Anton Donkor: Important to see where the team is at

The wing-back came on for the second half against the fifth-division side, a half which saw the Royal Blues score five goals. Donkor himself had two good chances to score, but was denied by goalkeeper Marcel Lenz (52’) and then substitute shot-stopper Cem Ural (85’). “I’m trying to work on my shooting. I’ve not been known for scoring goals in the past, but maybe I can change that,” said the defender with a little smile on his face.

Although he couldn’t score a goal himself, Donkor did have a hand in one. His effort in the 66th minute was only parried by goalkeeper Ural and Moussa Sylla reacted quickest to score his second of the evening.

Comfortable in different roles

Donkor played out on the left as part of a 3-5-2 formation against SSVg Velbert. “I started playing in a back-four at Mannheim, but then was used in a back-three/five in Braunschweig. That just means that I’m used to both systems,” reported the summer signing. “I mainly played out wide as part of the back-five. I like both and can perform in both roles.”

The 26-year-old was pleased with the Knappen’s performance in Ratingen, even if the result doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. “We settled quite nicely after a few minutes. I think we performed pretty well. Obviously not everything was perfect, but we’ll keep working and we’ve got time to improve things in the coming weeks.”

The first friendly is always something special according to Donkor, especially for new players. “It’s important for the team to see where they stand and how well the patterns are working. We’re pleased that everything went well and we can build on that,” he summed up. Donkor added that the squad has players in the middle of the park who want to carry the ball forward and get it into dangerous areas. “We’ve also got quick wingers and strikers. We can definitely build something positive here if keep getting to know each other better.”