2nd Bundesliga: Halstenberg own goal and Stindl goal at Hannover 96 against Karlsruher SC

Hannover 96 can’t win against Karlsruher SC in the 2nd Bundesliga either, but they at least make up for a 2-0 deficit.

Hannover 96 squandered its strong first half of the season in the 2nd Bundesliga in the last few meters. The Lower Saxony team, who were third in the table at the beginning of November and were still dreaming of promotion, failed to score more than 2-2 (0-1) in the last home game of the year against Karlsruher SC on Friday (December 8th, 2023).

After four games in a row without a win, the former Bundesliga club has slipped to sixth place and could fall even further behind at the weekend. The KSC is well on the way to ending a disappointing first half of the season on a positive note. Despite six points from the last four games, the gap to the relegation zone is still dangerously small.

Own goal from Halstenberg, goal from Stindl

Ex-national player Marcel Halstenberg gave the visitors an early lead. The returnee initially cleared, but then directed a cross from Leon Jensen, which Budu Siwiwadze missed, into his own goal (11th minute).

Shortly after the break, ex-Hannover player Lars Stindl increased the lead to 2-0 (53′) after a major mistake in the 96ers’ build-up play. Substitute Andreas Voglsammer (72′) and Sei Muroya (90’+1) saved the hosts a point.

Voglsammer raised it comeback-qualities of his teams but also said in an interview with Sportschau: “We simply can’t be down 2-0. We have a home game, we want to win the game, but then we can’t get it on the record and concede two stupid goals.”

Scott hits the crossbar

After the early deficit, Hannover increasingly took control of the game – and almost equalized: Havard Nielsen’s direct shot was parried by KSC goalkeeper Patrick Drewes (33′). But the guests remained more efficient: Igor Matanovic took the ball from Phil Neumann and sent Stindl, the ex-nationalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler didn’t give a chance.

But Voglsammer gave the Reds hope again after preparatory work by Kolja Oudenne. Christopher Scott hit the bottom edge of the crossbar (80th), then Muroya was successful in the margin.

Hanover in Kiel, KSC welcomes Elversberg

Hannover 96 will play Holstein Kiel on matchday 17 (Saturday, December 16, 2023 at 8:30 p.m.). Karlsruher SC also hosts SV Elversberg (Sunday, December 17, 2023 at 1:30 p.m.).