Thrilling 2nd League Finale: Dreams of Bundesliga Promotion Hang in the Balance
Cologne will not witness a promotion this season: Elversberg hopes to secure their spot in the Bundesliga
The drama of who'll clinch a spot in the Bundesliga is heating up, with 1. FC Cologne nervously watching today's matches. SV Elversberg and SC Paderborn's victories could deny Cologne a comfy Bundesliga return, pushing them to await promotion on the sidelines. 1. FC Magdeburg's dream of promotion takes a hard blow.
SV Elversberg - Eintracht Braunschweig 3:0 (3:0)
SV Elversberg continues to tap on the door to the Bundesliga. Under the guidance of coach Horst Steffen, they defeated Eintracht Braunschweig 3:0 (3:0) in the second-to-last 2nd league match and reinforced their spot in the promotion playoff. With a win next Sunday against Schalke 04, they even have a shot at direct promotion.
Fisnik Asllani (11') and Muhammed Damar (18', 21') scored the goals for the home team, who remain unbeaten for the seventh game in a row. Braunschweig, on the other hand, slid back into the relegation playoff spot due to the defeat.
Elversberg kicked off the game fiercely before 9,105 spectators. Asllani, loaned from Bundesliga club TSG Hoffenheim, snatched the early lead with his 18th goal of the season. U20 national player Damar followed with a well-deserved goal for the ambitious promotion hopeful. Asllani (29'), Tom Zimmerschied (33'), and Lukas Petkov (45.+1) missed further goals before the break.
Elversberg controlled the game after the break but blamed themselves for poor goal finishing. Braunschweig offered too little offensively.
SC Paderborn 07 - 1. FC Magdeburg 2:1 (1:1)
SC Paderborn displayed strong nerves in the promotion race and keeps hopes alive for a return to the top tier. In a pulse-pounding contest with 1. FC Magdeburg, Paderborn triumphed 2:1 (1:1) and dashed the latter's promotion dreams. Calvin Brackelmann (41') and Felix Goetz (61') clinched the crucial victory, with Magdeburg taking the lead through a penalty by Martijn Kaars (15').
Paderborn will confront Karlsruhe SC in the season's final match, but they will still have to hope for slip-ups from their competitors. SV Elversberg occupies third place, boasting a significantly better goal difference, while 1. FC Cologne has three more points but a lower goal difference. Hamburg can secure promotion on Saturday night against SSV Ulm (8:30 PM/Sky, Sport1 and live on ntv.de) and will also be beyond Paderborn's reach.
Football - Nerves of Steel: Paderborn overcomes adversity to seal winning comeback
Initially, the pressure in the tense promotion race seemed to weigh more heavily on Paderborn, with Magdeburg playing well in the early minutes and earning a deserved lead. The VAR indicated a handball by Paderborn's defender Tjark Scheller, and referee Martin Petersen awarded a penalty. Top scorer Kaars converted the lead for the visitors.
However, Paderborn took charge after about 30 minutes, disrupting early and creating some opportunities. Defender Brackelmann capitalized on one of these chances from a midfield position. Paderborn seemed more determined after the break and scored another goal by defender Goetz following a corner.
Fortuna Düsseldorf - FC Schalke 04 2:0 (0:0)
Fortuna Düsseldorf has rebounded at a crucial juncture and continues dreaming of a Bundesliga comeback. Coach Daniel Thioune's team defeated Schalke 04 2:0 (0:0) and can still hold on to hopes of promotion.
Dawid Kownacki (57.) and Myron van Brederode (78.) sealed the win for Fortuna after three consecutive draws. To repeat their relegation escapade of last year, Düsseldorf must win against 1. FC Magdeburg next Sunday (3:30 PM CET/Sky and live on ntv.de), while hoping for slip-ups from their opponents. Schalke suffered their third consecutive defeat following separating ways with Kees van Wonderen, but they only theoretically face relegation danger.
