Zoma hat-trick gives Nürnberg 3:0 opening win over Dynamo Dresden

Zoma hat-trick fires Nürnberg to opening-day win

Mohamed Alì Zoma scored all three goals as 1. FC Nürnberg opened the 2. Bundesliga season with a 3:0 (2:0) victory over Dynamo Dresden on Sunday, ending a run of poor starts that had seen the club collect just one point from their first five matches last term. The 22-year-old Italian-Ivorian striker struck in the 9th, 45th+3, and 75th minutes in front of 41,622 spectators, securing Nürnberg's first opening-day three points since 2019.

Zoma's first goal came from a Finn Ole Becker assist inside the opening ten minutes. His second, a rebound from a Tim Janisch shot that hit the crossbar in first-half stoppage time, required a VAR check for offside before being confirmed. The third arrived from a penalty rebound after Dynamo goalkeeper Tim Schreiber had saved Zoma's initial spot kick, which was conceded by substitute Simon Straudi. It was Zoma's second hat-trick in Germany.

Transfer speculation intensifies

Zoma arrived from UC AlbinoLeffe in Italy's third division a year ago and scored 14 goals with five assists last season, attracting interest from several clubs. Supervisory board chief Peter Meier told nn.de days ago that the financial threshold for a late transfer stands at €20 million. The transfer window remains open until September 1.

Goals14

Assists5

Goals

14

Assists

5

Data from the article text

After the match, Zoma was asked about his future.

“If I stay, I stay. If I go, I go. I can't know now.”

He had earlier joked about keeping the match ball as a souvenir.

“I will sleep with the ball tonight.”

Klose confident striker will remain

Head coach Miroslav Klose, the 2014 World Cup winner, expressed confidence that Zoma would stay at the club.

“I am really optimistic and in good spirits. The boy knows that he is not finished.”

Klose added that Zoma feels comfortable in Nürnberg and has a team that appreciates him, saying he does not have the feeling the striker wants to leave. Zoma was substituted five minutes before the end to applause from the home fans.

Dresden outclassed

Dynamo Dresden, coached by Thomas Stamm, arrived as last season's fourth-best team in the second half of the campaign but were largely outclassed. Stamm sent out nearly the same lineup that had driven the successful Rückrunde, with Nicolai Rapp (from Karlsruher SC) replacing the departed Kofi Amoako (Hamburger SV) in defensive midfield. Jakob Lemmer earned a starting spot and had an early chance blocked within seconds.

Dresden's right side failed to contain Zoma throughout. Stamm reacted at halftime by replacing left-back Jonas Sterner with new signing Simon Straudi, who managed Zoma better but then conceded the penalty. Adam Markhiev orchestrated Nürnberg's midfield, while the new center-back pairing of Fynn Otto (from SC Verl) and Alexios Kalogeropoulos (from Olympiakos Piräus) had minor coordination issues against a harmless Dresden attack.

Sporting director Sören Gonther, speaking to Sky, urged calm.

“We won't freak out now. I am totally convinced of the team.”

Gonther acknowledged that one or two percentage points were missing, particularly in play against the ball, and said the team must rebuild its foundations.