"It’s a huge disappointment”

Sebastian Schonlau: Today was an important game for both teams. We tried everything and gave it our all, but didn’t create too many chances. It was a tough goal to concede, and we had a good opportunity ourselves right after half time. Had we scored that, we might have gone on to win. After we conceded, Kiel could focus on defending and we couldn’t create anything from our many crosses. Now a lot of things have to go our way, we’re aware of that. Six points adrift and the question of goal difference. 

Robert Glatzel: I didn’t think Kiel were by far the better side, but that’s what the teams at the top of the league do. It was a game that could have gone either way. We lacked a bit of fortune at times. But irrespective of that, we should have played better, even though it wasn’t a poor performance from us today. Unfortunately, we’re not in a position to be creating one good chance after the next at the moment, and we need to take the blame for that. After this defeat and given our current position, we’re going to need a miracle. But for as long as it’s still possible, we’ll need to give it our all every time. However, it’s clear that it all needs to come together now. It’s extremely difficult, but we cannot give up.

"We didn't get our reward, which is so often the case" Matheo Raab

Matheo Raab: It was a brutally intense game. We worked well out of possession against a Kiel side in a rich vein of form right now. We didn’t get our reward, as is so often the case, and then conceded a goal from a set piece. I felt was being held back and blocked, so my hands couldn’t get to the ball. That’s what I told the ref. I cannot understand how he hasn’t given a foul there. My only advantage is that I can go for the ball with my hands. 

Jonas Meffert: It’s a huge disappointment. We wanted better, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. We were quite unlucky with the goal, or rather Kiel were quite fortunate depending on how you look at it. It’s now out of our hands, but of course we’re not going to give up. Our performance doesn’t make it hurt any less. We wanted to win and we didn’t. It doesn’t matter how you’ve played.

"It was a game you mustn't lose" Steffen Baumgart

Steffen Baumgart: Congratulations to Holstein Kiel. We had enough chances ourselves, even if they were only half chances. If you can find the target, then it’s a good chance. That was our problem, we didn’t hit the target enough. The team worked hard. The key moment was the build-up to their goal. In my opinion, it’s a clear foul on the goalkeeper. Moments like that can completely change a game. Despite that, the lads carried on, and unfortunately, we weren’t accurate enough with the chances we had after they had a man sent off. At the end of the day, we’ve lost the game, and it was a game you mustn’t lose. 

Marcel Rapp: I’m thrilled with the victory. We started the game well, had a go from long range and also had a chance from a set piece. Otherwise, it was a game in which both defences performed well and were intense in the tackle. In the second half, HSV had a huge chance through Glatzel in front of goal, before the game petered out a bit. After we went a man down, we decided to concentrate on defence. I hope people saw what Holstein Kiel stands for: real passion. In footballing terms, there was room for improvement, but we were also playing against strong opposition. 

Referee Sascha Stegemann on the Kiel goal: On the pitch, we saw a challenge in which the Kiel playing was using his arms. For me, it was a natural and usual jockeying for position. There was once a rule that offered the goalkeeper special protection in his six-yard box, but that rule no longer exists. I saw didn’t see foul play, but rather a tussling for position. The goalkeeper wouldn’t have got to the ball, because the ball was headed clear by Schonlau at the near post. There, there was a great distance between the goalkeeper and the ball.