Football Match in Duisburg
Our fourth match of this football weekend saw us leave Dusseldorf for the short trip to Duisburg. It was early this Sunday morning and on arrival at Duisburg Hbf we found more police than football fans.
A quick shout-out on social media found that German football enthusiast @AiTinpot aka Kenny, was also attending and we were able to meet up for this game. Kenny shared his pre-match routine for Duisburg which saw us visit FC Taxi. This was accessible via jumping on the S1 just one stop to Schlenk Station.
On arrival at the station we felt that the Duisburg experience was really starting. The descent from the platform was met with colourful graffiti which followed us through the station and then also out onto the main road before arriving at FC Taxi which would host us for the next hour.
Schlenk Station Graffiti
Schlenk Station Graffiti
On arrival, there were 52 people present, yet the numbers had probably quadrupled by the time we left. The small beers cost 2.5 Euro and the atmosphere pleasant and relaxed. It was enjoyable seeing the various Duisburg shirts, past and present, pass us by.
Pre-Match at FC Taxi
The MSV Arena
Our ticket was in the König Pilsener Fankurve, Block H and priced at 15 Euro. The MSV Arena is large, with a capacity of 31,500. It was spacious on the outside with multiple kiosks for drinks and food, none of which you had to wait or queue. Artwork also appeared around the stadium – “Vorwarts Duisburg” translated as “Forward Duisburg” was one such banner. Around the Stadium the Blue and White stripes which scream Duisburg were present everywhere including the columns which hold the whole structure in place.
MSV Arena
View from Block H
Forward Duisburg
Blue and White inside the MSV Arena
Ahead of the match we captured the Duisburg fans singing their theme before the match:
Duisburg 0 Dynamo Dresden 1
Duisburg had started the day on 11pts, just one behind the opposition, Dynamo Dresden. Duisburg lost their previous game heavily to 1860 Munich 4-1 following a promising start to the season.
The match itself offered very little. There were a couple of shouts in the first half for penalties for the home team but the official was resolute in his decision making.
It was in the second half when Dynamo Dresden scored the only goal of the game in the 73rd minute and in all fairness the game fizzled out. The result see’s Dresden move up to 6th place and in sight of a return to Bundesliga 2. For Duisburg a mid-table position is frustratingly retained.
Duisburg is a lovely club to visit and obtaining tickets is extremely easy for most matches. A stay in Dusseldorf and taking the short journey out to the stadium would be our recommendation. A trip to The MSV Arena may be on the cards if you book a Covert Football Trip!
