Sports Second League
Paderborn shoots down Düsseldorf, interruption in Hanover
Status: 04.02.2024 | Reading time: 4 minutes
Fortuna Düsseldorf has experienced a bitter setback in the second division’s promotion race. The cup semi-finalists were chasing an early 3-0 deficit in Paderborn. At the game in Hanover, the fans caused a stir with eight protests.
Joy in the cup, frustration in the league: Five days after reaching the semi-finals of the DFB Cup, Fortuna Düsseldorf experienced bitter disappointment in the second division’s promotion race. At SC Paderborn, Fortuna, who are in the last four of the cup for the first time in 28 years, suffered a 3:4 (0:3) defeat after a very weak first half.
The gap to the relegation place after the 20th matchday is five points, and the gap to a direct promotion place is even six points. Paderborn drew level with Fortuna on points, but is behind Düsseldorf due to the worse goal difference.
David Kinsombi (19th minute) as well as Mattes Hansen (34th) and Filip Bilbija (37th) scored a double strike within 156 seconds to ensure Fortuna’s third half-time deficit of the season after 1:3 Wiesbaden and the 4:3 against Kaiserslautern. After the break, the Fortuna fans could hope for a comeback similar to that against Lautern thanks to goals from Yannik Engelhardt (49th) and Marlon Mustapha (55th). Winter signing Koen Kostons (82′) increased again, Düsseldorf’s third goal by Dennis Jastrzembski (90′) came too late.
Hanover in waiting position
Hannover 96 has returned to the promotion race. In front of 31,500 spectators, the sixth-place team won 2-1 (1-0) against FC Hansa Rostock on Sunday and reduced their gap to the relegation place to five points.
An own goal from Kevin Schumacher gave Hannover the lead in the 4th minute. A serious mistake by 96 goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler led to a lucky equalizer by Kai Pröger (45th + 4). After Marcel Halstenberg made it 2-1 (78th), Zieler ironed out his mistake with two strong saves (81st/83rd). Afterwards, the winning goalscorer Halstenberg was shown a red card for kicking (89′).
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Due to fan protests against the planned investor entry into the German Football League, this game was also interrupted several times. 96ers supporters threw tennis balls onto the pitch eight times from the 14th minute onwards. Every time the stewards cleared the penalty area and the game briefly resumed, the next wave flew. In the 25th minute, referee Alexander Sather sent both teams off the field for eight minutes. In total, the first half lasted 65 instead of 45 minutes.
Great tennis: Goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler had to struggle with numerous felt balls
Source: dpa/Carmen Jaspersen
Lower Saxony missed numerous opportunities in the first half. After the many interruptions and the unnecessary equalizer, Hannover’s attacks lost their power. After the break, Rostock became braver, more self-confident and hardly allowed any chances – until the score was 1:2.
Kaiserslautern back to the gray everyday life
SV Elversberg has ended its negative series and pushed cup semi-finalists 1. FC Kaiserslautern even deeper into the relegation battle. The promoted team celebrated their first win since the end of November with a 2-1 (1-1) win on Sunday and increased the gap to the relegation zone by 28 points. The Palatinate team is 15th in the table with 21 points. On the other hand, they remain stuck in the table cellar.
In front of 11,150 spectators, Paul Wanner scored the goals for the Saarland team in the 19th minute and Thore Jacobsen (56th/foul penalty). Ragnar Ache (45th + 6) scored to equalize for FCK, who returned to the dreary everyday life of the second division just four days after the cup coup at Hertha BSC.
The Palatinate team started well and had more possession of the ball. But the hosts took the lead. Maurice Neubauer fed Wanner, who beat FCK goalkeeper Julian Krahl with a well-placed shot from around 15 meters. As a result, Kaiserslautern hardly threatened the opponent’s goal anymore, but still made it 1-1 shortly before the break. Goal scorer Ache hit the corner with a remarkable shot.
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Ten minutes after the restart, Almamy Touré played the ball with his hand in his own penalty area, and Jacobsen safely converted the penalty. As a result, Kaiserslautern tried to equalize again, but Elversberg had the better chances. Paul Stock (75th) was denied by Krahl, and a minute later Wahidullah Faghir put the ball next to the goal. In the end, the newcomer was still able to celebrate a well-deserved success.
