Kaiserslautern promoted to Bundesliga 2 after relegation play-off win over Dynamo Dresden
Kaiserslautern will play Bundesliga 2 football in 2022/23 after beating Dynamo Dresden 2-0 in the second leg of their relegation play-off.
Dynamo Dresden 0-2 Kaiserslautern
Goals: 0-1 Hanslik 59' (assist: Wunderlich), 0-2 Hercher 90'+2 (assist: Stehle)
Much like the goalless first leg in Kaiserslautern, the first half was a cautious affair. The game sprung to life after the restart, though, with American Terrence Boyd making Kevin Broll work with a header. Kaiserslautern went one better with their next attack as a driving Marlon Ritter run concluded with Daniel Hanslik converting Mike Wunderlich's cross from 12 yards out.
Christopher Daferner and Patrick Weihrauch missed chances to level, before Dynamo substitutes Oliver Batista Meier hit a free-kick against the woodwork and Panagiotis Vlachodimos fluffed his lines. Boyd should have made the result safe, but with Dresden throwing men forward in search of a leveller, Philipp Hercher sealed the deal to end Kaiserslautern's four-year stay in the third tier and relegate Dynamo.
Dresden follow Ingolstadt - winners of last season's play-off - and Erzgebirge Aue into 3. Liga. Kaiserslautern join Magdeburg and Eintracht Braunschweig - 3. Liga champions and runners-up respectively - in Bundesliga 2.
Dynamo, who spent one season back in 3. Liga before being promoted as champions last term, finished 16th in Bundesliga 2. Kaiserslautern - Bundesliga champions in 1990/91 and 1997/98 - ended 2021/22 as 3. Liga's third-placed team to earn a shot at the play-offs.
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