The 15th match day of the second Bundesliga starts for table leaders Darmstadt 98 to measure. For a long time, however, Lilien had a hard time against the in-form Hanoverians, only a powerful shot from Mehlem brought the redeeming home three. In the table basement, Hansa Rostock slips up against Sandhausen.
Leaders Darmstadt 98 have picked up new momentum in the 2nd Bundesliga with a work win and will still be at the top after the 15th matchday. The team coached by Torsten Lieberknecht struggled against the pursuers Hannover 96 despite a long majority only to a 1-0 (0-0), but after the last two draws in a row it was an important victory.
Marvin Mehlem (63′) scored decisively for Darmstadt in the second half of the game, before Tobias Kempe had awarded a hand penalty for Lilien (31′). Hannover’s Phil Neumann caused this just before the goal line, and the defender saw the red card after half an hour.
Darmstadt has now extended its lead in the table with 32 points, Hamburger SV (28) can come close again with a win in the home game against Jahn Regensburg on Sunday (1.30 p.m. / Sky). Hanover (24) missed the leap to relegation rank three.
Darmstadt were the more active team in front of their own crowd, but the guests showed themselves to be defensive. Havard Nielsen (19th) had the first big chance of the game. After that, Kempe was the center of attention: the midfielder hit the corner brilliantly (24′), but was preceded by an offside position. Ron-Robert Zieler then parried his weak penalty. In the second half, Mehlem’s violent shot redeemed the hosts.
Hansa Rostock, on the other hand, missed the chance of important points in the relegation battle. The Hanseatic League lost 0-1 (0-1) against SV Sandhausen in front of their home crowd. Thanks to the first away win of the season, the guests temporarily climbed from relegation place 17 to 13th place – and are only one point behind Hansa.
Christian Kinsombi scored the goal of the day shortly before the break (45th) after a counterattack. Rostock was the better team afterwards, but couldn’t find an answer.
The guests from Sandhausen got into the game well, but failed to take the lead early on. After Rostock’s urgent phase in the middle of the first half, in which Lukas Hinterseer hit the post (35′), SVS, coached by Alois Schwartz, finally managed to take the lead: Kinsombi stumbled the ball after a counterattack he had initiated himself and the preliminary work of his brother David from a short distance into the goal.
