Away win! Lilies win in Hannover

Hannover started the match with great energy and put Darmstadt under early pressure with a high press. However, Darmstadt remained unfazed, maintaining their composure and repeatedly clearing the danger with clever tactics. The visitors from southern Hesse had the first shot of the game in the second minute when Isac Lidberg fired from a tight angle, but the ball landed in the goalkeeper’s arms. Just three minutes later, Darmstadt had reason to celebrate: After a brilliant pass from Fraser Hornby into the path of Luca Marseiler, he played the ball low into the middle, where Lidberg was initially prevented from getting a shot away – Corredor reacted quickest and tapped in the rebound to make it 1-0. Shortly afterwards, the hosts also threatened offensively: Matsuda unleashed a curling shot from the left side of the box, but Marcel Schuhen made a superb save to tip the ball around the post for a corner in the 8th minute.

The match remained relatively evenly contested. Both teams looked to attack, but neither could gain a clear advantage. In the 18th minute, Okon capitalised on a lapse in the Darmstadt defense following a set piece, scoring from close range to level the score at 1-1. The game continued to be hard-fought, with few clear-cut chances for either side. The next dangerous moment came in the 30th minute: after a pass from Corredor, Hornby got a shot away, but Hannover’s goalkeeper made the initial save and secured the ball on the second attempt. Three minutes later, the hosts took the lead when Oudenne curled a shot from the edge of the penalty area.

After taking the lead, the Lower Saxons had significantly more of the game, and Darmstadt 98 were fortunate in the 40th minute when Källmann’s effort struck the crossbar. Three minutes later, the woodwork again came to their rescue, this time denying Oudenne a shot that would likely have found the back of the net. In the third minute of stoppage time, the crossbar once more prevented a goal – this time at the other end: Hiroki Akiyama unleashed a long-range effort, striking the ball perfectly, but his spectacular shot only rebounded off the crossbar. So the teams went into halftime with the hosts leading by a goal.

After the break, the South Hessians were again the more active side, and Corredor struck again after five minutes: Following a through ball from Holland, Hornby laid the ball off to Corredor in the middle, who cut inside and fired a deflected shot into the top corner. Three minutes later, Hornby got his head to a corner from Marseiler, but the attempt only hit the post – the fourth time the woodwork had been hit in this match.

The hosts struggled to find their footing in the second half, and Darmstadt controlled the game, though without creating any clear-cut chances. It wasn’t until the 70th minute that Hannover threatened Marcel Schuhen’s goal again, but their efforts posed little threat to the goalkeeper. In the 77th minute, Akiyama tried his luck from 16 metres, but Hannover’s goalkeeper Noll tipped the ball behind for a corner.

The closing stages saw an open, end-to-end affair. First, substitute Merveille Papela hit the post in the 89th minute, and shortly after, Schuhen made a superb save from Rochelt in the final minute of normal time. Finally, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Darmstadt snatched a late winner: Corredor flicked the ball with his heel into the path of Hiroki Akiyama, who unleashed a shot that went in off the inside of the post to secure a 3-2 away victory. There was still time for Schuhen to make a vital save as he blocked Neilsen’s header with his boot in the 7th minute of added time.