Hannover 96 continues its hunt for promotion places in the second Bundesliga and has at least been relegated for one night.

Coach Stefan Leitl's team won 3-2 (1-0) at SV Sandhausen on Friday evening and climbed to third place.

Cedric Teuchert (14th minute), Havard Nielsen (65th) and Sei Muroya (71st) scored for Hanover.

David Kinsombi (56th) converted a penalty kick for Sandhausen that his brother Christian had won, and Bashkim Ajdini (73rd) ensured an exciting final phase.

Hanover now has 17 points on the account.

As the ninth day progresses, 1. FC Heidenheim, Darmstadt 98 (both 15) and Fortuna Düsseldorf (14) could pass again.

But the trend speaks for Hanover: five of the last six games have won 96, most recently there was a 1-1 draw in the Lower Saxony derby against Eintracht Braunschweig.

Sandhausen started stronger in both halves on Friday, but Hannover was more effective.

Teuchert hit after a good movement in the penalty area, Nielsen with a head, Muroya with power.

Referee Wolfgang Haslberger pointed to the point twice within eight minutes for foul play on Christian Kinsombi, but he withdrew the second decision after looking at the video images.

Newcomers Braunschweig meanwhile continued their upward trend at the start of the ninth matchday.

With a 2-1 (1-0) win over Karlsruher SC, Lower Saxony left the relegation zone for the first time this season – at least for the time being.

Anthony Ujah (44th/72nd) was the decisive player with two goals, Marvin Wanitzek scored the equalizer (54th).

Braunschweig has now taken a strong seven points from the past three games.

Karlsruhe, on the other hand, missed the connection to the promotion ranks.

Hosts Braunschweig, who started the season with four defeats, got off to a better start.

Ujah was initially denied by Marius Gersbeck, who made a brilliant save (8'), but shortly before half-time the KSC goalkeeper looked less happy: Ujah used his positional mistake and headed in a free-kick from Immanuel Pherai to take the lead.

The KSC came out better from the dressing room, Wanitzek scored before the combination Pherai gave Ujah the winning goal again.