Darmstadt is expanding the series, Paderborn is also in a goal mood
Three days after the unfortunate loss of the cup against VfB Stuttgart, Paderborn have found their way back to success in the league. The Westphalians won the chasing duel against Düsseldorf, but are no closer to first place. There, Darmstadt 98 confidently draws its circles.
Dhe SV Darmstadt 98, thanks to the returnee Mathias Honsak, continues to rush from victory to victory in the second division and will also lead the table after the 19th matchday. Torsten Lieberknecht’s team won 4-0 (2-0) at SV Sandhausen on Friday evening and already has 42 points. The pursuers Hamburger SV and 1. FC Heidenheim cannot overtake the lilies this weekend.
Honsak (7th minute), who was injured for months, scored the early opening goal for the Hessians, who have been unbeaten in 18 league games in a row, in his second appearance of the season. Later, the 26-year-old midfielder from Austria (25th) even followed up with a second goal and decided the duel early in front of 7254 spectators. After the break Oscar Vilhelmsson (55th) and Joker Emir Karic (89th) provided the other goals.
The Lieberknecht team got into the game in the best possible way: Honsak reacted the quickest after a corner and completed it from close range to make it 1-0. In return, Alexander Esswein could have equalized for the hosts, but only hit the side netting. The SVS wasn’t shocked by the early deficit and had chance after chance. At a time when Sandhausen should have deserved the equalizer, Honsak punished the hosts after a great pass from striker Phillip Tietz. Everything was already clear at half-time.
Pieringer for Leipertz, but both hit the goal
Three days after being eliminated in the round of 16 of the cup, SC Paderborn has at least kept up with the promotion places. The East Westphalians, who had previously lost in three competitive games in front of their own audience, won the duel with Fortuna Düsseldorf 4-1 (1-0) and were initially able to conquer fourth place in the table.
In front of 12,179 spectators in the Paderborn Home Deluxe Arena, Marvin Pieringer (37th), Jannis Heuer (62nd), Floren Muslija (68th / penalty kick) and Robert Leipertz (81st) scored the goals for the best offensive team in the league. Düsseldorf, who are playing next Wednesday in the cup round of 16 at 1. FC Nürnberg, equalized in the meantime with a penalty kick converted by Rouwen Hennings (59th).
The hosts, for whom Pieringer returned to the team after being suspended for striker Leipertz, who came on later, started the game powerfully with good offensive scenes. Guest keeper Florian Kastenmeier was able to distinguish himself a few times, but had to admit defeat for the first time in the 1-0 by Pieringer from close range.
The team from Düsseldorf, who only gradually found their way into the game, lacked Dawid Kownacki, the team’s top scorer, due to a yellow card suspension. Japan international Ao Tanaka missed the greatest opportunity (30th). Hennings then scored his fifth goal in five consecutive games against Paderborn before the hosts clinched victory in a fine second division encounter in the closing stages through Heuer, Muslija and Leipertz’s ninth goal of the season.
