ELV Elversberg SV Elversberg - KSC Karlsruhe Karlsruher SC

After a slower-paced first half, the fans at Kaiserlinde are treated to a real spectacle in the second half, where the home side look like certain winners for a long time. However, Karlsruhe showed great character and, thanks to a brace from captain Wanitzek, managed to secure a 2-2 draw and a point.

Stoppage time has begun and will be five minutes. Can anything still happen? Currently, Karlsruhe are on the front foot.

Everything is set for an exciting final few minutes. With his two substitutions, Elversberg coach Horst Steffen has primarily reinforced his defence and is clearly expecting a storm of attacks from the visitors.

The first few minutes of the second half have nothing in common with the sluggish phases of the previous period. It's bitter for Karlsruhe, who, after a great chance to equalise, suddenly find themselves two goals behind and now need to regroup.

Both managers have initially refrained from making personnel changes, so the same 22 players are back on the pitch.

Thanks to a breakthrough from Petkov in the 44th minute, the home side go into the dressing room with a 1-0 lead. As Elversberg did more for the game, especially towards the end of the first half, this is deserved, although the match hasn't offered many highlights otherwise. It's still all to play for in the second half.

Rohr has the ball in front of his own penalty area and faces deep-lying Karlsruhe players. The centre-back steps on the ball and simply waits to see what happens. Karlsruhe only slowly begin to put pressure on him, allowing Rohr to simply hold his position with the ball for a good 20 seconds.

Overall, both teams are not initially looking to play at a high tempo here, instead seeking security in longer passing sequences or looking for ways to build from the back.

The visitors, playing in blue, have kicked off. They are facing the Elversberg side, who are dressed all in white.

For the 22-year-old midfielder, this is his first start after eight previous substitute appearances in the Bundesliga 2 (five for Karlsruhe, three for Stuttgart).

Carlo Sickinger and Maurice Neubauer are each playing their 50th match in the Bundesliga 2 today. For KSC's defensive leader Marcel Franke, however, it's already his 250th match in the second tier of German football.

The visitors also make two changes to the starting eleven, with Egloff and Conté coming in for Burnić (ill) and Jensen, who is unavailable at short notice.

Due to two suspensions, Elversberg's coach Horst Steffen has to make two changes to his starting lineup compared to the defeat in Cologne, bringing in Fellhauer and Schnellbacher in place of Baum (second yellow card) and Asllani (5th yellow card).

Weiß - Jung, Franke, Beifus, Herold - Egloff - Conte, Heußer, Wanitzek - Schleusener, Kaufmann

Kristof - Fellhauer, Pinckert, Rohr, Neubauer - Sickinger, Damar - Petkov, Sahin, Zimmerschied - Schnellbacher

The 21-year-old Meiko Wäschenbach joins Karlsruhe from Cologne, moving to the Wildpark with immediate effect. The midfielder will wear the blue and white shirt with the number 21 on his back.

Karlsruher has loaned midfielder Noah Rupp to Swiss second-division club FC Stade Lausanne Ouchy until the end of the current season.

"The squad will be thinned out. We first have to see how we put it all together. And then we will try to start the second half of the season in Elversberg with points as well."

"We gave a good performance in Cologne. Now we've looked at what we can do better - defend more consistently and finish our chances better. But I'm satisfied with the way we played. If we maintain this, the results will come again."

Karlsruhe are unbeaten overall against Elversberg, having achieved four wins and one draw in five competitive matches.

Karlsruhe have won all three second-tier encounters against Elversberg, scoring three goals in each match (3-2, 3-2, 3-0).

Welcome along and thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Matchday 20 fixture between SV Elversberg and Karlsruher SC.