Second division soccer team SpVgg Greuther Fürth is about to drop into the 3rd division. On the penultimate matchday, the Franconians exploited Hertha BSC’s chances and lost 1:2 (0:0).
Next Sunday (3:30 p.m./Sky) the Fürth team are now doomed to win in the league final against their direct competitor Fortuna Düsseldorf.
Berlin’s only 16-year-old top talent Kennet Eichhorn (55th) made it 1-0, making him the youngest second division goalscorer in history. Michael Cuisance (84th) increased, but the visitors’ goal from Noel Futkeu (88th) came too late. The Berliners played outnumbered for a long time after a red card against Josip Brekalo (32nd) after an emergency stop.
With 34 points, the cloverleaf is in relegation place 17 before the last game, Arminia Bielefeld is in relegation place 16 with two points more. In front of them are Eintracht Braunschweig and Düsseldorf, who defeated SV Elversberg on Sunday (37 points each).
Fürth is fighting against having to start in the third division for the first time since the 1996/1997 season. At that time the club was still playing in the Regionalliga Süd. For the Berliners, who had already lost promotion to the Bundesliga, it was their first win after four games in a row without success.
In the Olympiastadion Berlin, the hosts initially had more possession of the ball, Fürth stood deep and lurked. Nevertheless, the guests had the first big chance: Futkeu (9th) aimed just wide from the turn. Afterwards, Fürth became increasingly stronger. After Brekalo was sent off and Felix Klaus was the last man to fall, the fouled man hit the free kick onto the crossbar himself. Shortly before half-time, Hertha’s Julian Eitschberger (45th + 3) saved in desperate need against Futkeu.
Fürth continued to run after the break: Klaus (48′) shot just wide of the goal from the edge of the penalty area. In this phase of urgency, the relegation candidate was caught off guard when Eichhorn started a beautiful solo and executed it coldly. Undeterred by the deficit, the Fürth team continued to put pressure on. Klaus (61′) and Felix Higl (66′) missed further opportunities, then Cuisance increased. After Futkeu’s goal, Fürth came close to equalizing.
