Bundesliga News

Germany: 2. Bundesliga
FT
2 - 2
(2 - 1)
Karlsruhe
Würzburg
K. Kyoung-Rok (26), D. Kother (45)
M. Pieringer (36), L. Dietz (90)
StandingReview

Karlsruher SC return to the pitch after quarantine with 2-2 draw

By Peter Weis   @PeterVicey

While German football waits for top tier side Hertha BSC to exit quarantine and proceed with its relegation fight, two 2. Bundesliga sides (both fighting for promotion) get back into action this weekend. 

Baden-Württemberg's KSC got back on the pitch on Friday evening at the Wildparkstadion in Karlsruhe. A late lapse led to a 2-2 draw against the relegation-threatened Würzburger Kickers.
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Photo: Granada, CC-by-SA 4.0
After 20 days without a competitive football match, Christian Eichner's KSC still weren't back to full fighting strength. German midfielder Robin Bormuth, scorer of three goals during the club's improbable march to the top third of the table during the second half of the season, remained in precautionary quarantine after a category one contact trace. 


Nineteen-year-old Tim Breithaupt made his starting debut in Bormuth's place. Effects of the long layoff were evident in the home side's possession game, which seemed a little rusty and tentative in the opening 20 minutes. The Badeners were nevertheless able to strike first. Young-Rok Choi found the back of the net of the volley in the 26th. 

Opponents Würzburg were able to equalize off a set piece twelve minutes later, but the Badeners were able to take the lead again before the break when Dominik Kother toed home a rebound at 45+1. Eichner's team went into full protective mode in defense of the lead through most of the second half.

An error KSC keeper Marius Gersbeck nevertheless prevented the hosts from earning all three points. Gersbeck, who had looked shaky on the first FWK goal, turned in the ball over to Würzburg's Lars Dietz at 90+3. Dietz tapped into the empty net and Karlsruhe dropped two points at the death.

Like Hertha BSC in the top tier, the Badener Blues must now make up its matches with two consecutive sets of midweek-weekend fixtures. With six points still up for grabs, the KSC can still pull itself up to the cusp of the promotion playoff place. 

Bundesliga Two's other quarantined side, Holstein Kiel, returns to action against VfL Osnabrück tomorrow. The storks have an even better chance of factoring into the promotion battle. Kiel sits in sixth place on 46 points with three games at hand.


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