If fans thought we’d be in for a quieter weekend in the 2.Bundesliga this week following the breathtaking opening round, they were mistaken as the second matchday served up yet more drama, excitement, and great football. Regular viewers of the second tier of German football will know this is the norm. So here’s a round-up of the matchday 2 action…
Hertha Berlin 0-1 Wehen Wiesbaden
Hertha’s rude awakening to life in the 2.Bundesliga continued on Friday with a shock loss to newly promoted Wehen Wiesbaden at the Olympiastadion. After suffering a 1-0 defeat last weekend at Düsseldorf, Pal Dardai’s side were on the end of the same scoreline at home. Having failed to make their chances count, they thought they would have to settle for a point, only for late drama to unfold.
A 92nd minute corner from the visitors looked to have been cleared, only for substitute Lasse Günther to fire in a superb left-foot shot which cannoned off the left post, across the goal line and in off the right-hand post to leave the hosts stunned.
Paderborn 1-1 VfL Osnabrück
After suffering losses last weekend, both Paderborn and Osnabrück notched up their first point of the season with a 1-1 draw at the Home-Deluxe Arena on Friday. Max Kruse provided the assist for Jannis Heuer’s opener on 56 with the defender scoring with his hip. The visitors however claimed an equaliser on 80 minutes with left back Florian Kleinhansl firing in.
St. Pauli 0-0 Fortuna Düsseldorf
After both enjoying wins last weekend St. Pauli and Fortuna had to settle for a point apiece after an enjoyable, but goalless clash at the Millerntor on Saturday. The home side (and Jackson Irvine in particular) were denied on numerous occasions by fine saves from Florian Kastenmeier. The Kiezkicker finished the game with ten men following a red card for Karol Mets for an atrocious high challenge on Jona Niemiec. His suspension will hit St. Pauli hard with the news that Jakov Medic is on the verge of joining Ajax.
Holstein Kiel 2-1 Greuther Fürth
Kiel notched up their second win of the season to deny Fürth a similar feat as they came from behind in the second half the deny the Kleeblätter. Julian Green hit the crossbar in the first period with a well hit free-kick, but it wasn’t until just past the hour mark that the first goal arrived.
Branimir Hrgota fired home a shot from all of 40 meters after Kiel keeper Thomas Dähne has come sliding out o clear a through ball. The lead however only lasted five minutes with Jonas Sterner scoring from close range after a fine delivery from Tom Rothe. Three minutes later and the Storks were in the lead via the penalty spot. Japanese Shuto Machino was brought down by keeper Jonas Urbig and he stepped up to fired home the spot kick.
Elversberg 1-2 Hansa Rostock
We may already have a contender for the craziest finish to a match this season! Having taken a point last week on their 2.Liga debut, Elversberg looked to be on the way to their first three points after taking a deserved 55th minute lead. After having a goal disallowed in the first half and hitting the post, Carlo Sickinger poked home from close range following a corner.
An 89th minute penalty looked to have given them a chance to wrap up the victory, but Rostock keeper Markus Kolke guessed the right way to keep out Jannik Rochelt’s effort. To add to the drama Wahid Faghir’s follow up was disallowed for encroachment.
The visitors then grabbed a very late stoppage time equaliser through substitute Juan-Jose Perea, who had only joined the club on loan from VfB Stuttgart on Friday. The 100th minute was on the clock when he bundled home an untidy, but vital equaliser. Crazily, there was still time for more drama with Perea grabbing the winner in the 103rd minute after firing home a snap shot from the edge of the penalty area to stun the home side.
Schalke 3-0 Kaiserslautern
Schalke recovered from their 5-3 loss last week at Hamburg to register their first win at home to Kaiserslautern, but the Königsblauen were far from convincing despite the scoreline and were helped by two red cards for the visitors.
After scoring last weekend, Simon Terodde added his second of the season in the 13th minute to give the home side the lead with a typical header after poor marking from a free-kick. A rush of blood from Kaiserslautern keeper Andreas Luthe saw him sent off after sliding out to bring down Thomas Ouwejan just outside the box as Schalke countered.
Twelve minutes into the second period and referee Harm Osmers pulled out a second red card to send off Boris Tomiak after booking him earlier. The expected second goal for the hosts didn’t come until the 69th minute when Kenan Karaman poked home after substitute keeper Julian Krahl flapped at a cross. New signing Bryan Lasme added the third in injury time as he rifled home a very fine finish.
Karlsruhe 2-2 Hamburg
While not in the realms of the late comeback from Hansa Rostock, Karlsruhe left it late to grab a point against Hamburg at the Wildparkstadion. The hosts went in at half time with a deserved 1-0 lead after a finely worked move saw Fabian Schleusener score on the quarter-hour mark.
HSV however staged a second half fightback and a Laszlo Benes direct free-kick and a fine finish from Robert Glatzel got them in front after raising their game in the second period. The home side were not to be denied however as Georgian substitute Budu Zivzivadze fired home in the 95th minute after Lars Stindl had played a dangerous ball into the box.
Magdeburg 2-1 Eintracht Braunschweig
FC Magdeburg inflicted a second successive defeat on Eintracht Braunschweig at the MDCC-Arena. Luca Schuler opened the scoring on 22 minutes with Amara Condé adding a second ten minutes later to double their advantage. A 94th minute goal from Anthony Ujah was nothing more than a consolation and the early signs are that Braunschweig could be in for yet another season of struggle.
Nürnberg 2-2 Hannover
It was a game of three penalties at the Max Morlock Stadion as Nürnberg avoided a second consecutive defeat with a controversial late spot kick to deny Hannover a first win of the season.
Two penalties in the opening 23 minutes dispatched by Cedric Teuchert gave the Niedersachsen visitors a 2-0 lead, but Can Uzun pulled one back for der Klub in the 66th minute. Then with the game in it’s dying moments the hosts were given a spot-kick of their own after an intervention from VAR. Uzun kept his nerve to fire home the equaliser and claim a point for Nürnberg.
