HSV preserves the chance of promotion late
Bremen takes Schalke apart after a blunder
4/23/2022, 3:24 p.m
The top game of the 31st second division matchday ended in a debacle for FC Schalke. Werder Bremen not only knocked the league leaders from the top, but also waddled away the royal blue. Hamburger SV keeps its hopes of promotion, while Heidenheim finally has to part with it.
SSV Jahn Regensburg – Hamburger SV 2: 4 (0: 1)
With their second win in a row in the 2nd Bundesliga, Hamburger SV kept their small chance of promotion. Four days after the 3-1 defeat in the DFB Cup semi-final against SC Freiburg, coach Tim Walter’s team happily beat Jahn Regensburg 4-2 (1-0) and now have 51 points, at least temporarily in fourth place. Miro Muheim (23rd), Anssi Suhonen (66th), Josha Vagnoman (90th) and David Kinsombi (90th + 6, penalty kick) scored for Hamburg. Carlo Boukhalfa (46th) and Andreas Albers (89th) from penalties after video evidence equalized for Regensburg in front of 13,252 fans in the Jahnstadion.
HSV, who had won the first leg 4-1, found it difficult from the start against high-ranking Regensburgers. Goalkeeper Heuer Fernandes saved his team from falling behind after a volley from Benedikt Saller (11′).
Only late did HSV secure the away win.
(Photo: IMAGO/Sascha Janne)
Only after about a quarter of an hour did the Hamburg team get into the game better and surprisingly took the lead with their first real chance (23′). As a result, the Rothosen took control, but there were no promising chances to score. Meanwhile, Regensburg didn’t give up and scored the equalizer with the first chance after the restart and remained dangerous even after falling behind again (72’/75′).
FC Schalke 04 – SV Werder Bremen 1: 4 (0: 2)
Werder Bremen ended Schalke 04’s winning streak and moved into pole position in the promotion race. In the relegated duel, the Hanseatic League prevailed 4-1 (2-0) in Gelsenkirchen and replaced the Royal Blues as leaders. After five three-pointers in five games, Schalke conceded their first defeat under interim coach Mike Büskens and now have to tremble about returning to the top flight. In the evening (8.30 p.m. / Sport1, Sky and in the live ticker on ntv.de) FC St. Pauli could draw level with a home win against Darmstadt 98 on points.
Ilia Gruev (9th), Niclas Füllkrug with his 16th goal of the season (26th) and Marvin Ducksch with his 18th and 19th goals of the season (51st/53rd) secured SV Werder, who recently only drew 1-1 three times in a row had played, the away win. Simon Terodde’s 25th goal of the season (88th) came far too late for the hosts. Werder had to reorganize their defense because Ömer Toprak, Christian Groß and Milos Veljkovic lost three of their regulars. But the newly formed defense almost completely canceled the best attack in the 2nd division.
In the Veltins Arena, which was sold out for the first time in 781 days with 62,271 spectators, a major mistake by Schalke goalkeeper Martin Fraisl gave Bremen the lead. The Austrian parried a Mitchell Weiser shot with his fists directly at Gruev’s head. The Royal Blues looked for an answer, but found it difficult to combine through Werder’s compact defence. After a pass from Ko Itakura, goalscorer Terodde put the ball over the bar (21′). At the second Bremen goal, the entire Schalke defense looked bad. After the cross by Weiser, Füllkrug was completely free.
Werder defended cleverly and repeatedly used the gaps in Schalke’s defense for counterattacks, Ducksch hit the post (28′). The hosts, on the other hand, couldn’t think of much to disrupt Bremen’s order. The frustration erupted more and more in fouls and yellow cards. The guests were closer to the 3-0 than Schalke to the goal: Ducksch just missed the goal with a flick (43rd). Immediately after the restart Ducksch hit the post again with a free kick (48th). Then he did better after assisting Füllkrug when the Schalke defense failed again.
Holstein Kiel – 1. FC Heidenheim 1: 1 (0: 0)
Holstein Kiel wrested a point from 1. FC Heidenheim at 1-1 (0-0). The North Germans took eight points from the last five games. The Heidenheimers had already lost their chances in the promotion race due to two defeats against Schalke and Aue. Simon Lorenz (56th) gave KSV Holstein the lead with a header after a corner kick from Lewis Holtby. Tim Kleindienst (71′) benefited from a major mistake by goalkeeper Ioannis Gelios, who allowed the ball to roll through his arms.
Kiel had more of the game and also the better chances, but the storks didn’t have the necessary luck in the end. The first big excitement came in the ninth minute in the Kiel penalty area. Heidenheim’s Robert Leipertz pushed the ball over the line after a free kick, but video evidence showed that captain Patrick Mainka was ruled offside.
The hosts had their first big opportunity in the sixth minute. However, Kwasi Okyere Wriedt failed from close range to goalkeeper Kevin Müller, who cleverly shortened the angle. In the 21st minute, Wriedt was also unable to head past the FCH keeper. In the 42nd minute it was Wriedt again who missed the ball and the goal while falling. Heidenheim’s Christian Kühlwetter was unlucky with a shot into the crossbar (51′).