Penalty in the final phase
© Imago
In the promotion battle of the 2nd Bundesliga, the 1. FC Köln missed a big step towards the Bundesliga. Due to the 1: 1 (0: 0) in the Rhein derby against Fortuna Düsseldorf, the Cologne team not only had to hand over the lead to Hamburger SV, but were only able to increase the lead to three of the table by one point. Düsseldorf consolidated fifth place after the late equalizer from ísak Jóhannesson (89th minute/trading). Florian Kainz (68th) had put Cologne in the lead.
For a long time it was an extremely tough game, in which both teams shy away the risk on the offensive most of the time. After the break, when both coaches aligned their teams offensive, Kainz took care of the hosts. The midfielder scored 1-0 after a cross from Maina. That was the prelude to more entertainment on the lawn in front of 50,000 spectators, which also included 2014 world champion Lukas Podolski. Born in Cologne, the derby followed the derby in the middle of the FC fans.
Suddenly there was a lot more pace on the lawn, Düsseldorf tried to equalize and Cologne had some counter facilities. And as in the first leg, when Fortuna only equalized in the 2-2 in added time, a goal fell late again this time. Jóhannesson met with a penalty because Joel Schmied had previously blocked a shot from Vincent Vehij by hand.
Schalke 04 Sleeable initial phase and loses at Darmstadt 98
Darmstadt 98 ended his negative series of six winless games and pulled FC Schalke 04 into the relegation battle. The Hessen celebrated a success in the 2-0 (2: 0) for the first time since mid -December and passed the royal blue (27) in the table with 28 points.
In front of 17,810 spectators in the sold-out stadium at Böllenfalltor, Isac Lidberg had the Bundesliga relegation with an early double pack in the 3rd and 5th minute. The Swede initially hit the right corner from 15 meters and shortly afterwards with a thoughts. In addition to the game, the guests also lost Max Grüger. The midfielder only substituted at the break saw the yellow-red card in the 76th minute after a tactical foul.
Greuther Fürth gets air in the relegation battle
The SpVgg Greuther Fürth has settled from the relegation zone. The Franks could not be dragged down by the relegation -threatened competitor Eintracht Braunschweig and won 3: 0 (1-0).
The previously twice victorious Lower Saxony are eight points to the Fürthers at the relegation rank. Noel Futkeu (10th minute), Julian Green (88th) and Jormaine Consbruch (90.+8) scored the hits.
