Hamburg goes top as Germany's second tier returns
Hamburg finished the first 2. Bundesliga round since the winter break on top of the table after winning a top-of-the-table clash with FC Cologne, but Magdeburg is only behind on goal difference as the promotion rivals continue an absorbing promtion push in Germany.
Hamburg claimed a narrow 1-0 victory over the Foals thanks to a late goal from substitute Ransford Konigsdorffer, putting HSV three points clear of Magdeburg ahead of its game against Elversberg and pushing Cologne down to second on goal-difference.
Magdeburg rose the challenge thrown its way as it thrashed Elversberg 5-2 away from home to move on to 31 point, the same tally now held by the top three sides – Hamburg, Magdeburg and Cologne.
Martijn Kaars bagged himself a hat-trick for Magdeburg as the visitors came from two goals down to blow away their hosts.
Hannover 96 is just one point back from the top three in fourth place and maintained its promotion charge with a 1-0 win over bottom side Jahn Regesnburg, Jessic Ngankam scoring the winner on 35 minutes.
Kaiserslautern beat second bottom Ulm 2-1 to move into fifth place, and while sixth-placed Karlsruher has the same points tally of 29, it lost a little ground after a stoppage-time 2-1 defeat to Nurnberg, Florian Flick netting a 91st-minute winner.
FULL 2. Bundesliga RESULTS
Fortuna Dusseldorf 2-2 Darmstadt
Jahn Regensburg 0-1 Hannover 96
Eintracht Braunschweig 0-0 Schalke
Kaiserslautern 2-1 Ulm
Munster 2-1 Greuther Furth
Hamburg SV 1-0 FC Cologne
Paderborn 1-2 Hertha Berlin
Nurnberg 2-1 Karlsruher
Elversberg 2-5 Magdeburg
