2. Bundesliga
Hamburg staged a stunning second-half comeback to recover from being 3-0 down at half-time to salvage a point in a 3-3 draw away to fellow promotion hopefuls Heidenheim on Saturday.
Heidenheim 3-3 Hamburg
Goals: 1-0 Beste (27’), 2-0 Schöppner (31’), 3-0 Kleindienst (41’), 3-1 Nemeth (73’), 3-2 Glatzel (80’), 3-3 Jatta (89’)
Aware that they could well and truly throw their hat into the title race – let alone the promotion race – with a win, Heidenheim began brightly against second-placed Hamburg, matching their high-flying visitors toe to toe. The complexion of the match changed around the half-hour mark though, when Jan-Niklas Beste prodded in the opener from close range and Jan Schöppner headed in the home side’s second just moments later. So when Tim Kleindienst expertly spun his marker on the edge of the box and rifled a low shot into the bottom corner just before half-time, the outcome of the game appeared to be clear for all to see.
All except Hamburg, that is. Tim Walter’s charges refused to bow down and were rewarded for their persistence when substitute Andras Nemeth guided in a brilliant header from Laszlo Benes’ left-wing cross. There were only around 15 minutes left on the clock at that stage but when Robert Glatzel scored a carbon copy of Kleindienst's goal on 80 minutes, a frenetic finale ensued as HSV pushed for an equaliser and Heidenheim tried to defend their advantage at all costs. Hamburg duly completed the comeback and got the point their second-half display deserved when Bakery Jatta collected a loose ball at the back post, cut inside his marker and lashed an unstoppable effort into the top corner. It was a draw that will feel like a defeat for Heidenheim, who remain four points adrift of their opponents in the standings.
Match stats
Teams
Heidenheim: Müller – Busch (Theuerkauf 74’), Mainka (c), Siersleben, Föhrenbach - Maloney, Schöppner (Schimmer 90’+5) – Pick (Sessa 64’), Thomalla (Geipl 74’), Beste (Kühlwetter 74’) - Kleindienst
Unused subs: Eicher, Rittmüller, Burnic, Keller
Out: Qenaj (knee)
Coach: Frank Schmidt
Hamburg: Heuer Fernandes - Heyer, Montero (Kittel 46’), Schonlau (c), Muheim – Meffert (Nemeth 66’), Reis - Jatta, Königsdörffer (Katterbach 66’), Dompe (Benes 46’) - Glatzel
Unused subs: Raab, Mikelbrencis, Zumberi, Oliveira Kisilowski, Bilbija
Out: Amaechi (ankle), Heil (calf), Krahn (knee), Mikel (ribs), Vuskovic (suspended)
Coach: Tim Walter
Matchday 20 round-up
Arminia Bielefeld 0-1 Hansa Rostock
Goals: 0-1 Fröde (51')
The visitors started the weekend with a one point advantage over their hosts and ended it four clear thanks to a narrow 1-0 win in Bielefeld. Lukas Fröde proved the match-winner, with his fourth strike of the campaign claiming victory six minutes into the second half. Rostock have now won three of their last four on the road and they leap into the middle of the pack. Arminia, meanwhile, suffered a third home defeat in four as they continue to slide towards the relegation places.
Karlsruhe 2-1 Greuther Fürth
Goals: 0-1 Breithaupt o.g. (21'), 1-1 Wanitzek (36'), 2-1 Kaufmann (73')
Red card: Ambrosius (24')
The Clover Leaves made the perfect start thanks to Tim Breithaupt’s 21st-minute own-goal and their hopes of victory increased three minutes later when Stephan Ambrosius collected a second yellow-card. Despite the one-goal and one-man deficit, Karlsruhe hit back 10 minutes before the break when Marvin Wanitzek converted from the penalty spot. As the game wore on, Greuther failed to make their advantage in personnel count, and it was the hosts who went on to claim all three points. Their against-the-odds victory was confirmed with 17 minutes to play as Mikkel Kaufmann exchanged passes with Fabian Schleusener before passing a superb finish into the far corner.
