Bundesliga 2, Matchday 19: Schalke stage late comeback as Paderborn leapfrog Elversberg in promotion race
Bundesliga 2 pacesetters Schalke came from behind to draw against Kaiserslautern thanks to debutant Edin Džeko, while Paderborn fought back to secure a 2-1 victory to climb above Elversberg.
Schalke 2-2 KaiserslauternGoals: 0-1 Prtajin 61’, 0-2 Prtajin 83’, 1-2 Džeko 87’, 2-2 Karaman 90’
Džeko scored on his Bundesliga 2 debut as Schalke netted twice in the last three minutes to draw with Kaiserslautern. After a relatively slow opening hour from both sides, Ivan Prtajin found the back of the net within seconds of coming on to give his side the lead. His second in the final 10 minutes appeared to have secured the points for the visitors, but a world-class finish from Džeko gave his side hope. Then, in the final minute of normal time, Kenan Karaman equalised to earn Schalke a share of the spoils. They remain top of the table, while Kaiserslautern stay sixth.
Elversberg 1-1 BochumGoals: 0-1 Pannewig 24’, 1-1 Petkov 53’
Elversberg remained unbeaten at home after coming from behind against in-form Bochum to secure a share of the points. The visitors took the lead through Mats Pannewig, who opened his account for the season with Bochum’s first shot on goal before Lukas Petkov and Bambasé Conté saw their efforts cannon back off the crossbar for the hosts. Elversberg were rewarded shortly after the break when Petkov volleyed home an equaliser, securing a vital point for the hosts, while Bochum, now unbeaten in six, continue their climb up the table.
Paderborn 2-1 Preußen MünsterGoals: 0-1 Amenyido 2’, 1-1 Tigges 50’, 2-1 Tigges 83’Sent off: Bouchama 28’
Paderborn got their promotion aspirations back on track, picking up their first win in three games with a brace from substitute Steffen Tigges to secure a come-from-behind victory. Etienne Amenyido fired the visitors into an early lead but Yassine Bouchama’s red card swung the game in Paderborn’s favour. Tigges equalised shortly after his introduction, before striking again seven minutes from time as Münster go five games without a win.
Magdeburg 1-2 Dynamo DresdenGoals: 1-0 Zukowski 29’, 1-1 Amoako 34’, 1-2 Keller 45+3’
In a raucous atmosphere at the Avnet Arena, Dresden moved to within one point of old rivals Magdeburg in the Bundesliga 2 table after securing an impressive away win. Thomas Stamm's side fought back from a goal down, scoring from two set pieces, and withstood significant pressure in the second half to pocket the points. In an entertaining affair replete with goalmouth action, Mateusz Zukowski, who was a constant thorn in Dynamo’s side, opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark, determinedly getting on the end of a Baris Atik cross. Kofi Amoako and Thomas Keller subsequently converted opportunities from a corner and free-kick respectively to give the visitors a lead at the break that they would ultimately hang on to.
Karlsruhe 2-2 Hertha BerlinGoals: 1-0 Schleusener 7’, 1-1 Reese 20’, 2-1 Jung 26’, 2-2 Dudziak 79’
In a thoroughly entertaining game, Karlsruhe and Hertha shared the points as the visitors were twice forced to fightback despite having the majority of the chances. Fabian Schleusener opened the scoring after just seven minutes with a superb low strike from the edge of the box, before Fabian Reese pounced on a defensive error to level things up after 20 minutes. Sebastian Jung then put Karlsruhe back in front with a stunner from distance, but Hertha eventually found the equaliser they deserved through Jeremy Dudziak towards the end.
Hannover 2-1 Fortuna DüsseldorfGoals: 1-0 Yokota 4’, 2-0 Källman 47’, 2-1 Egouli 49’Red card: Egouli 58’
Promotion hopefuls Hannover edged out a narrow victory over struggling Fortuna. Daisuke Yokota fired the hosts into an early lead, but after a lightning-fast start, the first half proceeded to lack chances. Hannover were once again quick from the restart, as Benjamin Källman slotted home from close range, before Elias Egouli reduced arrears minutes later. Shortly after, a nightmare moment for the Fortuna man spelled a red card for him and a penalty for the hosts, but Boris Tomiak missed the resulting chance from the spot to kill the contest.
Arminia Bielefeld 2-2 Holstein Kiel
Goals: 0-1 Schneider 34' (o.g.), 0-2 Nekic 45'+2, 1-2 Grodowski 70' (pen.), 2-2 Sarenren Bazee 87'
Sent off: Nekic 69'
Bielefeld fought back from 2-0 to draw with Kiel, who had Ivan Nekic sent off. A Leon Schneider own goal and Nekic header put the visitors in complete control before the break, but the game turned with 69 minutes gone. Nekic received a second yellow card for a foul on Marius Wörl, with Joel Grodowski sinking the ensuing penalty. Wörl struck the crossbar, before substitute Noah Sarenren Bazee levelled three minutes from normal time. Jonas Krumrey then denied Mael Corboz a last-gasp winner that would have lifted Arminia two points clear of the bottom three.
Darmstadt 2-0 Nuremberg
Goals: 1-0 Akiyama 60’, 2-0 Marseiler 75
Darmstadt climbed to second in the Bundesliga 2 table after edging past Nuremberg at the Stadion am Böllenfalltor. Lilies goalkeeper Marcel Schuhen needed to keep out efforts from Eric Porstner and Julian Justvan before the break, but the hosts took the lead on the hour mark when Hiroki Akiyama sent a first-time effort into the top corner from Fabio Gruber’s attempted clearance. Luca Marseiler put the result beyond doubt 15 minutes later, racing clear of the Nuremberg defence and lifting the ball over goalkeeper Jan Reichert to clinch a fourth straight home win for the promotion hopefuls.
Greuther Fürth 0-0 Eintracht BraunschweigSent off: Dietz 3’
Despite receiving a red card inside three minutes, Fürth held Braunschweig to a goalless draw in their bottom-of-the-table clash. It was a rash challenge from Maximilian Dietz on Erencan Yardımcı that saw Fürth reduced to 10, but while their opponents dominated possession, and did hit the post through Yardımcı, they could not grab a winner. The result means Fürth remain at the bottom of the table on 16 points, five adrift of Braunschweig in 12th.
Watch: The top 5 goals from Matchday 19
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