Bundesliga 2, Matchday 24 highlights: Schalke stun leaders St. Pauli, Osnabrück win in Hamburg, Kiel fight back against Hertha
Leaders St. Pauli were beaten by lowly Schalke, but promotion rivals Hamburg could not take advantage as they suffered a surprise home defeat to bottom side Osnabrück. Elsewhere on Matchday 24, second-placed Holstein Kiel came from 2-0 down to draw with Hertha Berlin...
Schalke 3-1 St. Pauli
Goals: 1-0 Kabadayı (44'), 2-0 Kabadayı (73'), 2-1 Saad (89'), 3-1 Karaman (90'+2)
St. Pauli suffered a second defeat in four games as they were edged out by Schalke. The Royal Blues were courageous in the first period and, as the half-time whistle beckoned, Yusuf Kabadayı prodded over the line from close range to give his team the lead. Midway through the second half, Kabadayi doubled his side's tally, as well as his own haul for the night, by beating Nikola Vasilj at the second attempt. Elias Saad's deflected strike halved the arrears in the last minute, but Kenan Karaman responded to secure the points. The result sees Schalke put some extra distance between themselves and the relegation, zone while St. Pauli remain top of the table despite the loss.
Hamburg 1-2 Osnabrück
Goals: 0-1 Kunze 6', 1-1 Glatzel pen. 45'+2, 1-2 Cuisance pen. 89'
Sent off: Gyami 76'
Hamburg missed the chance to close the gap on leaders Pauli to four points following a shock home loss to rock-bottom Osnabrück. After Lukas Kunze gave Osnabrück an early lead, the visitors succeeded in keeping HSV at arm's length until the 34th minute when Sebastian Schonlau sent a presentable header from a corner wide. Maxwell Gyamfi's foul on Immanuel Pherai allowed Steffen Baumgart's men to level, though, with Robert Glatzel sinking the resultant penalty in first-half added time. Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer and Bakery Jatta missed chances to put Hamburg 2-1 up, before Gyamfi was sent off for a second bookable offence with 14 minutes of normal time remaining. It was all set up for a backs-to-the-wall finish, but Osnabrück hadn't read the script. After Ignace Van Der Brempt was adjudged to have brought down former HSV midfielder Robert Tesche in the penalty area, ex-Bayern Munich man Michaël Cuisance stepped up to seal an unlikley win that moves Osnabrück to within six points of the relegation play-off spot.
Want more Bundesliga Action?
Hertha Berlin 2-2 Holstein Kiel
Goals: 1-0 Tabaković (17'), 2-0 Tabaković (45'), 2-1 Porath (81'), 2-2 Becker (pen. 90'+8)
Holstein Kiel came from two goals down to snatch a point away at Hertha Berlin. The hosts were on top during the first 45 minutes and found themselves 2-0 up thanks to a brace from striker Haris Tabaković. After the interval, Jonjoe Kenny struck the woodwork - twice - with a free-kick, but Kiel halved the deficit, rather fortuitously, as Finn Porath's attempt deflected in. Deep into stoppage time, Timo Becker scored from the spot following Linus Gechter's foul to break Berlin hearts. Despite being pegged back, Hertha are now unbeaten in five games, while Kiel bounced back from their 4-3 defeat last time out to St. Pauli.
Hannover 2-2 Fortuna Düsseldorf
Goals: 0-1 Tzolis (11’), 0-2 Tzolis (18’), 1-2 Voglsammer (63’), 2-2 Teuchert (86’)
Hannover left it late to secure a point against a direct promotion rival, equalising shortly before the final whistle after going 2-0 down early on. Both teams are hunting third-placed Hannover for the play-off berth at the end of the season but it was the visitors who enjoyed the better start when Christos Tzolis struck twice inside the opening 18 minutes. Hannover improved after the interval and got a foothold in the game thanks to Andreas Voglsammer’s header midway through the half. They snatched a point in the closing stages when Cedric Teuchert prodded in from close range.
