Fortune did not favour Düsseldorf as the woodwork stood between them and victory over Paderborn in a goalless relegation tussle.

Fortuna Düsseldorf 0-0 Paderborn

The fixture which was due to open Matchday 26 back on a long-forgotten Friday night in March still maintained all its intrigue, despite being one of five fixtures simultaneously marking the return of Bundesliga football on Saturday. Bottom-placed Paderborn were intent on seizing the lifeline afforded to them by the league restart, although Düsseldorf were keen on maintaining not only social distance from their opponents. Matthias Zimmermann dithered a little with the first chance of the game, allowing Paderborn captain Uwe Hünemeier to get in a block, and it was the hosts who had the next best chance when Valon Berisha's innocuous effort was turned onto his own post by Sebastian Schonlau, who was relieved to be granted a second opportunity to clear his lines.

A Kai Pröger free-kick was the only test Florian Kastenmeier had to deal with in the Fortuna goal during the first 45 minutes, and he was not unduly tested in the early exchanges of the second half either, with the hosts continuing to pose the greater threat. They also went even closer to breaking the deadlock when Berisha's header came back off the crossbar and hit Leopold Zingerle's legs, with the Paderborn custodian somewhat relieved to see the ball cleared just in front of the goalline by the covering Jamilu Collins. Steven Skrzybski was next to hit the post for Fortuna, drilling a low shot against the base of the left-hand upright, but it was Christopher Antwi-Adjei who almost snatched a last-gasp winner for Paderborn, but he scooped Mohamed Dräger's menacing low cross over the crossbar from point-blank range before making way for Antony Evans, who made his Bundesliga debut late on.

Match stats

• Düsseldorf struck the woodwork four times in a single Bundesliga fixture, having previously only hit the post or crossbar twice all season.
• Fortuna have only lost one of seven Bundesliga games under Uwe Rösler.
• Fortuna top scorer Rouwen Hennings (11 goals) found himself on the bench for the second game running for the first time this season.
• Hennings now hasn't scored in nine matches.
• Dennis Jastrzembski made his starting debut for Paderborn, after three substitute appearances.
• English 21-year-old forward Evans made his Bundesliga debut for Paderborn.

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Line-ups

Fortuna: Kastenmeier - Ayhan (c), Hoffmann, Suttner (Hennings 61') - Zimmermann, Stöger, Sobottka (Morales 68'), Berisha (Bodzek 69'), Gießelmann - Karaman (Skrzybski 79'), Thommy
Unused subs: Rensing, Ofori, Pledl, Jorgensen, Zimmer
Out: Fink (personal reasons), Kownacki (knee), Steffen (knee), Tekpetey (thigh)
Coach: Uwe Rösler

Paderborn: Zingerle - Dräger, Hünemeier (c), Schonlau, Collins - Vasiliadis, Gjasula (Ritter 46'), Antwi-Adjei (Evans 88') – Pröger (Sabiri 73'), Srbeny (Zolinski 73'), Jastrzembski (Holtmann 63')
Unused subs: Huth, Strohdiek, Jans, Mamba
Out: Fridjonsson (knock), Kilian (thigh), Michel (groin)
Coach: Steffen Baumgart

About the clubs

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Merkur Spielarena

SC Paderborn 07

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