Withstood the pressure and had their sights set on promotion: Werder Bremen opened the door to a direct return to the Bundesliga.

Coach Ole Werner's team won 3-0 (1-0) at Erzgebirge Aue and held all the trumps in the exciting race for second place in the second division before the last matchday.

Central defender Marco Friedl (49th minute) scored for Bremen against the already relegated Veilchen to make it 1-0, Niclas Füllkrug (90+2) with his 18th goal of the season and Niklas Schmidt (90+6) made the final score.

Bremen is now three points ahead of Hamburger SV in the relegation ranks and Darmstadt in fourth place.

A draw in the home game against Jahn Regensburg next Sunday is enough for the Green-Whites to go back up like Schalke 04 a year after being relegated to the Bundesliga.

A week after the surprising setback against Holstein Kiel (2-3 after a 2-0 lead), Werder acted very controlled in front of 12,273 spectators and did without the big spectacle.

The guests didn't allow much at the back, but there was initially a lack of consistency at the front.

In addition, the Auer defense had Bremen's super storm under control with Marvin Ducksch (20 goals) and Füllkrug - but Friedl scored shortly after the break.

The Austrian pushed a sharp, low cross from Leonardo Bittencourt over the line after a corner from close range.

The game was overshadowed by a painful clash between Aues Dirk Carlson and Prince Osei Owusu (75').

Both suffered bleeding lacerations to the head.

While striker Owusu was able to return to the pitch for the final five minutes, defender Carlson had to be stretchered off the field.

1. FC Nürnberg, on the other hand, clearly ran out of steam in the final sprint.

The "Club" lost 0:3 (0:2) at Holstein Kiel and remained without a win in the fourth game in a row.

The Franconian old master gambled away all chances of the longed-for promotion due to this negative series at the wrong time.

Steven Skrzybski (14'), Julian Korb (41') and the strong Lewis Holtby (63') secured a deserved victory for Holstein in their fifth game in a row without defeat.

The storks had already secured their place in the class beforehand.

Dynamo Dresden continued its dry spell before the upcoming relegation.

The Saxons, who have been without a win since January, had to settle for a 2-2 (1-0) draw at Karlsruher SC in the last away game of the season despite a good performance.

Michael Akoto (90+4) and Patrick Weihrauch (26) scored for Dynamo.

Jerome Gondorf (65th) and Philipp Hofmann (74th) turned the game around for KSC in the meantime.

The relegation against the third in the 3rd division will take place on May 20th and 24th.

Dynamo initially plays away.

Underessen, Hannover 96 has signed Stefan Leitl from Spielvereinigung Greuther Fürth, who have been relegated to the Bundesliga, as their new head coach.

The table fourteenth announced on Sunday.

The 44-year-old signed a three-year contract with Lower Saxony and is also bringing his long-time assistant coach Andre Mijatovic with him.

This change is made possible by an exit clause in Leitl's contract with Fürth, which is still valid until mid-2023.

According to consistent media reports, Hanover has to pay a transfer fee of 500,000 euros for its new coach.

"I'm really looking forward to a big, traditional club and to the new task," said the new coach.

Sports director Marcus Mann said: "Stefan Leitl showed at SpVgg Greuther Fürth that he can develop a team and a game system step by step.

Under his direction, a clear handwriting was recognizable in Fürth.

We are very happy that we were able to win him for Hannover 96 and our way."