Elversberg: Are the Bundesliga's smallest club its greatest entertainers?
Newly promoted Elversberg are giving it a real go in their battle for survival, with thrilling attacking football that has led to numerous highly entertaining encounters - a trend merely continued by their 4-3 humdinger against Augsburg.
Elversberg entered their maiden Bundesliga campaign as an unknown force, but many may have expected the more lasting memories from their first season to be the unusual sight of stars like Harry Kane and Michael Olise walking from the shipping containers in which their dressing rooms are located towards the pitch.
Instead, it is the entertainment they are serving up on their pitch at the Ursapharm Arena, and elsewhere, that is proving to be too incredible not to take note of.
The Black and Whites' 4-3 win over Augsburg on Matchday 6 was so eventful, it almost defies analysis.
With seven goals, four penalties (two of which were missed), a goal disallowed and another penalty call overturned by VAR, it was a true 90-minute treat for anyone lucky enough to have followed it.
Some 46 shots were registered in total, the most of any match this season, while the combined expected goals of 9.98 was the most since that metric was first recorded in the Bundesliga in 2020/21.
Although Elversberg have only played six matches in top-flight history, that is not the first thriller they have been involved in.
They rode out a late Bayer Leverkusen comeback to start their Bundesliga adventure with a stunning 3-2 win that sent shockwaves around Germany's top flight.
To prove that wasn't an isolated moment in the sun, a staggering comeback secured a 4-3 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach the following week.
With young attacking talents like Maurice Krattenmacher, Cole Campbell and Noah Darvich at their disposal, it is easy to see why head coach Vincent Wagner has embraced such free-flowing football.
Despite netting just one goal over their next three fixtures, the incredible win over Augsburg now means Elversberg have more goals (12) than Borussia Dortmund (11).
Their total of 11 goals conceded is among the highest in the top half of the table, reflecting the trail of end-to-end action that has followed them as they plough boldly into the Bundesliga.
Enjoy it while you can, though, because head coach Vincent Wagner is eager for his side to tighten things up. "It was an exciting game," he said at his post-match press conference on Saturday.
"But it was a bit too much today. I’m happy that we won, even if it was a bit fortunate. It was a step in the right direction, but we need to become more streetwise otherwise it’s going to be difficult for us in the Bundesliga."
