His kick was not intentional, but still “a rough game”: The DFB sports court has banned Niklas Dorsch from 1. FC Heidenheim for two games.
Referee Florian Exner checks a foul by Niklas Dorsch.
IMAGO/Kessler sports photography
Niklas Dorsch will miss 1. FC Heidenheim’s Bundesliga games against RB Leipzig (Sunday, 3:30 p.m.) and at Borussia Mönchengladbach (Saturday, October 19, 3:30 p.m.). The Conference League home game against Olimpija Ljubljana on Thursday (6:45 p.m.) is not affected by the DFB penalty.
Smooth red for accidental kicks
The 26-year-old midfielder had seen red in the 2-0 win in Mainz after an unintentional kick in the Achilles tendon of opponent Kaishu Sano and after a VAR check (80th). A correct decision by referee Florian Exner (kicker grade 4.0), who otherwise set too small a standard for the fair game.
“I think you can see it in my reaction when I go down, I immediately raise my arm and wanted to apologize to my opponent a little bit because I noticed that I was hitting him really badly,” said Dorsch immediately after the game and relied on leniency from the DFB sports court: “I hope that everyone involved in the assessment will see that I had no bad intentions, to hurt him in any way or to be impetuous in the duel.”
It ended up being a two-game ban “for rough play against the opponent.” Dorsch and the FCH have agreed to the judgment, making it legally binding.
Hanche-Olsen is missing from St. Pauli
Mainz’s Andreas Hanche-Olsen was sent off the field far ahead of Dorsch. The 27-year-old defender received a harsh yellow-red card in the 29th minute. He will therefore be missing from Rheinhessen in the away game at FC St. Pauli on Saturday (6.30 p.m.).
