Save yourself who can!
The 2nd league has entered the home stretch: seven matchdays left – the last fifth of the season. At the top, the battle for promotion is raging with seven clubs from St. Pauli to Heidenheim. Hannover 96 is far away from that. The Reds have to tremble again after three league defeats in a row.
The good news: direct relegation to the 3rd division is no longer a threat, Ingolstadt and Aue have almost made it…
It’s only about relegation place 16. Six clubs – Rostock, Kiel, Düsseldorf, 96, Sandhausen and Dresden – are fighting against the crash finals against the third division third.
The big relegation report
Rostock (34 points)
Victory Streak! With three threes in a row, Hansa has worked his way up from 16th place, including winning 4:3 at Schalke. Scorer Verhoek, who is playing the best season of his career with 15 goals, scored in every game. The newly promoted club is the only club in the basement that has not changed coaches, but Jens Härtel does not yet have a contract for the new season. Manager Martin Pieckenhagen has issued a new goal for the season: “Direct rescue without relegation.”
Kiel (34 points)
Corona alert! Most recently, the test against Silkeborg had to be canceled. 16 failures, many because of Corona. Six weeks ago Kiel was as good as saved with 31 points. Then there were four defeats (including 0:2 at 96) and the comeback in the relegation battle. Most recently the redeeming 1-0 against Ingolstadt. But the rest of the program is crisp, there are still five candidates for promotion.
Dusseldorf (32 points)
Thioune Effect! Four bankruptcies in a row without a goal of their own, then Daniel Thioune came as coach at the beginning of February – and now things are going well. The team plays and scores as if changed: six games, no defeat, 12 points. After 14 Corona failures, all players are now fit. In the direct duels with Rostock, 96 and Dresden, Düsseldorf can make the rescue clear.
Hanover (31 points)
Tor Crisis! Of all clubs in the crash race, 96 have the worst attack and goal ratio (-15). A total of nine games without their own goals, two measly goals in the last three bankruptcy encounters. Plus constant unrest. Boss Martin Kind demands victories against Regensburg and Aue, and did not rule out another change of coach. Advantage: only one top opponent (HSV), relegated Ingolstadt comes on the last matchday.
Sandhausen (30 points)
Hammer program! Penultimate after the first half of the season, strong 16 points in the second half – only Werder, Nürnberg and Schalke got more. After seven games without a defeat (among others 3:1 against 96) the last 0:1 against Rostock. Four home games left, but weak at home (only two wins). And: still against four promotion candidates! But: No troop can fight relegation as well as Sandhausen.
Dresden (28 points)
Horror 2022! New coach, old problems. Guerino Capretti came in early March and has yet to win in three games. In 2022 there was no threesome. On Friday against Schalke, top scorer Christoph Daferner (12 goals) is missing due to Corona. Dynamo relies on the fans returning, four home games and direct duels against Sandhausen, Kiel and Düsseldorf.
