SC Paderborn : Eintracht Braunschweig

Our route planning originally included two possible matches on the programme: SC Paderborn : Eintracht Braunschweig on the one hand, and Osnabrück:  Düsseldorf on the other. Despite the rather manageable situation in the table, both games were sold out or it was not possible to sell tickets to the public. In order to be able to watch a game after all, we had to try to do so via the opposing teams. So we ended up in the away sector of Eintracht Braunschweig.

In the afternoon in Paderborn, we paid a visit to the sights of the cathedral city. Dark clouds were already gathering and the weather didn't bode well. We made it to a pub just in time before the first downpour. We then took advantage of a rain-free break to make our way to the bus station and set off for the Home Deluxe Arena...

On board the bus, the next heavy downpour set in - so our timing was right...Although we were in the away sector, admission went pretty smoothly. Culinary delights were also well catered for in this sector - you're often used to completely different things in home away blocks. We took our seats at the end of the seating area, but shortly before the start of the match, we had to flee further up because the rain had once again started to pour down on the first rows of seats.

While Paderborn were still eyeing a relegation place, Braunschweig were currently in a relegation spot. The conditions in the match were therefore clear, but the course of the game did not reflect this balance of power in the first half. Major chances were few and far between, but both teams repeatedly tried their luck on the offensive. In the end, however, the score was 0-0 at half-time.

The first real excitement of the match came in the 59th minute. Paderborn's Kai Klefisch played the tragic role. Firstly, he conceded a free-kick just outside the penalty area, which he then cleared with his hand while standing in the wall in the penalty area. The referee initially decided on a corner, but then pointed to the spot after the VAR intervened and the subsequent video review. Hasan Kurucay converted the spot-kick to give Eintracht Braunschweig the lead.

The cheers in the visitors' sector had not yet died down when  a catastrophic misplaced pass from Braunschweig right into the path of Adriano Grimaldi. He didn't miss this chance presented to him on a silver platter and called for a quick equaliser in the 61st minute.  Paderborn's best phase followed, but the chances that presented themselves all went unused.

So it came as it had to. In the 80th minute, Braunschweig broke forward on the counter-attack and Rayan Phlippe converted the beautiful pass into the centre to give the visitors the lead again. This was followed by a final onslaught from the home team, who now threw everything forward. There were a few more chances, but nothing more than a crossbar goal came out of it in the end. The result was a surprising away win for Paderborn, which was celebrated by the many fans who had travelled with them.