As the 18th matchday of the 2nd Bundesliga kicked off, marking the start of the second half of the season, Hannover 96 seized the opportunity to climb back up to the second spot in the table, defeating Jahn Regensburg 1-0. Regensburg, on the other hand, finds itself at the bottom of the table, struggling to turn their fortunes around.
Jessic Ngankam’s goal in the 35th minute, set up by a combination of Leopold and Lee, proved to be the decisive moment in the match. Regensburg pushed hard for an equalizer, but their efforts were often hampered by a lack of clear-cut chances. Hannover, too, had a bit of luck on their side, as they managed to avoid conceding more than just a near-miss off the crossbar.
Meanwhile, in a closely contested match, Fortuna Düsseldorf and Darmstadt 98 shared the points, playing out a 2-2 draw. The result sees Düsseldorf maintain their eighth position, while Darmstadt remains in tenth place, still searching for a consistent run of form.