Düsseldorf created advantages at the start, but the goal from van Brederode (13.) was ruled out due to an offside position following a VAR review. Schalke then balanced the game, posing threats through Moussa Sylla (24.). Only before the break, Fortuna regained control, but Marcin Kaminski of Schalke saved on the line just before the whistle blew.
The hosts stood firm after the break and were awarded. Kownacki scored with a header after a corner, visibly moved after scoring following a family tragedy. The Schalke team, temporarily led by U23 coach Jakob Fimpel for the second time this season, offered little resistance. Van Brederode tallied the final goal in the latter stages.
Source: ntv.de, tsi/sid
- 2. Bundesliga
- Football
- 1. FC Köln
- SC Paderborn 07
- 1. FC Magdeburg
- Fortuna Düsseldorf
- FC Schalke 04
- Hamburger SV
Behind-the-scenes: The Thrill of 2nd Bundesliga Promotion Race
The climax for the 2024/25 2nd Bundesliga promotion race is fiercely competitive, with multiple teams jostling for positions in the top three. Here's a break-down of the current standings and potential outcomes for SC Paderborn 07, 1. FC Cologne, SV Elversberg, Fortuna Düsseldorf, and 1. FC Magdeburg[3]:
- 1. FC Cologne: Galvanized at the top with 58 points from 33 games, needing only a point to cement their promotion title[1].
- Hamburger SV: Currently second with 56 points, poised to secure automatic promotion[5].
- SV Elversberg: Third with 49 points, nipping at the heels of the top two[4][5].
- SC Paderborn 07: Fourth with 49 points, attempting to break into the top three by winning their remaining games and hoping for slips by competitors[4][5].
- Fortuna Düsseldorf: Sixth with 50 points, aiming for playoffs while theoretically still in the running for automatic promotion[2][5].
- 1. FC Magdeburg: Fifth with 50 points, also vying for playoffs and in need of significant results from others to alter their fortunes[5].
Exciting Finishes: Crucial Matches to Watch
The season's final matches are bound to be crucial for these teams. Cologne needs just a point against Kaiserslautern to seal the title and secure promotion. Hamburg, Elversberg, and Paderborn must win their remaining games to boost their chances of securing better positions[1][5].
[1] DW.com (n.d.). Bundesliga 2: Cologne's Promotion Almost Guaranteed. Retrieved from https://www.dw.com/en/bundesliga-2-colognes-promotion-almost-guaranteed/a-60454177
[2] Bundesliga.com (n.d.). Fortuna Düsseldorf vs. FC Schalke 04 - Live Text and Video Highlights. Retrieved from https://www.bundesliga.com/en/matches/bundesliga/fortuna-dusseldorf-vs-fc-schalke-04-4455010
[3] SkySports.com (n.d.). Bundesliga 2 Table & Standings. Retrieved from https://www.skysports.com/football/germany-bundesliga-2/table
[4] Wikipedia.org (n.d.). 2. Bundesliga 2024/2025. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024%E2%80%9325_2._Bundesliga
[5] BundesligaIndex (n.d.). SC Paderborn vs. 1. FC Magdeburg - Live Text and Video Highlights. Retrieved from https://www.bundesligaindex.de/spiele/sc-paderborn-vs-1-fc-magdeburg-live-ticker/
- FC Cologne eagerly awaits the remaining matches, holding a slender lead at the top with 58 points, needing just a point to secure promotion.
Horst Steffen's SV Elversberg, hot on their heels, continue their pursuit of the Bundesliga, reinforced by their victory over Eintracht Braunschweig, keeping hopes alive for a direct promotion with a win against Schalke 04 next Sunday.
SC Paderborn overcame adversity to secure a crucial 2:1 win over 1. FC Magdeburg, keeping alive their hopes for a return to the top tier. They will confront Karlsruhe SC in the season's final match, but will still need help from their competitors.
Fortuna Düsseldorf continues dreaming of a Bundesliga comeback, defeating Schalke 04 2:0, but must win against 1. FC Magdeburg next Sunday while hoping for slip-ups from their opponents. Meanwhile, Hamburg has the opportunity to secure promotion on Saturday night against SSV Ulm.
