Hamburger SV got out of the crisis in a thrilling top game in the second Bundesliga.
Coach Tim Walter's team won at SC Paderborn after two previous defeats through a goal by Laszlo Benes (69th minute) 3:2 (2:1) and with 28 points now moved into second place behind leaders Darmstadt 98 (29 points ).
In contrast, East Westphalia (26 points) fell back to third place.
In front of 15,000 spectators, coach Lukas Kwasniok's team initially took the lead thanks to Robert Leipertz (3'/51') scoring twice.
The strong Robert Glatzel (23rd) and Jean-Luc Dompe (45th + 1) had already turned the varied game before the Paderborn equaliser.
HSV was caught off guard in the early minutes.
The 1:0 of Paderborn was preceded by a free kick by Florent Muslija (2nd), which goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Hernandes parried with skill and luck.
After the following throw-in, Marvin Pieringer dribbled unchecked into the visitors' penalty area - Leipertz successfully took the ball from his team-mate's foot with a shot on target.
HSV catches up after a wild start
After a wild ten minutes at the start, the Hamburgers slowly caught themselves through increasing ball control.
Paderborn switched quickly at first and created more chances against the visitors' back line, which seemed to lack the ordering hand of Sebastian Schonlau (red card suspension).
The return of the recently injured Glatzel paid off: he used HSV's first chance to equalize.
The goal gave the Hamburgers a boost, they gained more and more security, now determined the game and turned it around after several missed big chances through Dompe's goal.
After the rather unexpected equalizer by Leipertz, the game was again completely open, but HSV impressed with their efficiency.
And despite the fewer and fewer chances, he could have won even more after Benes scored through Glatzel (77th).
Hanover looks up
Hannover 96 still has an eye on the promotion places.
Coach Stefan Leitl's team beat Karlsruher SC 1-0 (0-0) and in fifth place with 24 points on points drew level with fourth-placed 1. FC Heidenheim.
Hendrik Weydandt (56th) scored the goal for Hanover in front of 29,100 spectators in the home arena.
Shortly thereafter, KSC, who are still in the middle of the table with 17 points, had to play the game with a man down.
Jerome Gondorf saw the yellow-red card after repeated foul play (62nd).
The guests put pressure on from the start, but shortly before the break Hannover finally had the best chance to take the lead with a penalty kick.
Marcel Franke had previously brought down Maximilian Beier in the penalty area, referee Sven Waschitzki-Günther pointed to the point according to the video images.
However, Havard Nielsen was denied by KSC goalkeeper Marius Gersbeck.
After Weydandt took the lead in the second round, Hannover acted in a controlled manner with a majority and settled in the opposing half for long stretches.
Braunschweig still undefeated
SV Sandhausen, threatened with relegation, and Eintracht Braunschweig, who have been promoted in form, have separated 2:2 (0:0).
Anthony Ujah (52nd minute) and Anton Donkor (74th) gave the guests from Lower Saxony, who are unbeaten in eight league games, twice the lead on Sunday.
Janik Bachmann (66th) and David Kinsombi (80th) equalized twice for Sandhausen, who remained without a win in the third league game in a row, in front of 4729 spectators.
The first half was poor in highlights.
In the 24th minute, Braunschweig's Ujah ran freely towards Sandhausen's keeper Nikolai Rehnen and lobbed the ball past the goal on the left.
The striker was just offside anyway.
Just before the break, Kinsombi missed the hosts' best chance to date and hit the post with a header (41').
A few minutes after the break, Ujah headed in to give Braunschweig the lead.
Another goal by the Nigerian was ruled out due to an offside position (55').
Bachmann also scored a header in the 1-1.
Eight minutes later Donkor hammered the ball halfway into the net from almost 20 meters.
But Sandhausen hit back again: Kinsombi pushed the ball over the line from close range to make it 2:2.