Darmstadt 98 can chill the champagne – promotion to the Bundesliga can hardly be denied to the lilies. With a 3-0 (2-0) win at Holstein Kiel on the 30th match day of the 2nd division, coach Torsten Lieberknecht’s team has already secured relegation and has the very best chance of jumping directly into the top flight.
The lead over third-placed Hamburger SV is eight points four games before the end. The Hessians, relegated from the Bundesliga in 2017, could make everything clear in the event of another mistake by HSV next Saturday against FC St. Pauli in their own stadium.
In Kiel, Jannik Müller was already there in the sixth minute to give the visitors the lead. The defender reacted quickest to a rebound with his head. An own goal by Holstein defender Simon Lorenz (22nd) then brought Darmstadt 2-0. Shortly after the change of sides, Phillip Tietz increased again (52nd).
From the start, Lieberknecht’s team left no doubt that they wanted to take the away three from Kiel and ennoble HSV’s defeat (2:3 in Magdeburg). Braydon Manu (11th) and Tietz (29th) had more chances in the first half, in which Kiel couldn’t keep up.
The favorite stayed focused in the second round and earned the 3-0 with great determination. Holstein, on the other hand, repeatedly bounced off the stable Darmstadt defense.