Goals from Elias Kachunga and Srđan Lakić was enough to see SC Paderborn 07 earn three points with a much needed win against Europa League hopefuls, FC Augsburg.
Pierre Højbjerg had a goal ruled out for the visitors as the team went into half-time all evens. It took Paderborn just three minutes after the restart for Kachunga to score his sixth goal of the season, with a near post finish.
Højbjerg, on loan from Bayern Munich then pulled a goal back for Augsburg just minutes later with a powerful strike from just outside the penalty area, before Lakić headed the home side in front, propelling the Bundesliga side to 16th - who will remain there should Hamburger SV lose to VfL Wolfsburg in the evening kick-off.
Paderborn kicked off in search of their first goal, and win in six games, whilst the visitors were looking for their first win in three games, after earning a 0-0 draw against Schalke last time out.
André Breitenreiter made five changes to the team that lost 2-0 against Hertha Berlin. Top scorer Kachunga returned after playing just 19 minutes in the capital, whilst Florian Hartherz, Idir Ouali, Marvin Bakalorz and Süleyman Koç all started.
Abdul Rahman Baba returned for the visitors, as the Ghanaian looked to help the Bavarian side to qualify for the Europa League.
Markus Weinzierl’s Augsburg started off the better of the two sides, with their first real opportunity coming in the opening 15 minutes. Tireless left-midfielder, Tobias Werner fired a dangerous cross towards Caiuby who laid the ball off for Raul Bobadilla, who would have tested Lukas Kruse – if it wasn’t for a last ditch tackle.
Two minutes later, Marvin Bakalorz fired his effort from 20-yards over the crossbar after Michael Heinloth found the former Borussia Dortmund player in acres of space, who ought to have found the target.
Paderborn were denied a clear penalty from Tobias Stieler when Kachunga was brought down in the box from Paul Verhaegh. The Dutchman immediately appealed his innocence before the referee waved play on.
The hosts started to show some of their early season form when Kachunga forced Marwin Hitz into making his first save, and moments later Bakalorz struck from 15-yards, which took a deflection before finding the crossbar.
Højbjerg had the ball in the back of the net for Augsburg on the stroke of half-time, after weaving his way through the Paderborn defence on the byline. However, Stieler ruled the goal out after the Danish midfielder shielded the ball from Mario Vrančić – who perhaps went down too easy.
The home side came out the second-half fired up, and were in the lead within two minutes after Kachunga got on the end of Michael Heinloth’s cross, ahead of the Augsburg goalkeeper, and the 22-year old German was never going to miss from two-yards.
Paderborn’s lead lasted just four minutes after persistence paid off for Højbjerg, who saw his strike from 20-yards wrong foot Kruse, seeing his powerful strike rattle the back of the net to give Augsburg hope with 35 minutes left to play.
Augsburg were on even terms for just another six minutes as Lakić gave Paderborn the lead again. Ouali provided a superb cross for the Croatian who made no mistake with his header.
Substitute Stefan Kutschke had the chance to put the game beyond any doubt minutes from time but the experienced striker missed an open goal from four-yards out.
Should Hoffenheim win at 1. FC Köln tomorrow, Augsburg will drop down to seventh in the Bundesliga table, and out of the final Europa League position.