Cup semi-finalists 1. FC Kaiserslautern received a bitter blow in the relegation battle of the 2nd Bundesliga against SC Paderborn.
The “Red Devils” lost 1:2 (1:0) against the SCP on Saturday evening (February 10, 2024). Jan Elvedi (3rd minute) gave FCK an early lead, David Kinsombi (65th) equalized with a hand penalty according to video evidence, Visar Musliu (72nd) scored the winning goal for the SCP.
Lautern remains in acute danger of relegation and can even be sent to a direct relegation spot by Hansa Rostock if they win in Osnabrück. With the victory, Paderborn nurtured its faint hopes of promotion.
Lautern’s coach Dimitrios Grammozis told Sportschau after the game: “Very annoying because I think we played a great game, especially in the first half, against a very good opponent. I think it’s a shame for the players because, in my opinion, they threw everything into it today. We just lost in the In the second half the transition moments were no longer the same.”
His Paderborn colleague Lukasz Kwaśniok analyzed on the sports show microphone: “We told the boys that it’s about a certain will to win duels. We weren’t good in the first half, and we simply did better in the second half.” Be it “somewhere happy, but not entirely undeserving” been to win 2-1.
Lautern with a lightning start
The first half was one to forget for Paderborn. With their first chance, the “Red Devils” took the lead in the third minute. A corner of Tymoteusz Puchacz Elvedi headed into the goal from four meters. And the FCK stuck with it. A goal by colleague Ragnar Ache five minutes later was rightly disallowed for offside. Shortly afterwards shot Puchacz after a bad mistake from David Kinsombi from close range next to the goal.
On the other side, Musliu (13th) missed a good chance to equalize, but he headed past the goal from ten meters. Paderborn had little to play with in the physical game; apart from the aforementioned chance, there was almost nothing going forward in the first half. Then the game was briefly interrupted twice because fans in protest against the planned investorsdeal the DFL had once again thrown objects onto the lawn.
Penalty taken back for FCK
Things didn’t get exciting again until the 40th minute. Puchacz was from the SCP rushing out of the gateKeeper Pelle Boevink apparently brought down with his foot, referee Martin Petersen initially awarded a penalty. However, checking the video images showed that the action was outside the penalty area, Boevink had played the ball first and tried to bend his leg. Consequence: no penalty and no red card against Boevink because of an emergency brake.
Delayed restart due to fan protests
After the first half passed Paderborn, the question arose as to whether team from trainer Kwaśniok Initially without any personnel changes, the FCK would be more annoying in the second half. First of all, objects had to be collected from the playing field before the game could start, albeit somewhat late.
Paderborn was now much more committed to moving forward and took the reins of action. Lautern relied on counter-pressing and counterattacks. But the SCP was initially unable to create any real chances; the offensive actions lacked precision and ultimate consistency.
Penalty kick for Paderborn according to video evidence
But then Boris Tomiak blocked a shot from Ilyas Ansah in the penalty area with his arm outstretched – after looking at the video images, the referee decided on a penalty this time, which Kinsombi confidently converted, even if FCK goalkeeper Julian Krahl suspected the corner.
Now the cards were reshuffled and the hit inspired the Paderborn team. Six minutes after the equalizer, Musliu followed up and headed a corner taken by Kai Klefisch to give East Westphalia the lead. The Palatinate team was shocked and had to accept criticism for not working more consistently to extend their lead after the 1-0 win.
And so it happened, as it often does in such situations. Psychologically demoralized, Grammozis’ team no longer had the energy on the pitch to come back. In the end there was a bitter defeat that the FCKfans acknowledged with an angry whistle concert.
Kaiserslautern will now play at 1. FC Nürnberg on Sunday (February 18, 2024, 1:30 p.m.). Paderborn hosted Holstein Kiel the day before at 1 p.m.