The second division has barely started when it delivers wonderful stories again. After a goalless first half in all stadiums, secret favorite Paderborn proves above all for goals, goals, goals. HSV also wins in game one after the failed relegation.
SC Paderborn - Karlsruher SC 5: 0 (0: 0)
SC Paderborn started the new season in the 2nd Bundesliga with a rifle festival. In the home game against Karlsruher SC, the team of coach Lukas Kwasniok won 5-0 (0-0) thanks to a strong second half and thus took the lead in the table. New signing Florent Muslija (56th, penalty kick) gave East Westphalia the lead against his former club. Robert Leipertz (65th), Julian Justvan (68th), Felix Platte (72nd) and Sirlord Conteh (75th) ensured the clear victory.
Karlsruhe almost got off to a good start in front of 9,399 spectators. In the fourth minute, new signing Mikkel Kaufmann failed in front of Paderborn keeper Jannik Huth. As a result, both teams made too many mistakes and found it difficult to create chances. From the middle of the first half, Paderborn became increasingly dominant, but there were still few clear big chances.
After the change of sides, it was still East Westphalia who determined the game. After an unsuccessful cross pass from Philip Heise, Kai Eisele brought down Paderborn's striker Platte in the penalty area, and Muslija confidently converted the penalty due. At KSC, all dams broke afterwards, Paderborn had little trouble screwing up the result.
Eintracht Braunschweig - Hamburger SV 0:2 (0:0)
Hamburger SV was only able to avoid a false start with promoted Eintracht Braunschweig. Two goals from Robert Glatzel in the 67th and 76th minute secured the top favorite a flattering 2-0 (0-0) win over Lower Saxony. In the first half in particular, the guests' back line looked disorganized. The Lower Saxony developed almost half a dozen good scoring opportunities.
In front of 21,900 spectators, however, the favorite remained harmless for a long time in front of the opposing goal. Visibly dissatisfied, HSV coach Tim Walter marched into the dressing room after 45 minutes and took on his protégés. But even after the change of sides, little changed in the course of the game. The hosts were much closer to victory, HSV keeper Daniel Heuer Fernandez was the focus of the action on a different occasion. Almost out of nowhere, Glatzel scored twice in the closing stages.
Eintracht had to do without team captain and first-choice goalkeeper Jasmin Fejzic for a short time. The 36-year-old tested positive for the corona virus, and Ron-Thorben Hoffmann stood between the posts as a replacement.
Hansa Rostock - 1. FC Heidenheim 0: 1 (0: 0)
Hansa Rostock started the new season with a home defeat. Coach Jens Härtel's team lost 0-1 (0-0) against 1. FC Heidenheim. Stefan Schimmer (50th) headed the winning goal for the table sixth of the past season.
In the Baltic Sea Stadium there was initially little flow of the game. Rostock invested more without becoming really dangerous. Haris Duljevic (24th), who came on as a substitute early, tested FCH goalkeeper Kevin Müller. The guests could hardly be seen offensively until Tim Kleindienst (43rd) got a shot from a tight angle just before the break, but only hit the side netting.
After the break, Heidenheim became more compelling. Jan-Niklas Beste found Schimmer at the far post, who executed a diving header. Right after that followed a strong cross from Beste, which Kleindienst (52nd) didn't really catch from close range. Hansa seemed a bit surprising at first, but later recovered. Müller saved a header from Lukas Fröde (67th).
