Hannover 96 maintained its perfect start to the 2. Bundesliga season with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Holstein Kiel on Saturday. The Lower Saxony club overturned a first-half deficit to secure their fourth consecutive win, firmly establishing themselves at the top of the league table. Elversberg and Bielefeld currently follow in second and third place respectively, while Kiel have dropped to 13th.
Kiel took the lead in the 21st minute through Phil Harres, who headed home a precise cross from Tolkin. The hosts defended resolutely, limiting Hannover’s attacking opportunities for much of the first half. However, Hannover increased the pressure towards the end of the first half, with Maximilian Neubauer hitting the crossbar.
Hannover emerged from the break a transformed side. Virgil Ghița equalized in the 62nd minute with a header from a corner kick. Seven minutes later, substitute Benjamin Källman put Hannover ahead, also scoring with a header from a free kick, to make it 2-1. Despite late offensive substitutions from Kiel, they were unable to create any clear-cut chances to level the score.
Elsewhere in the 2. Bundesliga on Saturday afternoon, VfL Bochum suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Preußen Münster and Eintracht Braunschweig drew 1-1 with Arminia Bielefeld.