Emil Berggreen came off the bench for Braunschweig to hit a quick-fire double and send them to within just three points of the promotion play-off places, as they comfortably beat FSV Frankfurt 2-0.
Braunschweig had finally found some consistency and, following their torrid run of results after Christmas, were the side best poised to take advantage of a slip up fro the top four. Torsten Lieberknecht's side had picked up three wins in their last four, including a 4-2 win over Erzgebirge Aue last weekend. Benjamin Kessel, Marc Pfitzner and Havard Nielsen all came into the starting line-up, replacing Maximilian Sauer, Vegar Hedenstad and Gerrit Holtmann.
Despite only losing a couple of games since the turn of the year, Benno Möhlmann and his men had been struggling to pick up wins. That run continued against VfR Aalen on Matchday 30 with a 1-1 draw. Björn Schlicke was the only man not to retain his place from that game, allowing Tom Beugelsdijk to return to the starting eleven.
In what was a very even beginning, chances were limited to long-range sighters for both teams. Mirko Boland's 25-yard drive was well-struck, although Patrick Klandt was able to parry the ball to safety.
Vincenzo Girfo and Mario Engels combined well to cut open the home defence. The former found Engels on the edge of the box and he danced past the incoming challenges, though he couldn't find the bottom corner.
The game was providing little to get the twenty-thousand fans in the Eintracht-Stadion off their seats but they continued to make an almighty racket nevertheless. Both sides were doing their best to force a way through down the flanks, even though it was providing little joy for any of their respective wide-men. Ken Reichel got his delivery right and found Jan Hochscheidt, who was well-denied by a resolute Klandt.
A mistake from the usually reliable Rafal Ginkiewicz almost provided Frankfurt with the opening goal, as the Polish stopper somehow misjudged a harmless through-ball. It fell kindly to Grifo but his strike lacked power and Saulo Decarli was able to recover and hook the ball away from goal.
Frankfurt were under pressure immediately after the restart. Hochscheidt had two volley attempts blocked before Kessel was brilliantly denied by the impressive Klandt, who was proving a tough nut to crack.
The breakthrough came after Emil Berggreen arrived on the pitch and, quite literally, provided an instant impact. The sizeable forward collected a lose ball following a set-piece, turned and rifled the ball past the helpless Klandt. Berggreen had only been on the pitch a matter of seconds, but was already celebrating his third goal since his January move to the Lions.
He didn't have to wait long until he had a second, as Boland slipped in Berggreen and he finished at the second time of asking. His first attempt was poorly scuffed, though he scrambled home on the rebound and the home fans were beginning to believe there might just be something to those promotion dreams.
Klandt was called into action again, this time denying Düker in a one-on-one situation. FSV created little in the second half and were second best for large parts, ensuring that Braunschweig could comfortably claim the three points.
The Lions face Nürnberg next weekend, hoping to continue their impressive recent run. For Frankfurt, they welcome struggling 1860 München to the Frankfurter Volksbank Stadion on matchday 32.