Due to a 2:2 (0:2) draw in the second division duel, SC Paderborn and Darmstadt 98 both failed to jump to second place in the table for the time being.
The Darmstadt team lost a 2-0 half-time lead, but remained unbeaten in the seventh game in a row. The Paderborn team were rewarded for a braver second half, but missed the best second division first half of the season in the club’s history.
Mika Baur brings Paderborn back into the game
The Darmstadt team got off to a lightning start. Paderborn’s Tjark Scheller deflected the goal to make it 1-0 by Marco Richter (4th), his fourth point in three games, past goalkeeper Dennis Seimen. Before the break, Killian Corredor increased the score to 2-0 (37th) against a nervous Paderborn team.
For the hosts, who were now much braver, Mika Baur initially reduced the lead to 1:2 (55th) in the second half. After a handball in the penalty area by Darmstadt’s Kai Klefisch, Sebastian Klaas converted the penalty in the 85th minute to make the final score a deserved 2-2.
Before the four-week winter break, both clubs remain in the running. Paderborner was last first class in 2019/20, Darmstadt in 2023/24.
Hertha have not won in three games
44,698 spectators in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium saw a largely uneventful game, the result of which didn’t really help either team. Stefano Russo (90+6) equalized Paul Seguin’s opening goal (67th minute) shortly before the end of the game. The capital club remains in the upper midfield. Meanwhile, Mitch Kniat’s team failed to gain a comfortable cushion over the relegation zone.
Early failure near Berlin
“Defend more disciplined,” Hertha coach Stefan Leitl called for before the game. But of all people, defender Niklas Kolbe, who replaced the ill Marton Dardai, had to go down due to injury after around 15 minutes. Both defenses were still good, so the teams only created a few big chances. Luca Schuler (27th) and Fabian Reese (39th) gave Hertha the lead. At Arminia, Noah Sarenren Bazee (34th) failed from the edge of the penalty area.
After the break, the guests managed to largely shift the game into the opponents’ half. Almost nothing came from the home team, who had a lot of problems with the man-oriented pressing. Seguin’s goal after a counterattack came almost out of nowhere. The lead lasted until the 6th minute of injury time, then Russo flicked the ball into the goal.
