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Hamburg (dpa) - An exciting promotion race is announced in the second Bundesliga.

After the 21st matchday a trio is tied with 42 points at the top.

On Sunday VfL Bochum caught up with the northern teams Hamburger SV and Holstein Kiel with a 2-0 (2-0) against Eintracht Braunschweig.

After goals from Armel Bella Kotchap (8th minute) and Danilo Soares (32nd), VfL are second only three goals behind leaders HSV, who only played 0-0 against SpVgg Greuther Fürth on Saturday.

The Franks lurk in fourth with 39 points.

After 1-0 against Würzburg on Friday, Kiel is third with a goal difference that is two goals worse than Bochum.

At HSV, the top position was expected, Kiel and Bochum had only a few on the bill before the season.

The ascent is no longer a taboo for the researching Bayern Cup winner from the north.

“You have to be very clear about it in my eyes.

We now have 42 points, that's how many I think we had in the entire last season.

We're in the top 4 up there now.

It can only mean that you will be in the top 3 or, best of all, in the top 2, ”said Kiel's goal scorer Janni Serra to the NDR.

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Even fifth in the table, Karlsruher SC, is still in the race with 36 points thanks to a 3-2 win at SV Sandhausen.

Hannover 96 and Fortuna Düsseldorf, on the other hand, seem a bit behind with 33 points.

The Kielers, who only rose in 2017, are among the formative teams in the 2nd division.

The fact that the victory against the last Würzburg came about through an unjustified penalty did not matter to them.

“In the end, it was a win in the 'no matter how' or 'shit' category.

Every team that has been promoted in recent years has played such games », said the winning goal scorer Alexander Mühling.

HSV trainer Daniel Thioune feels the hot breath of the competition uncomfortably on the neck.

His team has handled the comfortable lead sloppily in the past few weeks.

The league leaders have not been defeated for eleven games, but have only won one of the last four games.

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The immediate rivals were all better.

HSV currently only has a buffer of three points on a non-promotion place.

The fans of the former Bundesliga dinosaur don't even want to think about the dramas of the past two years.

Twice after leading the standings only fourth, twice long faces and nationwide laughter.

In Fürth, expectations have increased after the draw in Hamburg despite being outnumbered.

"We're looking forward to the top game against Kiel," said coach Stefan Leitl with a view to the next task.

The francs are only three points behind.

"We are taking this momentum with us despite all the setbacks," said Leitl.

"I think it will definitely remain exciting until the end of the season, because all the teams that are up there collect properly," said HSV coach Thioune after the zero number against Fürth.

His team had developed very well, he said, but then had to admit: "Unfortunately, the other teams too."

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© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210214-99-437071 / 3

Schedules Holstein Kiel

Squad Holstein Kiel

Homepage Holstein Kiel

NDR report and interview with Alexander Mühling