberg team didn't want to give up their dream of the final either.

Leo Benkert brought them up again in the middle of the second half.

And so what is probably the most passionately played game of the tournament remained exciting until the end.

The FT Starnberg threw everything in to still manage to catch up, while the FCP teased out the last percent to defend the narrow lead.

This was also possible because keeper Simon Kapitz always put his fingertips on the ball.

Puchheim's coach Florian Gögelein is speechless with happiness

And because both teams were represented by a decent fan colony, there was something like a derby atmosphere in the Puchheim stadium.

At the end there was a trainer Gögelein who was "speechless with happiness".

Because the Puchheim team had gotten more and more involved in the tournament.

Even Altmann's goal in the opening game against the Löwen provided a boost - especially since it was to remain the only goal conceded for 1860.

In the 1-0 win against Freising, the Puchheimer put it away that the opponent determined the game.

And when it came to getting into the semi-finals against ESV Munich, the hosts were not even impressed by the initial deficit.

The fact that you then lost the final against 1860 in double digits was a minor matter.

It was more important to the coaching duo Gögelein and Huber that all players came back to play.

"Everyone deserves that," says Huber.

Faire Eichenauer finished sixth in Heimstetten

With one win and two defeats, FC Eichenau just missed out on reaching the semifinals in the district finals of the Merkur CUP in Heimstetten.

In the end, only one point was missing for second place in the group.

After a 0:5 defeat against the almost unbeatable FT Gern the tournament really started.

TSV Weilheim was defeated 2:0 by the two goals of Vito Pangallo and Leif Jellen.

So you had worked out a final for the semifinals against TSV Murnau, who turned up after two defeats and defeated Eichenauer 4:0.

Eichenau trainer Franco Pangallo took the defeat against finalist Murnau, who is now going to Unterhaching to the big final, relaxed: "This district final was a big adventure for us." It ended in the game for fifth place with a 0:7 defeat against the TSV Neuried.

Nevertheless, the FCE kickers had another reason to celebrate at the award ceremony: the team was awarded the fairness prize.

(Nico Bauer)

No one could really scratch the Lions' superiority, which was proven by their hit record of 37:1.

"The lads did a great job," said 1860 coach Ludwig Dietrich, who combined this with praise for the hosts.

"A good tournament, also in terms of organization."

District final newcomer TSV Rott receives fairness prize

Rot-Weiss Klettham-Erding, which celebrated its greatest success at the Merkur CUP with fourth place, also goes through as a surprise team.

TSV Rott was able to take home the ESB Fairness Prize in fifth place in its first district final, while SE Freising fell short of its own expectations with sixth place.

As another district final newcomer, ESV Munich ended up in seventh place, FC Deisenhofen stayed in eighth place.

For the two teams on the "Road to Haching", however, the journey continues.

"We're going to Haching to win there," says 1860 coach Dietrich.

The goals in Final Cut Pro are a little lower.

Of course you will enjoy the day, says Huber.

"But the team is so euphoric, they want to take something with them." Maybe fifth place again, like in the previous biggest success in 2002. (Hans Kürzl)