The district league team of 1. FC Ispringen won the indoor S&G Midnight Cup tournament of 1. FC Birkenfeld, defeating SV Büchenbronn 5–1 in the final.
After losing the final the previous year against FV Niefern, Ispringen returned this time to claim the title at the 35th Midnight Cup, held in the Schwarzwaldhalle in Birkenfeld and sponsored for the ninth time by S&G.
A Clear Final
The final between the two district league teams quickly showed who was more effective in indoor play.
Mikael Doru gave Ispringen the lead, before Okan Unat equalized for Büchenbronn. However, Doru’s second goal, followed by strikes from Francesco Di Sazio, Dennis Szweda, and Michael Cycon, secured a dominant 5–1 victory.
The win also earned Ispringen €1,000 in prize money.
Technique and Discipline in Indoor Football
Midnight Cup Tournament director Julian Gasser emphasized the technical demands of indoor football, noting that it clearly shows the individual skill level of players.
Hall announcer Alexander Hess added that teams must remain especially disciplined in defense — a requirement Ispringen fulfilled more effectively in the final.
Strong Fan Support
Ispringen’s supporters also played a visible role throughout the tournament.
“They’ve been creating great atmosphere and team spirit for years,” said Hess. “They are a real asset.”
Goal scorer Francesco Di Sazio highlighted the importance of the fans:
“It gave us energy. We wanted to give something back.”
Tournament Overview
In the match for third place, Birkenfeld defeated 1. FC Ersingen 3–1 after initially falling behind.
Defending champions FV Niefern were eliminated in the group stage, although they handed Ispringen their only defeat (2–1) during the tournament. Landesliga side SV Langensteinbach was also eliminated early, along with teams that had qualified the day before, including Türkischer SV Pforzheim, FV Göbrichen, SC Pforzheim, and VfL Höfen.
Organized by the Team
For the third time, the tournament was organized by players from the first and second teams of 1. FC Birkenfeld.
According to vice chairman Reiner Steudle, the organization required coordination of permits, referees, registrations, and overall event management.