SV Darmstadt 98 has to wait at least another week for the promotion party. The leaders of the 2nd Bundesliga lost 3-0 (1-0) to FC St. Pauli and thus missed their first chance to return early to the Bundesliga. With 64 points, the Hessians are still leading the table and can complete the fourth promotion in the club’s history after 1978, 1981 and 2015 next Sunday at Hannover 96.
In front of 17,650 spectators in the sold-out Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, an own goal by Phillip Tietz (45th minute) and goals by Elias Saad (57th) and David Otto (85th) sealed the Lilien’s first home defeat of the season. Thanks to the victory, St. Pauli is fourth in the table with 53 points, only four points behind city rivals Hamburger SV, who are currently in the relegation zone.
Rostock wins for the third time in a row
Fortuna Düsseldorf is also fifth in the table after beating Holstein Kiel 3-0 (3-0) just four points behind HSV, who did not get past a 2-2 draw against SC Paderborn on Friday. In Düsseldorf, Shinta Appelkamp (14th), André Hoffmann (19th) and Daniel Ginczek (24th / penalty kick) scored on Saturday for an unchallenged home win.
Hansa Rostock managed an important step out of the danger zone. The 2-0 (1-0) in the basement duel with Jahn Regensburg was the third win in a row and helped the former Bundesliga side to jump to 13th place. In contrast, the guests remained second to last in a direct relegation zone. Kai Pröger (34′) and John Verhoek (79′) scored the acclaimed goals in front of more than 24,000 spectators in the almost sold-out Ostseestadion.
In a sportingly less explosive showdown between two teams from the middle of the table, Karlsruher SC won 2-1 (2-1) against Hannover. Thus, the KSC improved to eighth place and passed the North Germans in the table. Thanks to the early goals of Mikkel Kaufmann (4th) and Fabian Schleusener (12th), Karlsruhe also mathematically secured relegation. Louis Schaub (43rd) scored for Hanover in front of 21,477 spectators.
