2. Bundesliga Saturday Konferenz round-up | OneFootball

There were huge wins for Schalke and Darmstadt in the promotion race, while Bielefeld produced arguably their best display of the season to dismantle Karlsruher.

Schalke 04 1 - 0 SV Elversberg

In a top-of-the-table clash between two sides looking to bounce back from recent setbacks, Schalke made the perfect start. Just four minutes in, Mertcan Ayhan recycled a long throw-in, clipping the ball towards Moussa Sylla, whose header found Hasan Kuruçay to slot home and give the hosts an early lead.

Elversberg responded positively, upping the tempo and dominating possession as they hunted for an equaliser. Yet Schalke held firm and took their 1-0 advantage into the break.

The hosts, leading at half-time for the sixth time this season, looked comfortable after the restart. Elversberg’s normally potent attack struggled to create clear chances, stifled by a disciplined and compact Schalke backline.

A vital win for Schalke, who bounce back from last week’s disappointment to reclaim top spot - at least temporarily. For Elversberg, it’s now three games without a win, leaving Vincent Wagner with work to do to halt their slight slide down the table.

Hannover 96 2-3 SV Darmstadt

Another top-end showdown saw Darmstadt fly out of the blocks, taking the lead inside five minutes. A rapid counterattack saw top scorer Isac Lidberg’s effort blocked, but Killian Corredor pounced on the rebound to fire Darmstadt ahead.

Hannover hit back shortly after when Enzo Leopold’s free-kick caused chaos in the box and Ime Okon reacted quickest to level the score. The hosts then turned the game around just after the half-hour mark - Kolja Oudenne drove forward after a Darmstadt turnover, cut inside, and curled a superb strike beyond Marcel Schuhen to give Hannover a 2-1 lead at the break.

Darmstadt came out with renewed energy and were rewarded almost instantaneously as Corredor found the net again. Fraser Hornby’s cross found the winger who was allowed too much time in the box, his shot took a deflection before flying past Nahuel Noll to level the scores. 

Both sides traded spells of pressure in a lively second half, and a draw looked the fair result until stoppage time - when Bartosz Białek’s clever backheel found Hiroki Akiyama, who buried the winner from close range to spark wild Darmstadt celebrations.

Hannover suffer back-to-back home defeats, slipping to fifth, while Darmstadt secure their first away win since September, moving up to fourth and right back into the promotion picture.

Arminia Bielefeld 4-0 Karlsruher SC

The first half was tight and scrappy, with little between the sides. Joel Felix created the first real chance, flicking a cross into the path of Mael Corboz, whose shot was brilliantly saved by Hans Christian Bernat. Marius Wörl went close moments later, firing narrowly over.

Just when it seemed the half would end goalless, Bielefeld were awarded a penalty after Maximilian Großer was held in the box. In-form forward Joel Grodowski made no mistake from the spot to send the hosts into the break 1-0 up.

The second half was one-way traffic. Straight from kick-off, Thaddäus Momuluh surged forward and finished low to double the advantage. Minutes later, the winger struck again, pouncing on a loose ball and firing home at the second attempt to make it 3-0.

By the hour mark, the rout was complete - Corboz’s cross found Noah Sarenren Bazee unmarked to head in from close range.

A dominant afternoon for Mitch Kniat’s side, who now boast the league’s best attack with 25 goals and rise to eighth in the table. Karlsruher, meanwhile, suffer a heavy defeat and drop to sixth pending other results.