More teams are bustling about on the narrow path to the Bundesliga.
The top duo FC St. Pauli (37 points) and SV Darmstadt 98 (36) came out of the shortened winter break with initial difficulties. After another winless game, the competition is getting closer and closer.
Above all, 1. FC Heidenheim (33) and SV Werder Bremen (32), who have already surpassed the promotion favorites Hamburger SV (31) and FC Schalke 04 (31) in the table.
Schalke had a supposedly easy home game on Sunday: Nevertheless, the Revierklub (31) only managed to draw 1-1 against a weakened team from Holstein Kiel. If they had won, Schalke coach Dimitrios Grammozis (31) would have taken third place - now they slipped to sixth place. Heidenheim (33) climbed the promotion relegation place instead. Heidenheim played less confidently but effectively against FC Ingolstadt at the bottom on Sunday and won 2-1. Werder Bremen follows in fourth place.
Bremen celebrated their next success on Saturday, beating Fortuna Düsseldorf 3-0. “It's a nice feeling to start the new year with a win. And just looking at the result, it's a dream start," said Werder coach Ole Werner. Since the 33-year-old took over from Markus Beginning at the Weser, the Bundesliga relegated team has been on the up. Four games, four wins. On the 19th matchday, the northern rivals HSV had to let Bremen pass them in the table after their 1-1 draw at Dynamo Dresden.
The cornerstone for Bremen's repeated victory was once again laid by the unerring strike duo of Marvin Ducksch and Niklas Füllkrug.
And after the final whistle, the two-time goalscorer Füllkrug next targeted St. Pauli and Darmstadt.
“There are two teams up front who have marched completely in front.
We have to see how they deal with the whole situation of being the hunted,” said Füllkrug.
St. Pauli coach Timo Schultz reacted a bit irritated on Saturday after the 2-2 draw against Erzgebirge Aue.
When asked about his team's performance against the penultimate team, the third game without a win in a row in the middle of the promotion battle, Schultz said: "We should get off the idea of entitlement that we sweep every opponent out of the stadium.
We are FC St. Pauli.”
After all, the Kiez club, as leaders in the second division, can contest the derby at Hamburger SV on Friday, because St. Pauli's closest pursuer, Darmstadt, was unable to take advantage of the Hanseatic League's renewed blunder.
Darmstadt also played 2-2 against Karlsruher SC on Saturday evening.
The lead of the leaders is melting away collectively.
Nevertheless, the draw also had something positive for Darmstadt coach Torsten Lieberknecht: "Now we can put our finger on the wound, what we can do better."