Düsseldorf likely to be relegated
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Holstein Kiel achieved promotion to the Bundesliga on the penultimate matchday of the 2nd Bundesliga. A 1-1 (1-0) draw against Fortuna Düsseldorf was enough for the Storks in their final home match of the season. This means that KSV can no longer be left out of the top two places last weekend and will appear in the upper house for the first time in the club’s history next season. FC St. Pauli may follow suit on Sunday, but Düsseldorf will likely remain relegated.
In front of 15,034 spectators in a sold-out Holstein Stadium, the Kiel team had to tremble again after Christos Tzolis’ equalizer (69th minute/foul penalty). But at first they were very lucky. Benedikt Pichler took the first opportunity of the match to take the lead after 107 seconds. This was followed by one of the biggest upsets of the entire second division season.
Holstein defender Patrick Erras clearly deflected with his hand a header from Vincent Vermeij shortly before the goal line (4th). But although referee Sven Jablonski (Bremen) watched the scene again on the video screen on the sidelines, a corner was awarded instead of a penalty. “If the hand was not there, the ball would have gone into the goal,” criticized Fortuna sporting director Klaus Allofs on Sky. Düsseldorf striker Felix Klaus also had an unfortunate collision with Kiel goalkeeper Timon Weiner and had to be replaced injured.
Düsseldorf have already secured a relegation place since Friday evening, when fourth-placed Hamburger SV lost 1-0 at Paderborn. Fortuna still has a small theoretical chance of direct promotion. But for second-placed FC St. Pauli on Sunday (1:30 p.m.), a point against relegated VfL Osnabrück is enough to emulate Kiel and achieve their own return to the Bundesliga after 13 years.
