Freiburg find form in Berlin
February 15, 2015
The form guide had made grim reading for Paderborn. Before traveling to Hannover for matchday 21 they had not won away since August, had not won at all in their last ten games, and were without a goal in 2015.
After battling through 90 minutes for a 2-1 win on Sunday, however, Andre Breitenreiter’s side had climbed four places to 12th in the table and could start to look up instead of down.
A fourth home defeat of the season for Hannover means they remained winless this year and lost more ground in the scramble for the European places.
The Hannover midfield and forward line began the match by linking well but neither Jimmy Briand nor Lars Stindl found any reward for their endeavors, as the sides went in level at half-time.
On 64 minutes Paderborn thought they were in front when Suleyman Koc drove at the home defense and rolled his shot towards goal after evading Ron-Robert Zieler’s attempt to narrow the angle, only to see Miiko Albornoz make a brilliant sliding clearance on the line.
Hannover let lead slip
Seconds later and it was Hannover who stole a march on their opponents when Marcelo steered home from close range after Joselu leapt highest to flick on a free-kick from the right touchline.
On such fine margins are games often won and lost and seasons decided, and yet a spirited Paderborn side refused to lie down.
The visitors pulled level on 72 minutes when substitute Srdjan Lakic met a deep cross from the left and looped a header past Zieler.
And with ten minutes left on the clock Alban Meha put Paderborn 2-1 in front with a blistering Ronaldo-esque free-kick from 25 meters which swerved over Zieler.
Hannover pushed for an equalizer but the visitors held out for an elusive away win that could mark a turning point in their season.
Freiburg find form to make capital gains in Berlin
Hertha Berlin caretaker coach Pal Dardai's gamble to change a winning side back-fired as Felix Klaus and Maximilian Philipp secured the three points that moved Freiburg clear of the drop zone in the early game on Sunday.
Dardai restored Salomon Kalou to his starting line-up after the Ivory Coast striker finally returned to Berlin fresh from celebrating an Africa Cup of Nations win, but a half-empty Olympic Stadium witnessed another listless display from the men in blue and white.
After a subdued opening it was the visitors who took the lead in the 14th minute, when Klaus stabbed a shot in off the post after a good byline pullback from Karim Guédé, who was only playing in place of injured on-loan Werder Bremen forward Nils Petersen.
The Old Lady were enjoying more of the game but created few good chances. On the half hour Stocker worked an opening down the right hand side and rolled a dangerous ball across the Freiburg area, but goalscorer Klaus was back to hook the ball out for a corner.
Jonathan Schmid then curled a free-kick wide for Freiburg before both sides left the field at half-time to some boos from the home section following a turgid first half of football.
Hertha created a chance straight from the restart, when Kalou just failed to get a toe on a tempting ball across the six-yard box by left back Marvin Plattenhardt.
Freiburg press home advantage
It was Freiburg though who scored next to double their advantage when Philipp forced his way onto the end of an inswinging corner in the 52nd minute, and buried a diving header past Thomas Kraft in the Berlin goal.
With Berlin showing more urgency, Freiburg goalkeeper Roman Bürki was called into his first serious action of the game in the 57th minute. Showing smart reflexes, he produced a double save to first repel a Stocker shot from range with his left hand, and then to block Kalou on the follow-up with his legs.
The closest Hertha came to scoring was in the 86th minute when a corner for the home side struck Stocker in the midriff as he was standing on the Freiburg line, but he could not react quick enough to divert it goalwards.
Freiburg rode out the remainder of the match without trouble, to record a priceless win in its fight to escape the drop.