Bundesliga 2, Matchday 24 overview: Leaders Hamburg stunned by Paderborn as promotion race intensifies
Bundesliga 2 leaders Hamburg were shocked by fellow promotion chasers Paderborn, who, like fellow Bundesliga hopefuls Kaiserslautern and Magdeburg, made up ground at the top of the table after Cologne also lost.
Matchday 24 results
Karlsruhe 1-0 Cologne
Goals: 1-0 Hübers 52' (own goal)
Cologne were unable to move back into the automatic promotion spots as they narrowly lost to Karlsruhe, who kept their own top-three hopes alive in the process. The visitors were the better team throughout, but they struggled to create a host of clear-cut opportunities. Ultimately, Timo Hübers' own goal was all that separated the two sides, and it means the Billy Goats are now without a win in their past three league matches.
Fortuna Düsseldorf 1-2 Greuther Fürth
Goals: 1-0 Jóhannesson (8’), 1-1 Hrgota (9’), 1-2 Green (75’)
Fortuna’s promotion tilt suffered a setback on Friday evening as they let the lead slip against Fürth and ultimately suffered a damaging 2-1 loss. Ísak Bergmann Jóhannesson put the hosts in front early on but they were pegged back almost immediately by Fürth forward Branimir Hrgota. The home team subsequently dominated possession but struggled to turn that superiority into chances against a visiting side who always posed a threat on the counter. The Clover Leaves struck a winner in the closing stages through Julian Green to lift them firmly into mid-table and away from the relegation places.
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Schalke 1-0 Preußen Münster
Goal: 1-0 Ba (86’)
Schalke can breathe a sigh of relief after earning a narrow victory on Friday evening to bolster their survival hopes. Just six points above the drop zone going into Matchday 24, the Royal Blues had winter signing Loris Karius to thank for some sensational goalkeeping, before second-half substitute Pape Meïssa Ba struck as the final whistle approached with a fine effort from range to give the home side a much needed win.
Nuremberg 1-2 Hannover
Goals: 1-0 Tzimas 36', 1-1 Leopold 43', 1-2 Knight 57'
Hannover boosted their play-off hopes with victory over Nuremberg, putting three points between the visitors and their hosts in the process. It was the hosts who took the lead against the run of play when Janis Antiste was released on goal and lifted the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper. His effort hit the underside of the bar and looked to have come down over the line but Stefanos Tzimas made sure by heading home from close range. The lead was cancelled out seven minutes later, though, by Enzo Leopold’s excellent free-kick, and the visitors went in front on 57 minutes through Josh Knight. It appeared the home side has this time responded quickly but Julian Justvan’s effort was ruled out.
Kaiserslautern 3-0 Regensburg
Goals: 1-0 Ache 49', 2-0 Ritter 51', 3-0 Ache 70'
Kaiserslautern ran out clear and deserved winners on Saturday, leaving Regensburg rooted to to the bottom of the table as a result. After being frustrated by the excellent goalkeeping of Julian Pollersbeck in a goalless first 45 minutes, Lautern finally broke the deadlock four minutes after the break. Ragnar Ache was the man to do so, scoring his 11th goal of the season by powering home a header at the back post. Having gone two games without a goal before Matchday 24, the floodgates seemed to open as Marlon Ritter made it 2-0 just two minutes later. Ache wrapped up the points with an absolute rocket with 20 minutes to play to keep Kaiserslautern firmly in the promotion picture.
Eintracht Braunschweig 1-1 Ulm
Goals: 0-1 Röser (11’), 1-1 Polter (85’)
It ended all square in this relegation six-pointer at the Eintracht-Stadion after a late leveller for the hosts. Ulm struck early when Lucas Röser pounced on a miscued clearance and finished off the inside of the far post. Braunschweig then saw most of the play but failed to create much. They were thankful to goalkeeper Ron-Thorben Hoffmann for keeping them in the game when he denied Semir Telalović one-on-one midway through the second half. The Lions finally got the better of the Sparrows in the closing minutes when Sebastian Polter headed in a corner to restore parity. The result keeps Eintracht three points above 17th-placed Ulm but still precariously placed in the relegation play-off spot.
Paderborn 2-0 Hamburg
Goals: 1-0 Bilbija 15', 2-0 Grimaldi 84'
Hamburg were unable to extend their lead at the summit as they succumbed to fellow promotion chasers Paderborn. Filip Bilbija opened the scoring with a header after a quarter of an hour and, while HSV responded well and had plenty of chances, Adriano Grimaldi's tap-in late sealed the points. Paderborn are now level with Magdeburg in the relegation play-off place and just a point off HSV, too.
Magdeburg 4-1 Darmstadt
Goals: 0-1 Hornby 29', 1-1 Amaechi 56', 2-1 Burcu 73', 3-1 El-Zein 78', 4-1 Kaars 81'
Having trailed at the break, the hosts completed a dramatic second-half turnaround to stay just one point behind the leaders in the push for promotion. From the moment Xavier Amaechi levelled for Magdeburg in the 56th minute, it was one-way traffic, and after Livian Burcu, Abu-Bekir El-Zein and Martijn Kaars got in on the scoring action, it was celebration time at the Avnet Arena, with Magdeburg flying in third spot in the standings.
Elversberg 4-0 Hertha Berlin
Goals: 1-0 Damar 11', 2-0 Fellhauer 29', 3-0 Zimmerschied 37', 4-0 Şahin 45'+3
Elversberg closed the gap to the top three with a convincing victory over Hertha Berlin, who are not clear of trouble at the other end of the table themselves. All four goals were scored in the first half, with Muhammed Damar, captain Robin Fellhauer and Tom Zimmerschied putting the hosts in control before Semih Şahin scored from the penalty spot. The second period was almost unnecessary in this one given the points were already secure, and the result leaves Elversberg just three points adrift of Hamburg in top spot.
Watch: Relive the top 5 goals on Matchday 24!
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