Hansa Rostock 0-3 Kaiserslautern
Goals: 0-1 Ache (6’), 0-2 Ache (66’), 0-3 Ache (76’)
Red card: Hüsing (37’)
Kaiserslautern gave their survival hopes a huge shot in the arm on Saturday as Ragnar Ache scored a hat-trick in a relegation six-pointer against fellow strugglers Hansa Rostock. The 25-year-old forward pounced as early as the sixth minute, tapping in from close range before momentum swung further the visitors’ way when Hansa centre-back Oliver Hüsing was sent off for a second bookable offence. The Red Devils made their extra man count in the second half as Ache reacted quickest to a loose ball to notch his second of the day, and he completed his hat-trick a short while later from a corner. The result means Kaiserslautern moved out of the relegation zone, leaving Hansa three points behind them in 17th.
Nuremberg 2-1 Eintracht Braunschweig
Goals: 1-0 Andersson (23’), 2-0 Uzun (pen. 45’+1), 2-1 Philippe (57’)
Nuremberg claimed a tight victory over Braunschweig in a clash of former Bundesliga champions. The hosts went in front thanks to a set piece as Sebastian Andersson nodded in Erik Wekesser’s delivery from the left. Der Club doubled their advantage in first-half added time when Can Yilmaz Uzun put away a penalty awarded on review for handball against Anton Donkor. Eintracht were much improved after the break and got one back just before the hour when Thórir Jóhann Helgason teed up Rayan Philippe to lob goalkeeper Carl Klaus. The Lions couldn’t manage a further response and slipped into the relegation play-off spot behind Kaiserslautern as a result. Nuremberg moved up into the top half of the table, at least overnight.
Karlsruhe 4-0 Greuther Fürth
Goals: 1-0 Matanović 42', 2-0 Matanović 76', 3-0 Schleusener 86', 4-0 Schleusener 90'
Fürth's hopes of finishing in the top three were dealt a blow as Karlsruhe romped to a 4-0 victory at the BBBank Wildpark. The opener came shortly before half-time, when Igor Matanović headed into the bottom corner following Marvin Wanitzek's flick-on. The latter had a chance to double his side's advantage from the penalty spot at the start of the second period, but instead the post. Still, Karlsruhe did find the back of the net for a second time with just under 15 minutes remaining when Matanović pounced on a Branimir Hrgota mistake to complete his brace. A pair of late Fabian Schleusener efforts added extra gloss to the scoreline as the hosts move up to eighth in the table.
Elversberg 0-3 Wehen Wiesbaden
Goals: 0-1 Goppel 44', 0-2 Lee 49', 0-3 Iredale 84'
Wehen Wiesbaden climbed six points clear of the relegation zone with a comfortable win at Elversberg. Wehen's Franko Kovačević fired over inside five minutes, but it was almost another 40 before the next piece of goalmouth action. Shortly after Elversberg's Jannik Rochelt failed to beat Florian Stritzel in a one-on-one, Thijmen Goppel ran from halfway and finished past Nicolas Kristof to give Wiesbaden a half-time lead. Hyun-ju Lee gave the visitors daylight with a spectacular strike early in the second period, with further chances not taken by Ivan Prtajin. Martin Angha had a goal ruled out, before substitute John Iredale put the icing on the cake with another superb finish.
Paderborn 0-0 Magdeburg
Sent off: Schuler 79'
Paderborn missed the chance to climb up to fourth after being held to a goalless draw by Magdeburg, who ended an entertaining fixture with 10 men. Filip Bilbija and Ilyas Ansah threatened early on for the hosts, before Mohamed El Hankouri had an effort blocked by Laurin Curda at the end of Magdeburg's first meaningful chance. Magdeburg goalkeeper Dominik Reimann thwarted substitute Adriano Grimaldi as Paderborn turned the screw, with Sebastian Klaas also denied by some last-ditch defending moments later. Luca Schuler was sent off in the 79th minute for a late challenge on Curda, but the hosts could not make their numerical advantage count.
Watch: Top 5 goals from Matchday 24
Click here for the Bundesliga 2 table!
Related news
Germany to face Italy in quarter-finals
Germany have reached the quarter-finals of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League after topping Group A3 and Julian Nagelsmann’s men now face Italy for a place in next June’s finals tournament.
Who is Paul Wanner?
A Bundesliga debutant with Bayern at 16, the Germany youth international is spending 2024/25 on loan at Heidenheim...
Bayern announce Fürth and Salzburg January friendlies
The Bundesliga league leaders are planning two friendly matches on the same day on 6 January.