The relegation battle in the second Bundesliga is getting tighter and closer. There are only six points between SV Sandhausen in last place in the table and 1. FC Nürnberg in 13th place. The Nurembergers lost 1:2 (0:2) at Holstein Kiel on Saturday and are still stuck in the relegation battle with Dieter Hecking as coach. The "club" has so far won only two of seven second division games under its sporting director and interim coach Hecking, the third coach this season.

Their first goal was particularly bitter and curious: In the 19th minute, FCN goalkeeper Peter Vindahl shot at Lewis Holtby from Kiel. From there, the ball bounced to Holstein striker Steven Skrzybski. Florian Flick then deflected his harmless shot over his own goal line. Kiel's second goal was scored by Fabian Reese (39th). Felix Lohkemper's goal (65') was not enough for FCN, who finished the game outnumbered after a red card for Jens Castrop.

Hansa Rostock suffered the next setback and also lost at SC Paderborn. Coach Alois Schwartz's team lost 0-3 (0-0). Five days after Rostock parted ways with sporting director Martin Pieckenhagen, they suffered their fourth defeat in a row. FC Hansa have not won since 10 February. Rostock are second to last in the table, Paderborn is in fifth place.

Sandhausen wins in Magdeburg

However, the gap between coach Lukas Kwasniok's team and the top three is probably too big to intervene in the promotion race. Maximilian Rohr (48th minute), Florent Muslija (78th) and Felix Platte (87th) scored the goals for the hosts. Paderborn also benefited from the fact that Rostock's Lukas Scherff was shown the red card in the first half after an emergency brake (27th).

SV Sandhausen continues to hope. The bottom of the table surprisingly won at 1. FC Magdeburg with 2:1 (1:0) and now has 24 points on the account. At the beginning of the week, the SVS had completed the separation from coach Tomas Oral, but Gerhard Kleppinger was in charge of the Sandhäuser on an interim basis. Dario Dumic (25th/66th minute) scored two goals for Sandhausen. Cristiano Piccini (89') scored the second goal in front of 23,156 fans.

He was able to avert the fourth defeat in a row with his team. In total, the SVS had remained without a three-pointer for nine games in a row. The FCM missed the chance to improve to eleventh place in the standings with a victory. With 32 points, the Saxony-Anhalters, who had lost only once in the last five games, are far from saved. Dumic surprisingly put the guests in the lead. By then, the FCM had created a number of chances.

In the tenth minute, SVS keeper Patrick Drewes parried a shot from Jason Ceka. Three minutes later, Baris Atik narrowly missed the visitors' goal from an acute angle. In the 22nd minute, Magdeburg defender Piccini headed the ball to the post. The leadership for Sandhausen had then not been indicated at all. In the second half, the central defender was again on hand to make it 2-0 and pushed the ball over the line from close range.