We expected this to be the toughest game of the tour and so it proved with a 2-0 defeat against FC Saarbrucken.
It was certainly the biggest stadium that City have played in an away foreign friendly for a number of years and comprised of two banks of open terrace,one large stand and one smaller stand which housed the dressing rooms and a running track circling the pitch.
Against a side recently promoted to Bundesliga 2, City who dropped five goal Dele Adebola and were wearing the new home kit,were on the attack early. In the 2nd minute after Bjarni Gudjonsson was fouled,a Stephen Hughes free kick was pushed onto the crossbar by home keeper Sabanou.
Three minutes later,Saarbrucken nearly went ahead when a cross by Hagner was headed over by El Idrissi totally unmarked from three yards.
The home side decided to flex their muscles and City won a string of free kicks which all came to nothing.
In the 21st minute,El Idrissi brought a save from Scott Shearer who pushed the ball away only for Hagner's close range shot to be cleared away by Andy Whing.
With Bjarni Gudjonsson having a nightmare in midfield,City were limited in chances but in the 33rd minute,a long ball from Whing was met by Eddy Johnson. The loanee managed to get a foot to the ball but could only steer it wide.
Nine minutes before the break,Saarbrucken had the ball in the net but Nsaliwa was well offside.
Peter Reid made three changes at the break with debuts for Louis Carey and Aussie trialist Con Blatsis.
Apart from Calum Davenport,the defence looked shaky and it came as no surprise when the home side took a 55th minute lead when a cross by substitute Oelkuch was half cleared to El Idrissi who drilled a ten yard shot past the diving Shearer.
On the hour mark,Patrick Suffo and Andy Morrell were introduced to the action. This was quickly followed by home team manager Horst Ehrmmantraut making five changes.
Patrick Suffo was again flattering to deceive and wasted a glorious chance in the 73rd minute when he fired high over the bar from a 73rd minute Graham Barrett cross.
It proved to be a costly miss as Saarbrucken raced down the other end and won two corner. Oelkuch took the second flag kick and swung the ball in. Scott Shearer attempted to catch the ball and missed. The ball then hit the post before being cleared off the line by Blatsis.
However,some of the home players and fans in a gate of around 900 appealed for the goal and it was given.
Andy Morrell blasted wide three minutes later typifying a very poor performance that did not merit the efforts of the fifty City supporters who made the effort and noise in supporting the team.
Ht 0-0 Ft 2-0
Att 900
Goals El Idrissi (55), Oelkuch (74)
Man Of The Match - Calum Davenport took the share of the votes closely followed by Graham Barrett.
Team
Shearer,Whing (Blatsis 46),Staunton,Gudjonsson,Davenport,Shaw (Carey 46),Wood (Deloumeaux 46),Hughes,Johnson (Morrell 60),McSheffrey (Suffo 60),Barrett.