Nobody wants to get up from the 2nd Bundesliga? After all the pursuers had clung, 1. FC Köln at Hannover 96 lost 0-1 (0-0) – and remains the first despite four points from the past four games. After the goal of Lars Gindorf (57th minute), the Lower Saxony again take a little hope for third place.
The Cologne team were able to go into the game with a certain portion of serenity. Because places three to six had already played all of them, it was clear before the kick -off that the team of coach Gerhard Struber had almost nothing to lose. Instead, they were able to continue to settle in a snail race that has had two major winners with Cologne and Hamburger SV for weeks – because they have to do little to assert the direct promotion places.
But Hanover was the team that played freely. After the dismissal of Andrè Breitenreiter and the chance of returning to the Bundesliga, which was only a theoretical level, the hosts stormed on top under the interim coach trio Lars Barlemann, Dirk Lottner and Christian Schulz. Hyun-Ju Lee had the first big chance in the eighth minute, but his shot just passed the opposing goal.
Cologne’s goalkeeper Schwäbe and Hanover’s destination are on the spot
After this attempt, the degrees of the Hanoverians were more effective – but FC goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe has presented itself in outstanding constitution as so often in the past few weeks. His actions against Nicolo Tresoldi (19th), Marcel Halstenberg (24th), again Tresoldi (30th) and Gindorf (32nd) were not in the gloss parades category, but he helped his team enormously, gave his colleagues a lot of security.
Cologne’s offensive only woke up at the end of the first half and, as so often, it would have been so that it was sufficient. However, 96 keeper Ron-Robert showed the target that he was one of the best of his field in the 2nd league, Florian Kainz failed on the greatest opportunity of the previous course of the game at the former national goalkeeper (40th).
First Cologne’s Paqarada flies off the square, then the ball into the goal
Less than two minutes were played after the break, Lee had the chance to lead again for Hanover, but the South Korean shot the ball again about 20 centimeters past the post (47th). A little later, however, something crucial happened: The already warned Leart Paqarada fouled Monju Momuluh on his own corner and saw yellow -red – it was a tough decision (50th).
And that quickly had consequences. After a short free kick, Gindorf tried it again from a distance and in this case Swabia could still stretch, he could no longer get the ball – the lead for Hannover (57th), with which the gap opened a little further. With four points, the gap was only left at that moment.
Hannover 96 with a lot of control, 1. FC Köln in deep
The hosts were now able to check the game without any problems and worked on building the lead. Boris Tomiak overcame Swabia after a corner kick by head a second time, but the Cologne captain Timo Hübers could still clarify in front of the line for his goalkeeper (66.). Previously, however, Dominique Heintz also had the chance to equalize on the other side, but he only met the outer network from an acute angle (64th).
Nevertheless, it didn’t look like the Cologne team, who was driven by 15,000 fans who traveled with us, traveled to Hanover after the 3: 1 in the previous week against Prussia Münster. The Struber team tried it, but did not go to the risk.
It was only dangerous in added time in a shot by Dejan Ljubicic (90.+6), but in the end there was the next disappointment, which, however, had no consequences again because of the competitive competition. After only four points from the past four games, Cologne still has to worry about returning to the Bundesliga. After the game, Schwäbe said in the Sportschau interview: “Whether it’s next week or in three weeks – in the end we will climb.”
FC trainer Struber sees the goal: “You can already wave to us”
His trainer Struber praises the “Incredible fans, but at the same time we failed to bring control into play, we have made life difficult with loss of balls. Now it is important to get the thing out of our heads and clear ourselves. Now we have the chance to go back to points. The league is a marathon, we are already waving, but knowing what we still have to do, to go fresh and joyfully over the line.”
Sportschau 2nd Bundesliga Highlights, April 27th, 2025 3:47 p.m.
Next Saturday the FC will have the next chance to take a big step towards promotion, in the game on Saturday evening (May 3rd, 8.30pm), the bottom of the SSV Jahn Regensburg will be in the game, which would have no chance of staying in the league in a defeat. For Hanover, on Saturday afternoon (1 p.m.) it is about getting a little closer to with another victory at the top.
“I am primarily pleased that the team showed such an outstanding team performance”said Barlemann after the first home win of the Kalende Year of the Sports Show. “We now want to give the fans a little bit back and make something good, it is about the appearance and the score. We have a responsibility in the promotion struggle and showed that we do not let ourselves.”