- Ache saves Lautner a point against his former club
Ironically, it was former player Ragnar Ache who secured a point for 1. FC Kaiserslautern in their game against his former club SpVgg Greuther Fürth. "It's always a great feeling to play against an old team," Ache said after the 2:2 draw against Fürth on the 2nd matchday of the 2nd Bundesliga, speaking to TV broadcaster Sky.
The 26-year-old returned to the team after Achilles tendon problems, came on as a substitute, and scored the equalizer in the 84th minute. "At the end of the day, it's important that I played the minutes and scored a goal," Ache explained, who played for Fürth in the 2022/23 season.
In front of 41,623 spectators at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern fell behind 0:2 due to a penalty by Julian Green (31st minute) and a goal by Noel Futkeu (38th minute). Just before halftime, Daniel Hanslik (45+1) scored the equalizer, before Ache sealed the deserved draw.
After both teams felt each other out in the early stages, the game picked up pace from the 20th minute onwards. "After that, we didn't have control. Fürth was better," said FCK coach Markus Anfang.
Before Green's lead, the Red Devils' goalkeeper Julian Krahl kept them from falling behind earlier. "We were asking for the goal," Anfang criticized. In the midst of a pressing phase by the Palatinates, Futkeu increased the lead. However, Kaiserslautern responded with a goal from a set piece before halftime.
After the restart, Kaiserslautern was the better team. "I think in the second half, we played for a goal," said Anfang. The new FCK coach made offensive changes, bringing on Ache among others - and proved to have a good eye for it.
The following is added to Ache's post-match interview with Sky: "It was a special feeling to score against my former team, and I'm grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the team's result."
In the team's post-match analysis, it was noted that "The following change in tactical approach during the second half significantly improved Kaiserslautern's performance and helped them secure the draw."