Hannover 3-4 Paderborn
Goals: 1-0 Teuchert (2'), 2-0 Teuchert (4'), 2-1 Leipertz (6'), 2-2 Muslija (26'), 2-3 Leipertz (55'), 2-4 Conteh (71'), 3-4 Beier (83')
Hosts Hannover flew out of the traps in a manic encounter at the Heinz von Heiden Arena on Saturday, as Cedric Teuchert had them in front after just two minutes later. By the four minute mark, they were 2-0 to the good as Teuchert found the back of the net once more for his ninth goal of the season. The visitors may have been expected to crumble from there but they were soon level. Robert Leipertz halved the deficit with just six minutes on the clock before Florent Muslija made it 2-2 in what was a highly eventful - and hugely entertaining - first half. Having started the day in such explosive fashion, Hannover ended it in a whimper as first Leipertz and then Sirlord Conteh found the target to seal a memorable Paderborn win, despite Maximilian Beier’s consolation.
Holstein Kiel 2-3 Magdeburg
Goals: 1-0 Erras (33'), 1-1 Elfadli (45'), 2-1 Arp (54’), 2-2 Bockhorn (70’), 2-3 Kwarteng (86')
Holstein Kiel will have seen their Matchday 20 meeting with bottom side Magdeburg as the perfect opportunity to keep pace with the chasing pack and the first half initially went with the form book as Patrick Erras gave the home team the lead just over half an hour in. It looked as if Kiel would take their advantage into the interval, but Daniel Elfadli had other ideas and levelled the scoring on the stroke of half time. Second-half substitute Fiete Arp wasted no time in restoring Kiel’s lead but Herbert Bockhorn drew his side level for the second time in the match with 20 minutes to play. And, with just four minutes to play, Mortiz-Broni Kwarteng secured a victory that takes his team off the bottom and out of the relegation zone.
Darmstadt 2-1 Eintracht Braunschweig
Goals: 0-1 Wintzheimer (52'), 1-1 Honsak (82'), 2-1 Tietz (90+1')
Red card: De Mina (90+8')
The hosts began the day knowing that victory would open up a four point gap to Hamburg in second-place after HSV rescued a point at Heidenheim the night prior. But the visitors, who ended a six-game winless run by beating Heidenheim last time out, are no pushovers and were ahead seven minutes into the second half, as Manuel Wintzheimer converted from the penalty spot. Darmstadt thought they were level soon after but Phillip Tietz’s effort was ruled for an offside in the build-up. They did eventually get their equaliser through Mathias Honsak with eight minutes to go, however, and Tietz wouldn't be denied in injury-time as he clinched a victory that moves Darmstadt one step closer to promotion.
Watch: Darmstadt 2-1 Eintracht Braunschweig - in 60 seconds!
Nuremberg 1-0 Jahn Regensburg
Goals: 1-0 Valentini (56')
With both teams starting the day on 19 points and hovering in and around the relegation places, the three points on offer were crucial. After a first half lacking in potency, it appeared that the two strugglers would have to settle for a point apiece, until Nuremberg broke the deadlock shortly before the hour mark. Enrico Valentini was the man with the goal that proved to be the winner - and may well prove to be crucial when the final points are tallied at the end of the campaign. Nuremberg move out of the drop zone as a result, while Regensburg drop to last place.
St. Pauli 1-0 Kaiserslautern
Goals: 1-0 Metcalfe (72')
Back-to-back wins aided by two successive clean sheets had Pauli moving in the right direction ahead of the Matchday 20 visit of Kaiserslautern who themselves took a five-game winning streak with them to the Millerntor-Stadion. It meant that something surely had to give and, with less than 20 minutes to play, it was Pauli pressure that ultimately told. Australian Connor Metcalfe was the man with the breakthrough, slotting home on his left-foot to put his Kult club ahead. It proved to be the winner - a goal that moves Pauli into the top-half of the table and leaves Lautern five points off a playoff place.
Fortuna Düsseldorf 2-0 Sandhausen
Goals: 1-0 Oberdorf (85'), 2-0 Hennings (88')
There were potential implications at both ends of the table as sixth-placed Fortuna hosted second-bottom Sandhausen on Sunday. A win for the hosts would pull them to within fourth of Heidenheim in the Bundesliga promotion/relegation playoff place, while an away victory would see Sandhausen climb out of the bottom three. It appeared that both sides would have to settle for a goalless draw, until Fortuna struck twice in quick succession late to claim victory. Tim Oberdorf grabbed the breakthrough with five minutes to play before Rouwen Hennings’ fifth league goal of the campaign sealed the points.