Last-second Appelkamp goal keeps Fortuna's promotion dream alive
The first of the three German professional football teams to emerge from a mandated quarantine has now made all of its matches up.
Baden-Württemberg's Karlsruher Sport Club has not won a match since returning to the pitch. Now, after playing 31 matches, the KSC sits in 8th place in the 2. Bundesliga table.
Karlsruhe's hopes for promotion this year are all but finished. By contrast, a dramatic comeback victory from their opponents means that Düsseldorf may continue to dream of attaining the top class one year after suffering relegation.
F95 Trainer Uwe Rösler made all the right personnel moves on Monday evening.
Baden-Württemberg's Karlsruher Sport Club has not won a match since returning to the pitch. Now, after playing 31 matches, the KSC sits in 8th place in the 2. Bundesliga table.
Karlsruhe's hopes for promotion this year are all but finished. By contrast, a dramatic comeback victory from their opponents means that Düsseldorf may continue to dream of attaining the top class one year after suffering relegation.
F95 Trainer Uwe Rösler made all the right personnel moves on Monday evening.
Fortuna trainer Uwe Rösler fielded an XI absent his two leading scorers, Kenan Karaman and Rouwen Hennings. A 4-1-2-3 instead placed David Kownacki as an advanced lead striker. An unfortunate own-goal from central defender Kevin Danso in the 9th minute put the hosts behind, but Kownacki was able to draw the Fortuna level with a converted penalty in the 35th.
Rösler kept Karaman and Hennings warming up on the sidelines throughout, eventually subbing both strikers on the in the 57th. Within minutes, the home team looked offensively invigorated and nearly took the lead on several occasions. It would nevertheless be another sub, Austrian Brandon Borello (71st), who would finally find the back of the net two minutes after being subbed on.
The KSC responded quickly with their own drive. Marvin Wanitzek equalized from the penalty spot in the 80th. In the final ten minutes, the KSC looked by far the stronger side. Striker Philipp Hofmann missed the best chance in the 85th with an unfortunate slip. Rösler's substitutes were nevertheless not finished.
A thunderous effort off the crossbar from Emmanuel Iyoha (82nd) fell to the feet of Appelkamp (71st). The 20-year-old Japanese international with a German father finished with a flourish for the Bundesrepublik club that took him into its youth academy two short years ago.
The 90+5 heroics keep the F95 promotion hopes alive. Holstein Kiel, the other 2. Bundesliga side forced into quarantine, still has three games at hand. Holstein officially begin their league make-up dates tomorrow with a visit from SV Sandhausen.