Narrow win against Osnabrück: Karlsruhe collects important points against relegation

Karlsruhe narrowly beat bottom side Osnabrück on the opening day of the second half of the 2nd Bundesliga and took a valuable step in the fight against relegation. The KSC won 2:1 (1:1) on Friday evening (January 19, 2024).

The hosts took the lead from close range thanks to an early goal from Christoph Kobald (4th). Dave Gnaase (24th) equalized with a dream goal from distance. Marvin Wanitzek scored the winning goal very soon in the second half of the game (55th) and promoted it team by coach Christian Eichner, at least temporarily in the top half of the table.

“A classic second division game for me”said Christian Eichner to the sports show after the game, “I think the opponent can’t complain if it’s at least 2-0 here after ten minutes. And in the second half it was clear – given the pitch conditions, whoever scores the first goal will probably leave the pitch as the winner. “ His Osnabrück colleague Uwe Koschinat criticized his team’s attention in standard situations and said: “We have to blame ourselves for not putting enough effort on the pitch at the back.”

KSC controls, but becomes careless.

The game had barely started when referee Sören Storks had to blow the whistle again – this time after Kobald had made it 1-0. The goal came after a failed defensive attempt by Osnabrück’s Robert Tesche, who shot at his defensive colleague Florian Kleinhansl. The beneficiary was Kobald, who overcame keeper Philipp Kühn in the six-meter area.

The Baden team, who appeared superior and created further chances to score (long-range shots from Dzenis Burnić, 8th, and Budu Zivzivadze, 9th), failed to extend their lead. That’s exactly what played into the Osnabrück team’s hands. Because first Patrick Drewes had to parry shots in the home team’s goal from first Christian Conteh (12th) and then from Gnaase (17th). But when Gnaase shot from 25 meters in the 24th minute, the KSC team wasKeeper powerless: The ball hit the right corner of the cross.

Shortly before the half-time whistle, Wanitzek missed twice, once with a header (45th + 3), and just seconds later with a direct shot.

Wanitzek scores again

The guests got off to a better start in the second half of the game. Erik Engelhardt failed after a Cuisance pass to Drewes, who again reacted perfectly (48th). But then Wanitzek, the double goalscorer from the first leg, struck again: Igor Matanovic passed the ball in the opponent’s penalty area to his goal-threatening colleague, who was able to push the ball in unchallenged from around six meters.

After a break in the game after the KSCfans protested with confetti against a possible investor entry into the DFL, and chants for the late president Kay Bernstein from the friendly club Hertha BSC, the teams on the pitch found it difficult to once again create goal-threatening situations with successful actions. In the final phase, VfL triedCoach Uwe Koschinat made a number of substitutions to breathe new life into his team. But the hosts held on to the three points.

VfL against Paderborn, KSC at Hamburger SV

The Osnabrück team will visit SC Paderborn next matchday (Saturday, January 27th, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.). Karlsruhe faces HSV one day later (1:30 p.m.).