Darmstadt 3-0 Paderborn
Goals: 1-0 Skarke (2’), 2-0 Pfeiffer (25’), 3-0 Pfeiffer (38’)
Red card: Cuni (79’)

Darmstadt made light work of Paderborn, but missed out on a place in the play-offs because of results elsewhere. Things were looking good for the Lilies as they raced into a 3-0 lead through Tim Skarke and a Luca Pfeiffer brace. With Bremen winning and Hamburg losing at Rostock, they were third in the live table. However, HSV’s second-half comeback meant Darmstadt’s valiant efforts were all in vain. They finish fourth, on account of their inferior goal difference. Paderborn, who had Marvin Cuni sent off, end the campaign in seventh.

St. Pauli 2-0 Fortuna Düsseldorf
Goals: 1-0 Hartel (65'), 2-0 Dzwigala (83')

Theoretically, Pauli still had a chance of promotion, starting the day three points back from Darmstadt and Hamburg. But their goal difference was quite some way inferior than the two teams above them so it would have taken something dramatic for Germany’s Kult Klub to be playing top-flight football next term. A goalless first half, paired with Darmstadt’s flying start against Paderborn meant that Pauli’s faint final day hopes were nothing more than that. Pauli did eventually take all three points, though, as Marcel Hartel first stroked the ball into the top corner from the edge of the Fortuna box and then Adam Dzwigala sealed the win late on. It also ended Daniel Thioune's 11-game unbeaten start in charge of Düsseldorf.

Hannover 3-2 Ingolstadt
Goals: 1-0 Heinloth o.g. (6'), 1-1 Sulejmani (12'), 2-1 Maina (56'), 3-1 Maina (74'), 3-2 Bilbija (76')

The hosts took just six minutes to take the lead against their already relegated visitors, with Ingolstadt conceding in a manner befitting what has been a disappointing campaign as Michael Heinloth could only rattle into his own net. But Ingolstadt were soon level as Valmir Sulejmani levelled things up six minutes later with just the Kosovan striker’s second league goal of the season. Cologne-bound Linton Maina restored the home team’s lead early in the second half and made it 3-1 with his second of the match soon after. Ingolstadt went back within one of their hosts just two minutes later as Filip Bilbija found the back of the net but Hannover held firm.

Sandhausen 3-1 Holstein Kiel
Goals: 1-0 Dumic (9'), 2-0 Bachmann (13'), 3-0 Kinsombi (35'), 3-1 Skrzybski (54')

A superb first-half performance wrapped up all three points for Sandhausen against Kiel. First Tom Trybull, then Janik Bachmann and Dario Dumic took part in a private game of head tennis before the latter fired home inside 10 minutes. Bachmann then used his head to nod home at the near post from a corner and Christian Kinsombi soon made it 3-0 thanks to the work of Erik Zenga who claimed the ball on the edge of his own penalty area before freeing Kinsombi with a raking long ball. Steven Skrzybski’s excellent volley pulled one back after the break but it was ultimately nothing but a consolation.

Dynamo Dresden 0-1 Erzgebirge Aue
Goals: 0-1 Kühn (53')

While Aue are definitely playing third division football next season, Dynamo still have a chance of retaining their Bundesliga 2 status. They will face third-placed Kaiserslautern of the third tier in the promotion/relegation playoff, so the visit of Aue gave them the chance to put some form together before that two-legged showdown. It was Aue, however, that drew first blood thanks to Nicolas Kühn’s backpost tap-in eight minutes into the second period. That would be enough for Aue to bow out of Bundesliga 2 with just their sixth win of the season. As for Dynamo, they will now refocus ahead of putting their second division future on the line in the play-offs.

Heidenheim 2-0 Karlsruhe
Goals: 1-0 Sessa (38'), 2-0 Sessa (42')

With Heidenheim guaranteed of a top-half finish and Karlsruhe’s safety well secured, both teams went into the final day with few concerns. The hosts had even fewer worries when, seven minutes before the break, Kevin Sessa turned on the edge of the six-yard box and fired home his maiden goal of the season. Within four minutes of his first, Sessa had a second for the campaign to send Heidenheim into the break with a two-goal lead. Sessa turned provider for Tim Kleindienst to round the keeper and tap into an empty net but the 26-year-old’s strike was scrubbed out for offside.

SVW Bremen Werder Bremen - REG Regensburg SSV Jahn Regensburg

Werder seal promotion, HSV into play-off