2. Bundesliga: Zoma seals Nürnberg’s win over Hannover after West Ham move collapsed | OneFootball

Nürnberg and Mohamed Ali Zoma go top of the 2. Bundesliga standings and scoring charts with a 2-1 victory at home against Hannover 96.

The game got off to a flying start with both teams on the scoresheet inside the first ten minutes. The hosts took the lead with Julian Justvan scoring with his second attempt after Boris Tomiak’s misplaced pass.

A couple of minutes later, Javier Fernandez was penalized for a handball from Marcel Hartel’s cross. Lars Gindorf scored his second penalty-kick of the season to tie the score for the visitors.

Nürnberg fashioned the best chances for the rest of the half as the fantastic trio Justvan, Zoma and Piet Scobel all had clear-cut opportunities. That continued after the restart with Christian Titz’s side under immense pressure from the in-form team.

Scobel hit the post with a superb header before Mainz loanee William Bøving nearly scored within seconds of his home debut. They deservedly retook the lead 25 minutes from time as Zoma found the target after Scobel’s blocked effort.

The Italian winger had a muted celebration when he scored his fourth of the season against Arminia Bielefeld, but he finally made peace with the failed move to Championship side West Ham United.

Hannover had a better spell right after the goal, but Miroslav Klose’s men regained momentum once again as Sigurd Haugen and Adam Markhiev came close for the third goal. Hayate Matsuda blasted it wide with Hannover’s best chance to equalize in the last action of the game.

In the end, Zoma was the matchwinner just like the fixture at Max-Morlock-Stadion last season. Before Hertha BSC’s game away at newly-promoted Osnabrück on Sunday, Nürnberg top the 2. Bundesliga standings with 13 points. Hannover suffered their third defeat of the season after starting the campaign as one of the favorites for promotion.