"Invest even more": Magdeburg lacks a sense of achievement

The Magdeburg players sat on the pitch exhausted and disappointed. They had just conceded the decisive goal in stoppage time to suffer their sixth away defeat in a row, losing 2-1 (0-1) at Fortuna Düsseldorf. For coach Petrik Sander, it was "a blow to the back of the head" that had to be overcome as quickly as possible.

Magdeburg had once again played a decent game, earned a deserved equalizer in the 88th minute - and yet went home without points after another poorly defended ball. The statistics of the German Football League have registered 207 shots on goal from FCM in the 13 games so far - resulting in a meagre nine goals in the end.

Utilization of chances is Magdeburg's biggest problem

This was also evident in Düsseldorf: 25 shots on goal were recorded and one own goal made it onto the scoreboard. "There were things where you were shaking your head outside. It's more difficult not to shoot the ball into the goal than the way it happened," said coach Petrik Sander at the press conference. The fact that Magdeburg were knocked out by Cedric Itten's second goal after equalizing in stoppage time fits in with the course of the season so far.

"It feels like the same song every week. We play a good away game and then concede a goal in the last second. That's extremely bitter and really, really hurts right now," said Philipp Hercher. The only way out of the goal crisis is a sense of achievement. "We have to invest even more and win a dirty away game," added the winger

No attacking player in form

Not a single Magdeburg player currently seems capable of breaking the deadlock in attack. Yet the build-up play looks good. Quick transition play, good tackling and significantly more playing time. But things get complicated from the edge of the penalty area. It's not just one striker who can't score - the entire team lacks goalscoring threat: no one gets more than two points. That urgently needs to change against Nuremberg, otherwise FCM could already be bottom of the table at the winter break - and relegation could be a long way off.