As of 3:56 p.m
Werder Bremen are only a point away from their immediate return to the Bundesliga. The team struggled for a long time with the relegated Erzgebirge Aue, but still won clearly in the end. For 1. FC Nürnberg, on the other hand, a dream was shattered.
Dhe SV Werder Bremen has the best chance of becoming the second club after FC Schalke 04 to be promoted directly to the Bundesliga. Coach Ole Werner’s team won 3-0 (0-0) at the relegated Erzgebirge Aue on Sunday and, with 60 points, is in second place behind leaders and promoted Schalke (62). Bremen, who are three points ahead of the chasing trio Hamburger SV and Darmstadt 98 (both 57) with the same number of points, will only need a draw in their home game against Jahn Regensburg next Sunday to be promoted directly. At the same time, Darmstadt are playing against SC Paderborn and HSV at Hansa Rostock.
Werder struggled in Aue for a long time despite their superiority in play. Only after the break did the guests make it 1-0 (49th minute) through Marco Friedl. Leonardo Bittencourt prepared the goal. In added time, Niclas Füllkrug (90′ + 2) and Niklas Schmidt (90′ + 6) scored the other goals.
Fortuna Düsseldorf paved the way for Schalke’s promotion on Friday evening with a 2-1 win over Darmstadt. HSV then took advantage of their chance on Saturday in the 2-1 win in the north derby against Hannover 96. With the best goal difference, Hamburg may still have the decisive advantage in the end if they are level on points with a competitor.
Karlsruher SC – Dynamo Dresden 2: 2 (0: 1)
Karlsruher SC missed a win in the last home game of the season, but extended Dynamo Dresden’s winless streak to 16 games. The Badeners separated from the Saxons on Sunday 2: 2 (0: 1). Patrick Weihrauch gave the guests the lead in the 26th minute. Captain Jerôme Gondorf (65th) and striker Philipp Hofmann (74th), who will switch to first division club VfL Bochum in the summer, turned the game around in front of 18,649 spectators in Karlsruhe’s favour. In injury time, Dresden’s Michael Akoto (90+4) scored to make it 2-2. In terms of sport, there was not much at stake in the wildlife park. The KSC has long been sure of staying in the league. It was also clear in advance that Dynamo would have to be relegated to relegation.
The guests got off to a better start and took the lead, not undeservedly, with a shot from Weihrauch into the top left corner. KSC, whose defender Christoph Kobald injured his ankle and had to be substituted after half an hour, only had chances in the closing stages of the first half. However, Kyoung-Rok Choi (34th) and Hofmann (41st) were unable to use them.
In the middle of the second half, the hosts turned up the heat. Gondorf hit the equalizer after a corner with a direct acceptance, striker Fabian Schleusener (70th) only hit the crossbar. Just a few minutes later, Hofmann scored his 19th goal of the season from a free kick. With the last scene, Akoto hit back with a long-range shot.
Holstein Kiel – 1. FC Nuremberg 3: 0 (2: 0)
Holstein Kiel also destroyed 1. FC Nürnberg’s last theoretical chance of returning to the Bundesliga. The Franconians were deservedly beaten 0:3 (0:2) by the North Germans on Sunday and are six points behind third place before the last second division matchday.
In front of 12,455 spectators in the Holstein Stadium, Steven Skrzybski (14th minute), Julian Korb (41st) and Lewis Holtby (63rd) scored the goals for KSV Holstein, which remained undefeated for the fifth time in a row and was already in the league secured last week. The FCN, on the other hand, remained without a win for the fourth time in a row.
Both teams played happily from the start. The guests initially had more ball possession, but the home side acted extremely effectively. Skrzybski took advantage of the first opportunity to take the lead after a pass from the strong Holtby, which Korb extended with a dust collector shortly before the break after Fabian Reese’s top assist.
After the change, the “club” tried to gain more power with two fresh players. But again it was the people of Kiel who struck through Holtby. As a result, the Nuremberg resistance was finally broken. As intended, the Schleswig-Holsteiners managed to end a difficult season at home on a conciliatory note.
