Hannover 96 lost a 2-0 lead at Preußen Münster in the final phase and lost points in the promotion race of the 2nd Bundesliga.
Benjamin Källman gave the 96ers the lead in the 41st minute. Substitute Daiskuke Yokota increased the score to 2-0 (73′). But in stoppage time, Oliver Batista Meier from the penalty spot (90+1) and Zidan Sertdemir (90+6) ensured Münster’s comeback.
Coach Alexander Ende praised his team’s “huge morale” in the Sportschau interview: “They showed how much heart they have, they believed in themselves until the end. The draw was certainly fortunate in terms of timing, but certainly not undeserved over 90 minutes.”
Apart from the drama in injury time, the game offered few highlights for a long time. After 18 minutes, the Prussian fans celebrated what was supposed to be the opening goal: Joshua Mees pushed the ball over the line from close range, but Oliver Batista Meier was clearly offside when he passed the cross and the goal did not count.
Münster was, at least visually, the slightly more determined team, but it only became dangerous, if at all, from set pieces: after a little more than half an hour, the ball fell to Mikkel Kirkeskov’s feet after a corner kick, but Münster’s full-back couldn’t get the ball to the goal.
Hanover’s leadership – a gift from the Prussians
Hannover acted forward without any movement or ideas in the game. The lead came out of nowhere – and was a gift from the Münster defense: Maik Nawrocki’s break-away from his own penalty area suddenly became a through ball because neither Kirkeskov nor Paul Jaeckel actually went to the ball. Källman grabbed the ball, had a free path and pushed the ball through the legs of Prussia keeper Morten Behrens. The lucky lead played into the hands of the top team from Lower Saxony.
Münster came out of the locker room offensively. Joshua Mees had the chance to equalize just 60 seconds after the restart, caught the second ball in the six-yard box after a corner, but only hit the side netting.
Hannover switched to counterattacking and now used the space cleverly: Källman missed his second goal by just centimeters after a pass from Yokota (51st).
The Japanese then made the supposed preliminary decision himself 20 minutes before the end: Kolja Oudenne broke through on the left edge of the penalty area and laid back with a lot of overview, Yokota finished from close range.
Münster keeps the pressure on against Hannover
But Münster kept the pressure up until the final phase: Batista Meier (78th) only hit the aluminum. However, his penalty in the final minute of regular time was correct; Lars Lokotsch was knocked down in the penalty area. Batista Meier was also involved in the equalizer, successfully followed up in the penalty area, and substitute Sertdemir sank the ball into the far corner.
“Of course we can’t be satisfied”said Hanover’s coach Christian Titz at the Sportschau microphone. “We stopped playing after 2-0.”
Münster in Darmstadt, Hanover against Bochum
Hannover welcomes SpVgg Greuther Fürth on matchday 16 on Saturday evening (8.30 p.m.). Preußen Münster will be a guest of Darmstadt 98 on Sunday afternoon (1:30 p.m.).