BFC DynamoGround: Sportforum Hohenschönhausen Visits: 1 Date: 26th July 2024 Match: BFC Dynamo - Carl Zeiss Jena 2-3 (Regionalliga Nordost) Attendance: 2 936 10 days ago I decided to book a trip to Berlin. Flying out 13.30 on Friday afternoon and returning 20.20 on Saturday evening I could attend two of the matches in the opening weekend of Regionalliga Nordost. My flight to Berlin was on time and after some delays at the Berlin airport train station I was at my hotel, next to Berlin Hbf, around 16.00. First up on this trip to Berlin was Berliner FC (BFC) Dynamo v Carl Zeiss Jena at Sportforum Hohenschönhausen. BFC Dynamo is a club with a history different to any other club. From 1978/79 onwards the club won 10 consecutive titles (DDR Oberliga) in East Germany but with its strong links to Stasi the club was disliked by all the other clubs. When the Berlin wall went down in 1989 Stasi was dissolved and the hard times for BFC Dynamo started. In 1990 the club changed its name to FC Berlin but the club struggled both on and off the pitch for several years. In 1999 the club took back its old name of BFC Dynamo and since 2014, after 10 years in Oberliga Nordost-Nord, the club has been playing in Regionalliga Nordost. In 2022 the club won the league but lost the promotion play-offs to Vfb Oldenburg. During the glory years BFC Dynamo played at Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn Sportpark but nowadays the club is playing at Sportforum Hohenschönhausen. From my hotel there was actually a direct tram route to the ground and after 38 minutes in the tram I was outside the ground an hour prior to kick-off. The surrounding area was of course full of home fans who eagerly awaited for the season to start. I paid 15 Euros for my ticket in the terraced west stand. Sportforum Hohenschönhausen was opened in 1954 and has been the home of BC Dynamo 1961-1975, 1986-1987, 1992-2014 and since 2021 onwards. The record attendance is 20,000 from 1972 when BFC Dynamo hosted Liverpool. Nowadays the capacity is 7,800 and most of the ground is uncovered. The vocal home fans are standing in the gegengerade (West Stand) and away fans are in the south end of the ground. Only the small main stand has a roof but with the weather being nice I had an enjoyable evening on the terrace. Carl Zeiss Jena brought 5-600 fans to Berlin and those fans were vocal through-out the 90 minutes. Carl Zeiss Jena scored twice in the first half and the songs and chants from the away section were obviously really loud in the latter part of the first half. In the BFC Dynamo scored two goals early on in the second half to equalise and with 20-25 minutes to go both sets of fans urged their team forward to score the winning goal. I was actually thinking BFC would score a third goal and nick the three points. In the 71st minute Carl Zeiss Jena scored again though and they managed to hold on to a memorable 3-2 victory. As I made my way back to the tram stop I could hear loud chants of “Auswärtsieg” from the away section and it will probably be an easy journey back home to Jena for them. Information Ticket office Rear of the West Stand Drinks and food for sale North Stand East Stand East Stand South Stand West Stand Players and officials entering Smoke Kick-off West Stand View of play East Stand View of play South Stand Carl Zeiss Jena fans Pano |