Greuther Fürth won the 270th Frankenderby at the last minute and celebrated an important sense of achievement in the close relegation battle of the 2nd Bundesliga. The team of coach Alexander Zorniger won 1-0 (0-0) against their big rivals 1. FC Nürnberg thanks to a late goal and freed themselves a bit from the bottom of the table with the first three points in 2023.
Ragnar Ache (90+1) scored in injury time in front of a full house to give Fürth the undeserved victory. With 23 points, the cloverleaf is in ninth place in the table, but is only four points ahead of relegation place 16. The club, however, is still deep in the table basement with 19 points after the derby defeat.
“The three points were very important, especially because we also have to look backwards,” said Fürth’s sporting director Rachid Azzouzi after the success in the derby on “Sky”: “We deservedly rewarded ourselves.”
In the heated Franconian duel, the hosts started better. After an attack via Branimir Hrgota and Dickson Abiama, Armindo Sieb was initially unplaced (9′). But then the VAR suddenly reported: Nuremberg’s Florian Hübner had fouled Abiama in the process of formation. Referee Tobias Stieler consequently pointed to the point. However, captain Hrgota put the great opportunity for the lead on the crossbar (12th). The cloverleaf remained the active team afterwards, only missing a goal at the break.
In the second round, the picture was initially the same: After a cross from Fürth’s Simon Asta, Damian Michalski appeared free in front of the visitors’ goal. But Peter Jensen defused his header strongly (54th). Shortly thereafter, loan player Florian Flick scored what the guests thought was the winning goal, but here too the VAR correctly decided it was offside. Shortly before the end, Fürth struck, the Ronhof trembled.