Fantastic second division comeback: Kaiserslautern celebrates a last-minute win at the start

The new season in the 2nd Bundesliga begins with a damper for Hannover 96.

Fantastic second division comeback: Kaiserslautern celebrates a last-minute win at the start

The new season in the 2nd Bundesliga begins with a damper for Hannover 96. The promotion candidate loses at the start at the Red Devils from Kaiserslautern. After four years of abstinence, the climber is celebrating a dream comeback.

With heart and passion, 1. FC Kaiserslautern celebrated a fantastic second division comeback after four years and spoiled the start of the season for Hannover 96. In the evening, the Red Devils won the opening game of the 2nd Bundesliga against Lower Saxony, who were considered promotion candidates, 2-1 (1-0). In front of 40,579 spectators in the Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Mike Wunderlich put the home side ahead in the 11th minute, which substitute Havard Nielsen (80th) equalized. Kevin Kraus (90.2) turned the Betzenberg into a madhouse with his late winning goal.

Right from the start, the Palatinate relied on fight and passion, which Hanover didn't like for a long time. The guests had a lot more possession of the ball, but only showed a goal threat in the second half and made a few mistakes on the defensive. This was also the case with FCK's opening goal, which 96 defender Julian Börner involuntarily initiated with an unsuccessful back pass to goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler. Terrence Boyd splashed in between and served Wunderlich, who pointed the ball into the empty goal. At the age of 36 years and 112 days, the veteran replaced Wolfgang Funkel as the Red Devils' oldest league goalscorer.

In an intense game, both sides made their first change after less than half an hour. At FCK, newcomer Ben Zolinski, who had been acting conspicuously up to that point, had to leave the field injured and Kenny Prince Redondo came on for him. Gael Ondoua ended early at Hannover after the midfielder walked on the verge of being sent off. He was replaced by Fabian Kunze.

Nothing has changed in the course of the game for the time being. The hosts let the Lower Saxony come, but had the better chances. Zieler was only able to fend off a long-range shot from Redondo with difficulty. FCK keeper Andreas Luthe, on the other hand, was only tested for the first time after an hour.

The veteran, who was brought in from Union Berlin in the summer, subsequently proved to be a reliable backup and with fifteen minutes to go with a brilliant save from a free kick by Sebastian Kerk initially prevented the possible equalizer, which he was unable to prevent a little later. After preliminary work by Cedric Teuchert, Nielsen scored from eight meters. In the end, however, the hosts cheered when Kraus scored from a corner kick.