Unbeaten Bundesliga 2 leaders Fortuna Düsseldorf were celebrating in the German capital following victory against Hertha Berlin. - © IMAGO

2. Bundesliga

Bundesliga 2, Matchday 5 highlights: Fortuna lead the way, Schalke lose in Karlsruhe, Hamburg win big

17.09.2024

Fortuna Düsseldorf cemented top spot in Bundesliga 2 with victory at Hertha Berlin. There were also wins for Karlsruhe and Hamburg on an action-packed weekend.

Matchday 5 results

Hertha Berlin 0-2 Fortuna Düsseldorf
Goals: 0-1 Kownacki (13'), 0-2 Niemiec (66')

Last season’s beaten promotion play-off side Fortuna are displaying plenty of appetite to bounce back from that disappointment and make it to the Bundesliga come the season’s end. Now unbeaten in their first five second-tier games this term, Daniel Thioune’s side are top of the standings thanks to a latest triumph against Hertha Berlin that came courtesy of a goal in each half from Dawid Kownacki and Jona Niemiec. Ibrahim Maza’s shot against the upright was as good as it got for a Hertha side, who have now lost twice this term.

Hamburg 5-0 Jahn Regensburg
Goals: 1-0 Königsdörffer (1'), 2-0 Glatzel (14'), 3-0 Dompé (76'), 4-0 Selke (89'), 5-0 Dompé (90'+3)

Free-scoring Hamburg made it nine goals in two games as Steffen Baumgart’s side picked up their second successive victory to move to within touching distance of the division leaders. Newly promoted Jahn Regensburg were up against it from the off when Ransford-Yeboah Königsdörffer nodded in a Fabio Baldé cross after 43 seconds. Hamburg’s quickest goal in over 25 years set the tone for a first half in which Robert Glatzel added a second soon afterwards, Baldé again the provider. The hosts were content to control proceedings thereafter and had to wait until 14 minutes from time to net their third, which was the first of a late Jean-Luc Dompé double. In between times, a Davie Selke goal had the majority of the crowd inside the Volksparkstadion celebrating a perfect day for the home side.

Karlsruhe 2-0 Schalke
Goals: 1-0 Zivzivadze (45+3’), 2-0 Zivzivadze (73’)

Karlsruhe extended their unbeaten start to the season with a comfortable victory over Schalke, giving them four wins from their opening five games. The hosts started off strong, with frequent attacks being worked down the left side. Schalke grew into the game, but were largely relying on hitting Karlsruhe on the break, with the hosts dominating possession. Budu Zivzivadze scored his fifth goal of the season just before the half-time break, and added a second to decide the match in the 73rd minute.

Preußen Münster 3-3 Paderborn
Goals: 1-0 Mees (19') 1-1 Bilbija (37') 1-2 Obermair (47') 2-2 Friðjónsson (78') 3-2 Ansah (85') 3-3 Mees (90'+1)

Promoted Preußen Münster earned a deserved second point of the season in a wild match at home to high-flying Paderborn that saw Joshua Mees hit a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser to claim a share of the spoils. Paderborn dominated the early stages, but were caught off guard when Mees headed home following a long throw. Filip Bilbija hit a deserved leveller soon after, however, and the visitors went ahead when Raphael Obermair struck from distance just after the restart. Hólmbert Aron Friðjónsson headed the hosts back on level terms in the closing stages, before Ilyas Ansah restored Paderborn's lead, only for it to be cancelled out by Mees just moments before the final whistle.

Hannover 3-1 Kaiserslautern
Goals: 1-0 Lee (6'), 1-1 Ache (56'), 2-1 Christiansen (73'), 3-1 Momuluh (90'+5)

Hannover made it three wins from three this season at the Heinz von Heiden-Arena, and did so in impressive fashion against Kaiserslautern. A completely dominant opening half was exploited by Hyunju Lee's opener and numerous chances followed, with Lautern's goalkeeper Julian Krahl hard at work. The 96ers' profligacy then came back to bite them in the second half with Ragnar Ache rewarding a better start from the away side to draw level. Kaiserslautern continued to improve, but it was Hannover who again broke the dealock through Max Christiansen, making things comfortable once more before Monju Momuluh sealed the three points in stoppage time.

Cologne 1-2 Magdeburg
Goals: 1-0 Downs (49'), 1-1 Michel (66'), 1-2 Hugonet (83')

Despite dominating almost from start to finish and taking the lead, Cologne suffered a narrow defeat against Magdeburg. In the first half, the Billy Goats racked up a league-high 18 shots, but it took them until after the break to go in front through Damion Downs. However, although they remained on top as they went in search of a second, goals from Falko Michel and Jean Hugonet secured an unlikely victory for the away side, who climb to third in the table.

Darmstadt 1-1 Eintracht Braunschweig
Goals: 1-0 Lopes (29'), 1-1 Szabo (86')
Red card: Scherning (30')

Both sides’ wait for a first win of the season will go into a sixth week after Darmstadt were held by bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday afternoon. It looked as though new coach Florian Kohfeldt would make the dream start in his first game in charge when Sergio López gave them a first-half lead that they held until the 86th minute, when Levente Szabó popped up with a deserved equaliser to ensure a share of the spoils for coach Daniel Scherning, who was earlier shown a red card after Darmstadt’s opener.

Ulm 1-2 Nuremberg
Goals: 1-0 Telalovic (51'), 1-1 Tzimas (64'), 1-2 Duman (90+9')

Nuremberg finally got their first away win of the season and did so in the most dramatic of fashions. A first half low on chances suggested fans at the Donaustadion may be in for a long afternoon, but it all changed in the second. Semir Telalović headed in the opener in the 51st minute and then four minutes later there was more celebration as Maurice Krattenmacher appeared to make it two. The goal was ruled out for a handball, though, and Nuremberg soon capitalised with Stefanos Tzimas coming off the bench to score. Ulm continued to dominante, and just when it looked like they'd have to settle for a point, they ended up with zero. Taylan Duman was fouled in the box and after a VAR review, he stepped up and put the ball away in the ninth minute of stoppage time.

Greuther Fürth 0-0 Elversberg

In a game of few chances, Elversberg spurned a golden opportunity to snatch the three points from Greuther Fürth when Gideon Jung was adjudged to have fouled Lukas Pinckert in the Fürth area. Fisnik Asllani placed the ball on the spot, but could only look on in despair as goalkeeper Nahuel Noll saved to ultimately earn the hosts a share of the spoils. Fürth drop to sixth, albeit only two points adrift of the promotion places. Elversberg remain in mid-table.