SV Darmstadt 98 finished the first half of the 2nd Bundesliga in second place in the table.
The surprise team of coach Torsten Lieberknecht won the top duel of the 17th matchday at SC Paderborn 1-0 (0-0) and with 32 points consolidated their position behind Herbstmeister FC St. Pauli (35).
Paderborn (27) missed the jump to second place - and has now been without a win four times in a row. Traditional club Hannover 96 also celebrated a reassuring 2: 1 (2: 1) at the bottom of FC Ingolstadt, which started under the new coach Rüdiger Rehm. Hannover moved away from the relegation ranks with 20 points. Holstein Kiel (18) did not succeed, the storks did not get beyond a 2: 2 (1: 1) against SV Sandhausen. Sandhausen occupies the first direct relegation place with 14 points.
Central defender Patric Pfeiffer (81st) decided an intense duel between two teams in Paderborn that hardly anyone had expected so far up at the halfway point of the season.
Darmstadt started early in front of 2924 spectators, the hosts had problems to cover this pressing.
Both teams could only create a few chances, only Pfeiffer broke the spell with his head.
In Ingolstadt Maximilian Beier (9th) scored the opening goal for Hanover, Marcel Gaus (29th) managed to equalize.
Linton Maina (38th) brought the Lower Saxony back into the lead.
Newcomers Ingolstadt have now been without a win for twelve games, Rehm succeeded Andre Schubert last Wednesday.
On the side of Hannover, interim coach Christoph Dabrowski celebrated a successful away debut, it was the second victory in a row for 96.
Kiel took the lead through Benedikt Pichler (19th), but Cebio Soukou (26th) equalized for Sandhausen.
With the second shot on goal, Alexander Schirow (72nd) even took the lead thanks to merciless efficiency.
Steven Skrzybski (83rd) managed to equalize Holstein, he saved his team from a home bankruptcy.