SC Paderborn struggled against well defending Lauterer for a long time – but in the end they got their fourth win in the fourth league game this year thanks to a dream goal from defender Heuer. FCK had bad luck with a crossbar hit shortly before the goal.
Jannis Heuer (#24) celebrates his free kick to make it 1-0.
IMAGO/Ulrich Hufnagel
Kaiserslautern’s coach Dirk Schuster ordered three ex-Paderborn players into the starting XI after the 1-0 loss at St. Pauli in the away game in East Westphalia. Ritter, Klement and Zolinksi started instead of Niehues, Hanslik and Redondo – Bormuth, another former Paderborner, was also on the pitch from the start. Tomiak and Zuck also replaced Durm and Opoku for the Red Devils.
At the beginning of the game, the two pursuers who were tied on points were decisive for the home side. The SCP, in which Müller and Hünemeier started for Klefisch (torn ankle ligament) and Humphreys after the 4:3 in Hanover, had a lot of possession, combined patiently and created two big opportunities early on. Justvan failed alone in front of Luthe at the keeper (9′), Pieringer was unable to turn a header from close range on goal (15′).
Paderborn is looking for the gap – Boyd is just straddled
Most of the action in the first half took place between the two penalty areas. This was mainly due to FCK, who in the 3-4-1-2 made the spaces extremely narrow, especially in the last third. Despite having around two-thirds of the ball, Paderborn simply couldn’t find a gap. Graduations from Obermair (25th) and Leipertz (33rd) were only minor possibilities.
Lautern dared to go on their own offensive – apart from two approaches from Klement from a distance (7th, 23rd) – only after more than half an hour. But then it became dangerous straight away: Heuer, after a spotless counterattack with a tackle that was at least as strong, prevented Boyd from completing a shot in a promising position (36′). Shortly thereafter, Rapp shot just wide from a distance (37′), Boyd headed over it (39′).
Lautern corner hail
In the second round, Lautern started better. With a total of four corners in a row, Boyd didn’t get a decisive finish twice (47′, 48′).
After that, the SCP took over again and the same picture emerged as in the first round: lots of possession, lots of passes, but few dangerous shots. Justvan’s attempts either went over the goal (56′) or were decisively deflected (65′), a dropkick from substitute Klaas went just wide (75′).
Boyd hits the bar, Heuer glorious
Before that, Boyd was unlucky again after a counterattack, this time the bar was saved for Paderborn (68th).
And so it happened, as in the first leg (1-0 for Paderborn), that a late goal decided the game – this time a particularly nice one. This year, a free kick from around 18 yards out went wonderfully into the left corner (78′).
In stoppage time, Platte just scraped a joint shot by Boyd and Hercher off the line (90+2) – and thus secured their fourth win in a row, which saw Paderborn jump to third place in the table at least until Sunday. After two wins at the beginning of the year, it is Kaiserslautern’s second 1-0 defeat in a row.
Paderborn travels to Kiel next Saturday (1 p.m.), FCK hosts SpVgg from Fürth at the same time on the Betzenberg.
