Kiel’s upswing continues
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Hannover 96 has climbed to third place in the tight promotion race in the 2nd Bundesliga. The best team in the second half of the season deservedly won 3-1 (1-1) at Karlsruher SC. Hannover scored two late goals in the final phase: first Kolja Oudenne scored (82nd minute), then Daisuke Yokota (90th + 10th) brought the decision with a penalty kick.
Stefán Teitur Thórdarson missed the first attempt. But it had to be repeated because Karlsruhe goalkeeper Hans Christian Bernat was in front of his line when he shot. Mustapha Bundu gave Hannover the lead for the first time in the 18th minute. Fabian Schleusener scored 1-1 (44th) a few days after announcing his departure from KSC.
In front of 30,255 spectators, the promotion candidate – including the opening goal from Bundu – controlled the action for a long time and hardly allowed anything to happen defensively. Only shortly before the break did Karlsruhe become dangerous: First Philipp Förster missed a great chance to equalize, then Schleusener scored to make it 1-1. It was the tenth goal of the season for the 34-year-old, who will be leaving KSC in the summer.
In the second half, in addition to Oudenne’s goal, there was above all an excitement: after a handball by the former 96 player Marcel Franke in his own penalty area, there were initially many signs pointing to a penalty for Lower Saxony. However, the video evidence showed that another Hannover player was just offside on the previous cross (60th). The guests then pushed for the 2-1. Havard Nielsen already had this on his feet in the 78th minute. In the final phase, KSC put the pressure on again, but without having a good chance to score. Then Yokota removed the last doubts for the guests.
Preußen Münster loses to Arminia Bielefeld and staggers towards the 3rd league
Preußen Münster lost the Westphalia derby against Arminia Bielefeld and is teetering towards relegation to the 3rd league. Coach Alois Schwartz’s team lost 2:3 (1:3) to coach Mitch Kniat’s team despite being in the lead for a while. In front of 10,642 spectators in the sold-out Preußenstadion, Yassine Bouchama (3rd) and Arminia’s Maximilian Großer scored an own goal (86th) for the hosts. Monju Momuluh (11th), Roberts Uldrikis (16th) and Mael Corboz (34th) scored the goals for Bielefeld.
Thanks to this success, last year’s DFB Cup finalist left the relegation zone. Münster is bottom of the table and is already five points behind the relegation place. On Sunday it can get even bigger. A heated game developed from the start. The Prussians got off to a dream start: Bielefeld didn’t pay attention in the center and Bouchama headed in to make it 1-0. Arminia’s reaction didn’t take long to arrive. After a cross from Tim Handwerker, Momuluh equalized.
And things got even better for Bielefeld. Handwerker took a free kick into the penalty area, where Uldrikis headed the ball into the corner of the goal. Captain Corboz scored the third goal for East Westphalia before the break, which was technically demanding. Shortly before the end, Münster came close again thanks to Großer’s own goal. But it was no longer enough to equalize. Münster has now not won seven games in a row. And the chances of getting three points aren’t getting any better. The Prussians are still playing against the three top teams from Hanover, Darmstadt and Elversberg.
One shot on goal is enough: Holstein Kiel wins at Hertha BSC
Holstein Kiel collected the next important points in the relegation battle with enormous efficiency. The northern club, which has now been unbeaten for five games, was lucky to win 1-0 (0-0) at Hertha BSC and inflicted another home defeat on the Berlin team. With Holstein’s only shot on goal, Jonas Therkelsen scored the winning goal in the 63rd minute. Kiel was even able to gain a small cushion of points over the dangerous zone. For Hertha, the season is just coming to an end after the chance of promotion had already been lost.
Hertha dominated the game in the retro shirts that were reminiscent of Berlin’s championship title 120 years ago. The fact that despite the clear superiority in front of 47,280 spectators in the Olympic Stadium it was not enough to score a goal was due to negligent exploitation of opportunities and also to Günter Perl. The video referee intervened for the first time after the lightning goal from Josip Brekalo (2nd), whose starting eleven is said to have extended his contract until 2027. Luca Schuler was offside.
Deep into stoppage time in the first half, a penalty whistle was overturned by referee Robert Kampka. This time Deyovaisio Zeefuik was caught just offside. In between there were 45 minutes of Hertha dominance and some good saves from Kiel goalkeeper Timon Weiner. The KSV made no move to remedy the astonishing passivity in the creative game. Hertha had the next good chance through Schuler (56th). When Weiner was already beaten, Marko Ivezic (61′) cleared a shot from Michaël Cuisance just in front of the line. Shortly afterwards, Therkelsen perfected an absurd run of play with his goal from close range.
