Bundesliga 2, Matchday 7 highlights: Cologne and Karlsruhe share eight goals after Fortuna Düsseldorf consolidate top spot and Hamburg draw with Paderborn
Cologne and Karlsruhe shared eight goals, after Fortuna Düsseldorf cemented first place with a last-gasp win at Greuther Fürth and Hamburg drew with Paderborn on Matchday 7 in Bundesliga 2.
Matchday 7 highlights
Cologne 4-4 Karlsruhe
Goals: 1-0 Waldschmidt 3', 2-0 Downs 7', 3-0 Downs 15', 3-1 Wanitzek 19', 3-2 Wanitzek 27', 4-2 Lemperle 45'+2, 4-3 Jensen 52', 4-4 Wanitzek 55'
Although kick-off was delayed by 10 minutes after the Karlsruhe team bus got stuck in traffic, the match burst right into action as Luca Waldschmidt and then Damion Downs (x2) put the home side 3-0 up by the 15 minute-mark. This incredible opening was only a taste of things to come, however, as Marvin Wanitzek hit a quick-fire double for the high-flying visitors before Tim Lemperle hit back to make it 4-2 just before the half-time whistle. Undaunted, KSC added another two in the first 10 minutes of the second term - first through Leon Jensen and then Wanitzek, who made it 4-4 as he completed a deserved hat-trick. The results sees Cologne climb to eighth while Karlsruhe dip to third on goal difference.
Hannover 2-0 Nuremberg
Goals: 1-0 Halstenberg 79', 2-0 Momuluh 80'
Hannover pushed their case for a podium place with the dominant win over Nuremberg, but it took some time for Stefan Leitl's men to break down their Matchday 7 visitors. Nonetheless, after Marcel Halstenberg's successful spot-kick denied Nuremberg's chance of a first clean sheet of the season, Hannover doubled down quickly, Monju Momuluh rifling home an angled shot just a minute later - his second goal in three appearances off the bench this term. Nuremberg struggled to gather themselves after this double shock and the 96ers held out for a fourth win of the season, climbing to fourth place while Nuremberg dropped to 14th with their fourth defeat of the campaign.
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Hertha Berlin 1-4 Elversberg
Goals: 0-1 Şahin 4', 0-2 Schnellbacher 30', 0-3 Damar 52', 1-3 Cuisance 60', 1-4 Şahin 65'
Semih Şahin struck twice in Elversberg's sensational 4-1 win away to Hertha Berlin, opening and closing the scoring with a brace of successful spot-kicks. Luca Schnellbacher struck with a brilliant chip and then turned provider for Muhammed Damar's coolly taken goal as the visitors ran rampant and made Frenchman Mickaël Cuisance's powerful low strike from the edge of the area a mere consolation. It was a benchmark performance from Horst Steffen's now ninth-placed side - their first win in three and just their second of the season - while for seventh-placed Hertha it was a third home defeat of the campaign.
Preußen Münster 1-2 Schalke
Goals: 1-0 Makridis 53', 1-1 Sylla 67', 1-2 Sylla 74'
It was heartbreak for Münster as they saw a hard-earned 1-0 lead evaporate thanks to Moussa Sylla's quick-fire second-half brace. Münster had shown the greater attacking intent for the first hour of the match, with Joel Grodowski notably bringing the danger down the right flank. This pressure finally paid dividends when Charalambos Makridis drove home the opener, but it wasn't long before the lively Sylla was rewarded for his tireless performance. The first was a tap-in after Johannes Schenk could only parry Mehmet Can Aydin's shot, and then the winner came as the Mali international deflected an attempted clearance over the stranded Schalke 'keeper. The come-from-behind win was more than welcome for interim Schalke boss Jakob Fimpel, whose side hadn't won since the opening day of the season - or away from home - while for Münster this first loss in three matches leaves them teetering on the brink of the drop zone.
Darmstadt 1-2 Magdeburg
Goals: 1-0 Lidberg 11’, 1-1 Burcu 22’, 1-2 Krempicki 48’
Sent off: Mathisen 73'
Darmstadt were quick out of the gates at home, going ahead thanks to an early finish from Isac Lidberg, following a frantic game of pinball in the Magdeburg penalty area. That brought his tally to five goals for the season. But the visitors responded quickly, equalising through a piece of individual brilliance from Livan Burcu. The winger was involved again just after half-time as Connor Krempicki put his side ahead, and despite a scare late on with Marcus Mathisen picking up a second yellow card, the visitors managed to hold onto their lead until the final whistle and climb up to second place.
Hamburg 2-2 Paderborn
Goals: 0-1 Bilbija 46’, 1-1 Glatzel 54’, 1-2 Bilbija 60’, 2-2 Selke 67’
Hamburg twice struck back at home to Paderborn as the promotion hopefuls shared the spoils at the Volksparkstadion. Following a goalless first half with few chances, the visitors struck immediately after the restart when Filip Bilbija turned in a low cross. Their advantage lasted barely 10 minutes as Robert Glatzel slotted home following a quick throw. However, Bilbija had his second of the day and fifth of the campaign as Paderborn went back in front on the hour mark, latching onto a poor clearance by second-choice goalkeeper Matheo Raab – in for the injured Daniel Heuer Fernandes – to curl into an empty net. Again, the lead was short lived as Davie Selke headed in his third of the campaign. HSV thought they had won it in added time when Glatzel turned in at the far post, but it was ruled out for handball on review.
Jahn Regensburg 0-0 Kaiserslautern
Bottom-of-the-table Regensburg were looking to overturn four consecutive league defeats and fielded a much-changed team. The first half was characterised by the visitors dominating possession whilst the hosts relied on hitting them on the counter-attack. The game struggled to find its tempo however, due to frequent fouls and stoppages. Regensburg grew in the second half, and both teams struck the woodwork, but with too few clear chances for either side, the points were deservedly shared, but it leaves the home side rooted to the bottom of the table.
Greuther Fürth 1-2 Fortuna Düsseldorf
Goals: 0-1 Haag 43', 1-1 Srbeny 45', 1-2 Jóhannesson (pen.) 90'+1
Bundesliga 2 leaders Düsseldorf extended their unbeaten start to the season to seven matches, thanks to Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson's last-gasp penalty winner at Greuther Fürth. After Greuther's Branimir Hrgota had gone close to breaking the deadlock with a deflected shot, Giovanni Haag headed in a Nicolas Gavory cross with two minutes of the first half remaining to put Düssedorf ahead. Dennis Srbeny levelled from close range before the break, and it was another late twist that decided the game following a tepid second half. Jóhannesson was brought down in the box and made no mistake with his resultant spot-kick in the first minute of added time to seal the win and keep Fortuna top of the pile.
Ulm 3-1 Eintracht Braunschweig
Goals: 1-0 Rösch 14', 2-0 Krattenmacher 39', 2-1 Szabó 76', 3-1 Higl pen. 84'
Sent off: Köhler 50'
Braunschweig remain in the automatic relegation zone following a comprehensive loss to mid-table Ulm. The visitors were two goals down with 38 minutes gone through strikes from Romario Rösch and Maurice Krattenmacher. Sven Köhler's sending off after the restart for two bookable offences made their task a whole lot harder, though Levente Szabó did manage to halve the deficit after Ulm had lost goalkeeper Niclas Thiede to a serious-looking injury. Fabio Kaufmann threatened an equaliser, before Felix Higl converted from the spot to all but end Braunschweig's hopes of a comeback.
Watch: The top 5 goals from Matchday 7
Click here for the latest Bundesliga 2 standings!
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