Since sacking former manager Frank Kramerdie Kleeblätter haven't endured the upturn in form that they hoped the move would've sparked and so they headed into the game in desperate need of three points. Relegation now looks a real possibility for Fürth and having only picked up a meager three points from their last game, only 17th placed Erzgebirge Aue sit below die Kleeblätter in the form charts. Now manager Mike Büskens, in his second spell at the Trolli Arena, made three changes to the side that drew at Erzgebirge Aue last time out - Sebastian Freis, Robert Žulj and loanee Ronny Philp all entering the starting eleven. 

The Rückrunde has seen a terrible run of form from today's visitors, Eintracht Braunschweig. At the beginning of the second half of the campaign, die Löwen looked like they could challenge for an immediate return to the Bundesliga; but Torsten Lieberknecht's side have fell away and now find themselves confined to another campaign in the second flight. die Löwen welcomed back Norman Theuerkauf, Marcel Correia, Raffael Korte and Jan Hochscheidt to the starting eleven, after the group had missed Braunschweig's last outing - a goal-less stalemate at home to FC Ingolstadt 04. Last time they were away from home, Lieberknecht's side broke their away duck, defeating SV Sandhausen 1-0 in their first victory away from the Eintracht-Stadion since December.

Contrary to what the form book would suggest it would be the struggling home side that would start the brighter, and Mike Büskens side would nearly take the lead only five minutes in when a looping Sebastian Freis header drifted only inches past Rafał Gikiewicz's upright. But only moments later the game would be turned on its head and after a rash challenge from Marco Caligiuri, die Kleeblätter would be down to ten. The former Braunschweig man took down Håvard Nielsen who was clean through on goal, leaving referee Robert Kampka with no other choice but to send Caligiuri off. The following free kick resulted in nothing, as Nielsen blazed the ball well over Wolfgang Hesl's goal.

Foreboding what was likely to come, Büskens made a tactical change sacrificing Stephan Schröck for the central defender Stefan Thesker. However this didn't stop the visitors changing the tide of the game. With the extra man Lieberknecht's side were moving the ball around die Kleeblätter with ease and forced Hesl into action on numerous occasions in the minutes that followed the early red card. The best chance falling to Ken Reichel, but the defenders effort was well saved by Fürth's number one.

Despite seeing little of the ball, the hosts were a constant threat and were causing the Braunschweig defence lots of problems and after a section of sustained pressure the struggling Kleeblätter would shock die Löwen and take the lead in the 28th minute. Winter signing Sebastian Freis doing well in the build-up, beating Norman Theuerkauf and Saulo Igor Decarli before laying the ball off to Robert Žulj, who with a fist time effort beat Gikiewicz - sending Fürth into an unexpected lead.

However their joy was to be short lived as only minutes later Lieberknecht's side would level. Once again Braunschweig's play coming down their left flank, where Reichel joined up well with Nielsen. The Red Bull Salzburg loanee charging towards the by-line before squaring, which Stefan Thesker could unfortunately only put into his own net. die Löwen nearly completed the comeback moments later but Hesl once again did well to save Jan Hochscheidt's effort.

Mike Büskens side would have a late first half shout for a penalty when Sebastian Freis was felled, but Robert Kampka waved the claims away.

The second period would start in a slower pace, compared to that which the first had been played. Both sides were happy to keep the ball, Eintracht Braunschweig knowing that die Kleeblätter would soon tire being down to ten men and Fürth trying to stave off any Braunschweig pressure.

As you'd expect the longer the game went on the more of the ball die Löwen would see and this was the case. Some good play from Nik Omladič led to Braunschweig's first chance of the second period; but the Slovenians effort was weak and easy for Wolfgang Hesl to save. But die Kleeblätter hit back instantly with an effort of their own, Florian Trinks dragging a shot just wide of Gikiewiczs' goal.

The hosts began to drop deeper and deeper as the game went on, providing the visitors more space to work the ball and enact more pressure on Hesl's goal. When they did have foray's into the Braunschweig half the final ball wasn't good enough giving Lieberknecht's side opportunities to counter-attack - which they wasted, Jan Hochscheidt spurning the best chance.

The travelling  Löwen were really pushing for a winner and they'd be rewarded ten minutes before time. After some good passing on the edge of the box the ball found itself with Benjamin Kessel, who has recently announced he's leaving Braunschweig at the end of the season for Union Berlin, The right fullback squared the ball across all of the box for an on-rushing Ken Reichel to slam home in front of the travelling fans - compounding Mike Büskens side to a third defeat in five games. 

The result see's die Kleeblätter slip further into the relegation battle, providing other strugglers 1860 Munich and VfR Aalen the opportunity the close the gap on Fürth. Mike Büskens is still without a win in his second tenure at the Trolli Arena. Next up for his side is a trip to FSV Frankfurt. However for Thorsten Lieberknecht and Eintracht Braunschweig the win lifts them above Fortuna Düsseldorf, into fifth place, ahead of the weekends action - they face 1860 Munich at the Eintracht Stadion next.  

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Alex Howell
A writer of football related words. A Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga enthusiast and the only English member of FC Ingolstadt 04 and current producer of content for the official site. Thanks for visiting my profile. Find my twitter @Bundesliga_UK