Motivated Grafschaft XI
The selected players from the Grafschaft region hosted our Reds in their second post-season friendly in front of around 1000 fans in Eintracht-Stadion in Nordhorn. Players from twelves clubs in Grafschaft made up their squad.  Managers from SV Vorwärts Nordhorn, FC Schüttorf 09, Türkischen AV, SV Eintracht Nordhorn, ASC Grün-Weiß Wielen, Sparta 09 Nordhorn, VfL Weiße Elf, SV Union Lohne, SV Wietmarschen, SV Bad Bentheim and Borussia Neuenhaus all selected players who could play in the friendly match against the Bundesliga outfit.

Early goals for both sides
Artjoms Rudnevs handed the 96 a lead just after five minutes and opened the goalfest in Nordhorn. There were jubilant scenes ten minutes later when the Grafschaft XI equalised through Steffen Hilberink and the Eintracht Nordhorn man made it 1-1. This scoreline lasted only for 13 minutes later. Valmir Sulejmani restored Hannover’s lead on 28 minutes before Leonardo Bittencourt increased the visitor’s advantage just before half-time to make it 3-1.

First-half line-up: Fuhry - Rajtoral, Hoffmann, Felipe, Wilton - Schmiedebach, Dierßen - Sulejmani, Bähre, Bittencourt - Rudnevs

Stindl with Hattrick
The 96 went into the second half with plenty of energy and ten fresh players. The 96 captain struck again five minutes after the break to make it 4-1 before Jan Schlaudraff scored a quick brace to bring the score to 6-1 just before the hour mark. Stindl converted a penalty in the 71st minute to make it 7-1. U-19 youth player Kevin Krottke score just fifteen minutes before the end before Stindl scored again to top off his hattrick and a superb evening for the captain. The hosts could celebrate one more time just before the final whistle – Sparta 09 Nordhorn player David Heils brought the final score to 9-2.

Second-half line-up: Fuhry - Avevor, Marcelo, Schulz, Pander - Sáne, Tuna, Schlaudraff, Stindl, Prib - Krottke