Bundesliga 2, Matchday 15 highlights: Schalke stun leaders Paderborn, Hamburg held by Darmstadt
Florian Kohfeldt's resurgent Darmstadt held Hamburg after leaders Paderborn slipped to a surprise defeat to Schalke...
Matchday 15 results
Paderborn 2-4 Schalke
Goals: 1-0 Kostons (12’), 1-1 Sylla (23’), 1-2 Karaman (43’), 2-2 Götze (52’), 2-3 Karaman (69’), 2-4 Bachmann (88’)
Schalke boosted their survival hopes on Friday evening after stunning Bundesliga 2 leaders Paderborn with a come-from-behind away victory. The home side initially looked on course for an eighth win of the season following Koen Kostons’ brilliant control and finish early on, but the Royal Blues fought back to lead at half-time thanks to efforts from Moussa Sylla and Kenan Karaman. Felix Götze equalised early in the second half for Paderborn, but the day belonged to a clinical Schalke side, with strikes from Karaman and Janik Bachmann giving them three much-needed points.
Hamburg 2-2 Darmstadt
Goals: 1-0 Königsdörffer 10', 1-1 Vukotić, 2-1 Karabec 45', 2-2 Corredor 63'
Hamburg had their sights set on clinching back-to-back wins in this entertaining clash, and especially so when Adam Karabec hit an absolute belter to make it 2-1 just before the break. But Darmstadt weren't about to take it lying down and claimed a share of the points when Killian Corredor conjured a well-taken equaliser just after the hour-mark. A multitude of late chances on both sides yielded no change to the scoreline, and the sharing of the points sees Hamburg dip to eighth place while Darmstadt climb to 10th.
Want more Bundesliga Action?
Hannover 3-2 Ulm
Goals: 0-1 Telalović 23', 0-2 Telalović 55', 1-2 Lee 60', 2-2 Tresoldi 71', 3-2 Tresoldi 81'
Promotion challengers Hannover made a statement win in one of the Bundesliga 2 games of the season at home to Ulm. Their newly promoted opponents were under pressure from the off, but responded with two brilliant counter-attacking goals from Semir Telalović either side of a 96ers onslaught. The Sparrows looked well on their way to a famous win, but Hannover stuck to their plan and it paid in the second-half through a rocket of a strike from Hyunju Lee in the 60th minute before a toiling Nicolò Tresoldi finally got his goal with a 71st-minute equaliser. The floodgates open, Tresoldi completed his brace for a huge comeback victory.
Kaiserslautern 3-1 Karlsruhe
Goals: 1-0 Tomiak (13'), 2-0 Redondo (73'), 3-0 Heuer (75'), 3-1 Wanitzek (88')
Kaiserslautern consolidated their place in the top three with a convincing victory over rivals Karlsruhe, stretching their unbeaten run to seven games and making it three wins on the bounce. Boris Tomiak got the hosts off to a great start, capitalising on their early momentum when he converted a penalty with his usual aplomb inside the opening 15 minutes. A late rush saw them triple their advantage through Kenny Prince Redondo and Jannis Heuer, making sure the scoreline reflected their dominance. Marvin Wanitzek got a late consolation goal, which would have made it much more interesting had Budu Zivzivadze's earlier disallowed effort been allowed to stand.
Fortuna Düsseldorf 5-0 Eintracht Braunschweig
Goals: 1-0 Kownacki 4', 2-0 Jóhannesson 8', 3-0 Kownacki 11', 4-0 Jóhannesson 70', 5-0 Pejčinović 87'
It was one-way traffic in Düsseldorf, David Kownacki and Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson both bagging braces before Dženan Pejčinović put the cherry on top late in the piece. Braunschweig simply allowed their hosts too much room to move and were left reeling after Fortuna hit three goals between the fourth and 11th minutes. Düsseldorf climb to fifth place on the back of this first win in six outings - their biggest of the season - while Braunschweig remain perched a point clear of the relegation play-off spot in 15th.
Elversberg 2-1 Nuremberg
Goals: 0-1 Castrop (14’), 1-1 Zimmerschied (44’), 2-1 Damar (53’)
Elversberg moved to within two points of leaders Paderborn after overturning an early deficit to beat Nuremberg. Jens Castrop scored Der Club’s 29th goal of the season - more than most of the teams in the top four - in the opening quarter of an hour, but familiar defensive frailties proved to be the away side’s undoing once again. Tom Zimmerschied levelled matters just before the interval and after Muhammed Damar put Elversberg in front early in the second half there was only going to be one winner as Horst Steffen’s side maintained their promotion hunt.
Jahn Regensburg 0-1 Cologne
Goals: 0-1 Lemperle 33'
Bottom side Regensburg gave an excellent account of themselves in this gritty clash at home to Cologne, but Andreas Patz's men simply couldn't find a response to Tim Lemperle's lone strike just after the half-hour mark. Cologne could have made things somewhat more comfortable for themselves had Dejan Ljubičić managed to put his spot-kick past Jahn keeper Felix Gebhardt early on, but the visitors managed to withstand a Regensburg onslaught in the dying stages and claim a fourth win in five outings to climb to sixth.
Greuther Fürth 3-1 Hertha Berlin
Goals: 0-1 Maza 5', 1-1 Futkeu 38', 2-1 Futkeu 55'
Sent off: Dietz 77'
Noel Futkeu scored twice as Greuther Fürth held on for a 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin, despite having Maximilian Dietz sent off. It all started so well for Hertha, with Ibrahim Maza breaking the deadlock for the second time in three games after just five minutes. However, Fürth went on to create a hatful of chances, before Futkeu stuck away a 38th-minute equaliser. He doubled his tally after the restart, but Fürth were clinging on in the end as Florian Niederlechner hit the woodwork and a whole host of chances came and went either side of Dietz’s sending off for two bookable offences. The result lifts the Clover Leaves five points clear of the automatic relegation zone, whilst leaving Hertha five adrift of the promotion places.
Preußen Münster 1-2 Magdeburg
Goals: 0-1 Atik 12', 1-1 Mees 38', 1-2 Mathisen 54'
Münster were forced to chase the game against visiting Magdeburg, who twice took the lead. Baris Atik opened the scoring early with a classy header and although Joshua Mees levelled it up with a header of his own a few minutes before the break, Marcus Mathisen took his turn to nod home early in the second half to make it 2-1. The Eagles gave their all to bag a leveller but couldn't find a way past Dominik Reimann and his well-marshalled defence. The defeat sees Münster remain in the drop zone, winless in four, while Magdeburg's return to winning ways takes them to eighth.
Watch: The top 5 goals on Matchday 15!
Click here for the latest Bundesliga 2 standings!
Related news
Most effective tacklers so far in 2024/25
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz may have won the most duels so far this season, but it's one of his team-mates who tops the chart for success rate when challenging for the ball...
Who is Steffen Baumgart?
Union Berlin's passionate, flat cap-wearing is back in the Bundesliga...
Pass masters, 2024/25 edition
Dayot Upamecano and Minjae Kim boast stellar pass completion rates this season, but there is one defender in Germany's top flight who is outdoing the Bayern duo...