If not a better example of the competitiveness and parity in the Bundesliga, only two matches into the Rückrunde and clubs at the bottom of the table are continuously upstaging the upper tier clubs. This past weekend Borussia Mönchengladbach, at the bottom of the table came within minutes of defeating first place 1899 and Karlsruhe upended Hamburger SV. I make reference to this because it seems obvious that the "relegation fight" has begun and 96 ran into determined Energie Cottbus who sent Hannover 96 home with a 3-1 loss.
Die Lausitzer, lead by Bojan Prašnikar, play a tough brand of Football and came out ready to challenge every assault. While the opening half didn't have a great deal of attacking surges, 96 had an assortment of close misses. Seven minutes in, Jiří Štajner close range header was saved and Cottbus dodged the first bullet of the day. Just before the half hour Mario Eggimann header off a set piece came close but once again Lausitzer was free and clear. Finally with six minutes left Cottbus made 96 pay for their missed chances and the dangerous combination of Ivica Iliev and Dimitar Rangelov gave the home side the lead with the Bulgarian international, Rangelov, heading in a well placed cross from the center of the box. Following the goal, Lausitzer' defending took on an entire new tone and shut down most of 96's efforts till the later stages of the match. The situation took a bad turn seven minutes past the hour when Leon Andreasen was shown his second card and 96 was forced to play a man down. Prašnikar's side poured on the pressure immediately with Emil Jula heading Daniel Ziebig's cross off the bar before Dimitar Rangelov doubled the margin from close range. Stanislav Angelov made it 3-0 with sixteen minutes left off off a poorly defended set piece. Hecking's eleven did not give up and Frank Fahrenhorst added a goal with eight minutes remaining off a corner but it was not nearly enough and die Roten lost 3-1.
So there it is, 96 is still without a win on the road and with only one draw, the clubs position is entirely based upon results in the Niedersachsenstadion. That puts a lot of pressure on next weeks match as after the weekend results, 96 is only four points over the drop and needs a victory as Stuttgart comes to town. Time to raise our voices in support!