Schalke edges Hansa toward relegation.
Hansa Rostock might be out of the 2nd Bundesliga soon: on game day 33, Rostock couldn't escape the relegation zone as they played against Schalke 04 who managed to win with 2 goals to Rostock's 1. Kaiserslautern, cup winners, are still in trouble as well.
FC Schalke 04 - Hansa Rostock 2:1 (2:1)
Rostock's predicament of relegation from the 2nd Bundesliga became more real after picking up a defeat from Schalke 04 with a score of 2:1 (1:2). A win from VfL Osnabrück could easily make Rostock the second team to drop down to the 3rd division.
Coach Mersad Selimbegovic failed to keep his team out of danger, as Schalke's Kenan Karaman (22) and Paul Seguin (45.+5) scored the goals. Sarpreet Singh (32), on the other hand, made sure there was a level playing field for a moment, but got sent off during the second half for rough play (69).
Rostock's start was pretty good and they had a chance to score in the 7th minute, but missed it. They were really going after rescuing themselves from relegation but made some low-grade defensive lapses. The Royal Blues took full advantage of this and scored twice before the break.
The stage before the game was set for a brawl. Fans of the 2 teams had a conflict at Nordstarnpark involving hundreds of violent offenders. Gelsenkirchen police announced this confrontation on Saturday afternoon. Head of police operations, Peter Both, said, "The incident indicates that more clashes are expected during the day."
Hertha BSC -1. FC Kaiserslautern 3:1 (2:1)
Kaiserslautern had to wait a bit more for early relegation. Coach Friedhelm Funkel's team got defeated by Hertha BSC by a score of 3-1 (1-2). Victory for Wehen Wiesbaden this Sunday could potentially safeguard the Palatinate team.
Marlon Ritter (39') made a great shot for a temporary equalizer with a free-kick, but the Berliners responded with Haris Tabakovic who scored from a penalty (19th), followed by Jeremy Dudziak in the 45.+3, and Fabian Reese in the 67th.
A conflict with Hertha coach Pal Dardai might be happening. According to 'Bild' and 'Kicker', Dardai's contract that was set to expire would not be prolonged. Dardai who is the Bundesliga record holder with 524 appearances for Hertha BSC has been the coach of the capital club for the 3rd time since April 2023. He refused to clarify his stance on the matter, saying, "I don't want to discuss this now. That's the management's job, not mine."
- FC Nuremberg - SV Elversberg 3:0 (1:0)
Saved by Can Uzun's special talent, 1.FC Nüremberg ended their crisis before it was too late and ensured their position in the league. The club clinched a victory against promoted SV Elversberg by 3 goals to 0 on matchday 34 and soared clear of the relegation battle.
Felix Lohkemper scored the opener for the team in the 43rd minute after a great pass from Uzun. Jan Gyamerah doubled the lead with a penalty (52'). And Uzun added the third, showcasing his amazing skills on a solo run, it was his 16th goal of the season.
18-year-old Uzun, who is looking to represent his national team in the European Championship, helped Nuremberg pull away from the relegation threat. This victory saved the titleholders from relegating last season and now Nuremberg is searching for a new sporting director after firing Dieter Hecking due to a lack of 'sports development.'
Although the season wasn't over yet, the final matchday was set for a series of intense games determined by the tight leagues and playoffs. Uzun is one of the many talents who were set to make their statement on the field.
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- Despite the victory of 1.FC Kaiserslautern's rival team, Hertha BSC, in their match, Kaiserslautern still has a chance to avoid early relegation if Wehen Wiesbaden loses their next game.
- In the Bundesliga 2, 1.FC Nuremberg, who was previously in trouble of relegation, managed to secure their position in the league thank to Can Uzun's outstanding performance against SV Elversberg, scoring a goal and setting up another one.
- In the current Bundesliga 2 standings, 1.FC Kaiserslautern, Hansa Rostock, and 1.FC Nuremberg are closely competing to avoid relegation, while Schalke 04 and Hertha BSC are already looking towards the next season in the Bundesliga.
Source: www.ntv.de
