A Braunschweig win wouldn't lift them off the root of the table but it would put them within a point of fellow strugglers FC Nuremberg. They come off a one all draw away from home last weekend to high placed but struggling Leverkusen. The visitors, Hannover come off a defeat at home to Bremen last weekend. A win will see them unmoved but decrease the four point deficit between them and Bremen to just one.
The visitors Hannover kicked off shooting right towards the loud Braunschweig fans. Not even a minute was on the clock when Huszti goes down outside the box from pressure from Kessel, A costless kick was awarded to the home side due Huszti's leg being extended and tripping Kessel. Ya Konan then hit the deck in the penalty area very theatrically, referee was having none of it and waved play on.
Braunschweig's star man Kumbela came close with a headed effort but didn't trouble Zieler in between the sticks. Just minutes later Kumbela would give the home side a very important lead. Kumbela slotted into an empty net after Zieler could only parry Reichel's cross along the ground to Kumbela. A classical case of being in the right place at the right time for Kumbela. 1-0 Braunschweig after ten minutes.
Soon after, Vranjic couldn't quite guide the ball towards the gaping goal mouth and looked his effort go wide. Could easily have been two for Braunschweig. The lead was doubled however in the twentieth minute by young Norwegian striker Harvard Nielsen. Nielsen hit the shot on the half volley and Zieler could only look his tremendous effort hit the back of the net. 2-0 Braunschweig who seemed to have overcome Hannover's early dominance.
Leo Bittencourt nipped round the back of the home sides defence and played a tasty ball along the ground in hope of finding loanee Artjoms Rudnevs but the opportunity was put out for a corner. The resulting corner was wasted and cleared quickly by Braunschweig's defence.There was to be an interlude in the game where there was nothing but a battle in midfield before any more real chances surfaced. Schulz came closest to pulling one back as his near post header had keeper Davari beaten but also the bar as it skimmed over. The flag stayed down and Hochscheidt fired goal wards and produced a terrific save out of Zieler but there was to be no corner as the linesman lately raised his flag. Andreassen stuck his studs into first goal scorer Kumbela's calf, He escaped a booking but Kumbela looked in pain which would worry the Braunschweig hopeful, Kumbela soldiered on after re-joining play shortly after.Another silly tackle by a Hannover player, this time it being Huszti, who's tackle could only be seen as a measure of Hannover's frustration at being down two goals to nil. The final chance of the half fell to the hosts, ElAbdellaoui but he looked his stinging effort whizz past the post.
Half Time - Braunschweig 2-0 Hannover - Home side lead deservedly after overcoming Hannover's early dominance. Die Löwen looked likely to add to their in the second forty-five. Hannover lacking hugely in the final third.
Braunschweig got the second half rolling. There were huge shouts for a penalty as the ball clearly hit Hannover skipper Stindl in the arm. The referee waved play on to the dismay of players and fans a like. Bittencourt became heavily involved in trying to pull a goal back setting team mates up a number of times after the restart.
In typical derby fashion a red card was brandished, Andre Hoffmann being the culprit for kicking Mirko Bolland. He gave the referee no choice but to give him his marching orders. Hannover already with a huge mountain to climb now found their challenge even harder with only ten men.Nielsen squandered a chance to put the final nail in Hannover's coffin, As he was unable to keep his shot low after some nice inter-linking play between him and Kumbela. The ball was punted back up field and Huszti's shot pings off the post, yet another chance for Die Roten to get back into the game missed. Jaded first goalscorer Domi Kumbela left the field to a standing ovation with ten minutes to play in place of Karim Bellarabi. The sub thought he had made an instant impact as he elaborately chipped the ball into the goal but the flag was up, Yet another lifeline for struggling Hannover. Hochscheidt made no mistake and finalised what seemed inevitable, A Braunschweig win, as he finished from close range in the dying embers of the game.
Full Time - Braunschweig 3-0 Hannover - It was to be Braunschweig's day in the derby as they picked up their second win in three games which they also stayed undefeated in. However, Hannover were succumbed to their fourth straight defeat. Hannover threatened the goal rarely but had plenty chances to do so. Braunschweig took their chances and were unplayable at some points and could more than easily have had four or five.