Bundesliga 2, Matchday 8 highlights: Leaders Fortuna Düsseldorf fall to Hamburg in free game, Schalke draw with Hertha Berlin
Bundesliga 2 leaders Fortuna Düsseldorf fell 3-0 at home to Hamburg, while fallen giants Schalke and Hertha Berlin shared four goals.
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Fortuna Düsseldorf 0-3 Hamburg
Goals: 0-1 Dompé, 0-2 Glatzel 83', 0-3 Glatzel 90'
Sent off: Haag 81'
HSV ended Düsseldorf's unbeaten run, the Bundeliga 2 leaders losing a league match for the first time since February. The Rhinelanders started the match better and were clearly superior in the first half, but it was Hamburg who took an early lead thanks to Dompé's stunning strike. The visitors looked to push on after the break and - after Düsseldorf went close to an equaliser before defender Haag saw red - they did so with the resulting spot-kick and a last-minute goal (both from Glatzel) that secured a comfortable victory. Despite this tough day at the office, Fortuna remain in top spot, a point clear of Magdeburg, while Hamburg climb to fifth.
Schalke 2-2 Hertha Berlin
Goals: 0-1 Cuisance 9', 1-1 Karaman 24', 2-1 Mohr 33', 2-2 Prevljak 72' (pen.)
Schalke and Hertha Berlin shared a draw in an entertaining Saturday night clash. Mickaël Cuisance stunned the home crowd by twisting in the Schalke box and firing the visitors into an early lead, but the hosts responded by gaining the upper hand in the play and smashing two spectacular goals. Kenan Karaman's delightful curler and a Tobias Mohr thunderbolt put Schalke in front at the break and on course for back-to-back wins. Hertha stepped up a gear in the second half, however, and deservedly claimed a point thanks to Smail Prevljak confidently slotting home a penalty shortly after coming on as a substitute.
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Cologne 2-0 Ulm
Goals: 1-0 Hübers 8’, 2-0 Waldschmidt 47’
Sent off: Brandt 21’
Cologne ended a three-game winless run with a comfortable 2-0 victory over 10-man Ulm. The Billy Goats went ahead inside eight minutes when captain Timo Hübers flicked in Linton Maina’s corner to the near post. Things got worse for the promoted side shortly after when Max Brandt was sent off for a professional foul on the edge of the box following a misplaced pass out from the back. It was all Cologne after that, and they finally got their second straight after the restart when Luca Waldschmidt picked out the far top corner from right of the D. It turned into an easy afternoon for Gerhard Struber’s men after that, having 21 attempts on goal compared to Ulm’s three efforts off target, as Cologne brought up their third win of the campaign and moved into the top half of the table.
Karlsruhe 3-3 Darmstadt
Goals: 1-0 Burnić (11’), 1-1 Lidberg (15’), 2-1 Jensen (28’), 2-2 Klefisch (54‘), 2-3 Vukotić (74‘), 3-3 Schleusener (77‘)
Following last week’s 4-4 goal frenzy against Cologne, Karlsruhe were involved in yet another one at home to Darmstadt. The hosts opened the scoring with their earliest goal so far this season, thanks to an acrobatic finish in the box by Burnić. Darmstadt didn’t take long to equalise with Lidberg getting on the end of a Hornby cross. The hosts retook the lead through a screamer of a volley by Jensen, but their advantage was nullified as Klefisch equalised not long after half-time. A period of dominance by the visitors resulted with them taking the lead through a Vukotić header after a corner. But Karlsruhe fought back against the run of play and managed to tie things up again with a close-range finish from Schleusener, which was their first shot on target in the second half. Both teams fought on, looking for a winner, but couldn’t find a breakthrough, meaning KSC remain unbeaten.
Magdeburg 2-2 Greuther Fürth
Goals: 1-0 El Hankouri 15', 2-0 Kaars 18', 2-1 Green 42', 2-2 Futkeu 75'
A pair of bizarre hand-balls - one at each end - proved the story of this somewhat symmetrical 2-2 draw. Magdeburg took an early lead after Fürth defender Jung handled the ball thinking a goal-kick had been awarded. El Hankouri needed two bites from the spot but opened the scoring and then turned provider for Kaars to make it 2-0. However, the hosts spurned a string of chances, and when Magdeburg defender Heber bizarrely matched Jung's absent-minded moment, Green pulled one back from the spot and Fürth were back in the match. Then Futkeu conjured a superb right-footed curler to level it at 2-2, keeping the visitors in tenth place and denying Magdeburg their chance at top spot.
Eintracht Braunschweig 2-0 Hannover
Goals: 1-0 Kaufmann 20', 2-0 Philippe 90'+3
It was a season-best performance from hosts Braunschweig as they bagged just a second win of the season with an accomplished 2-0 performance against derby rivals Hannover. Fabio Kaufmann opened the scoring with a superb finish after a weak clearance, and Hannover failed to reply, getting just one shot on target before Rayan Philippe was repaid for his herculean efforts (10 shots!) with a goal from the spot just before the final whistle. This third consecutive away defeat sees Hannover dip to sixth, while Braunschweig are a point clear of the bottom three in 15th.
Paderborn 3-0 Jahn Regensburg
Goals: 1-0 Klass (14'), 2-0 Zehnter (65'), 3-0 Kinsombi (81')
Dominant from the off, Paderborn were good value for their 3-0 win at home to Regensburg. Possession paid off early as Sebastian Klaas thundered home a low drive from the edge of the area on 15 minutes. When the hosts missed a number of chances to double their lead, Regensburg sensed an opportunity - but Aaron Zehnter's low, angled shot put paid to their rebellion. With David Kinsombi adding a third from the spot, Paderborn held out for a 3-0 win that takes them provisionally second. Meanwhile, Regensburg remain in 18th, propping up the table with four points from eight matches.
Elversberg 1-0 Kaiserslautern
Goals: 1-0 Damar 66'
The Red Devils are now without a win in five games while hosts Elversberg's second triumph on the bounce keeps them comfortable in the top half of the table. Hoffenheim loanee Muhammed Damar scored the game's only goal in the 66th minute with a curling effort that gave Julian Krahl no chance.
Nuremberg 3-2 Preußen Münster
Goals: 1-0 Tzimas 8', 1-1 Frenkert 16', 1-2 Paetow 43', 2-2 Jander 52', 3-2 Karafiát 78'
The hosts managed to turn things around after trailing this game 2-1 and in doing so, picked up their second home win of the campaign. Stefanos Tzimas fired Nuremberg ahead early on, but Münster stormed back through Lukas Frenkert and Torge Paetow goals to take a half-time lead. Going into the game on the back of two defeats, Miroslav Klose's team were keen to avoid adding to that sequence, and they were spared another loss when Caspar Jander netted with a superb long-range effort before Czech defender Ondřej Karafiát's winner 12 minutes from time.
Watch: The top 5 goals from Matchday 8
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