1-0, min. 79, Ya Konan.
Two teams with contrasting ambitions met on Friday night as Fortuna Düsseldorf entertained Greuther Fürth at the Espirit Arena.
Fortuna, one of the better squads on paper heading into the 2015-16 season, had managed to accrue just nine points through their opening 12 matches, winning just two and placing them in 16th position.
Fürth, meanwhile, sat in 6th position with a much more healthy tally of 20 points. They had won half of their games heading into the clash in Düsseldorf, scoring 19 in the process.
Cagey opening
Marco Caligiuri, who had recently signed a contract extension to stay with the Shamrocks until 2018, found space early on from the right side of the box. His cross however evaded everyone.
Julian Koch came close for the home side in the 15th minute as he and Mathis Bolly created space around 20 yards out, the former firing a half volley that almost nipped inside the right post. Much to the relief of Sebastian Mielitz, it went wide.
A minute later, Goran Sukalo looped a header onto the roof of Rensing's net from a free kick as the game began to open up.
Sebastian Freis came within inches of giving Fürth the lead when he hit the crossbar with a curling effort in the 20th minute from the left corner of the box. The Düsseldorf defence switched off completely suspecting an offisde that never came, and they almost paid the price.
Demirbay tested Mielitz with an effort from distance just after the half hour mark; the Hamburg-loanee sending a piledriver towards the left corner that the visiting 'keeper caught superbly.
The home side actually looked the more confident of the two sides; the likes of Demirbay and Koch linking well to create in the final third without getting the killer shot thanks to the resilient Fürth back line.
It was 0-0 at the break with the two sides still deadlocked thanks to a matter of inches.
Both Frank Kramer and Stephan Ruthenbeck will have told their teams at half time that the game was still within reach, and what a vital three points it would be for either squad.
The home crowd got right behind their team as Die Roten pushed for the opener. Didier Ya Konan had a shot deflected narrowly wide in the 51st minute; the corner resulting in nothing.
Sukalo was penalised on the hour mark for an arm in the face of Demirbay, who couldn't direct the free kick goalwards from 25 yards.
Getting their reward
Fortuna continued their spell of pressure, having several set piece opportunities without threatening the goal much. Ya Konan up top seemed a solitary threat and one wondered if Kramer was considering a switch to two up front in order to force the issue.
Fabian Holthaus was introduced for the hosts in place of a seemingly injured Bellinghausen, something not ideal for Kramer.
As the game was drifting towards a goalless draw, Mielitz was called upon to make a wonderful reflex save to deny a Demirbay free kick that was whizzing towards the far corner.
The 'keeper couldn't do anything about the resulting corner though as Fortuna took a 79th minute lead. A wonderful corner was met by the head of Didier Ya Konan, who lept above a cluster of players and steered it perfectly into the far corner making it 1-0 to the hosts.
Fortuna should have sealed the game in the final minute of normal time as Schauerte was put through on goal, however Mielitz did well to deflect his effort behind for a corner.
Madlung and Bebou had late efforts, the former having a shot saved well and the latter lashing the rebound into the side netting with a minute of added time remaining.
Looking ahead
The remainder of the game passed without incident as F95 recorded a crucial three points in their bid to get back on track.
They thoroughly deserved the win and Kramer will believe this is the start of better times.
Düsseldorf move 15th temporarily with 12 points, while Fürth remain six with plenty of teams over their shoulder.
Next up for Greuther is a home game against Arminia Bielefeld, while Fortuna travel to St. Pauli in another tough fixture.
