SV Sandhausen were victorious on Friday evening as they edged out FSV Frankfurt on the road to win by a 1-0 scoreline in the 2. Bundesliga.

Whilst there weren't many chances created in the first half, the second period was much livelier as Zlatko Dedic kicked things off by striking the bar for Frankfurt with less than 10 minutes gone.

However, it was Sandhausen who looked the more likely to break the deadlock, despite being second best in the first 45 minutes, and Denis Linsmayer thought he had done exactly this just before the hour, only for the goal to be harshly disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper.

Aziz Bouhaddouz hit the bar not long after, but it was Linsmayer who gave Sandhausen their deserved lead late on, finding the bottom corner with a driven shot from 25 yards with just eight minutes remaining.

This proved to be a match winning strike in the end, with Frankfurt unable to put their opponents under any late pressure as the visitors took all three points home with them.

Tight first half ends goalless

Despite coming into the game with just one win from their last five games - that, incredibly, coming at home to high flying VfL Bochum two weeks ago - it was Frankfurt who started better in the game with some good positive play, albeit all of which was thwarted either by a last ditch interception or, more frequently, the offside flag.

Their best opportunity came from a well worked move in the 24th minute that saw them struggle to get a shot off in the box after bursting forward down the right, meaning they had to work the ball back to the edge of the area instead, with Fanol Perdedaj eventually producing a low fizzing effort that just passed the far post.

Sandhausen, on the other hand, looked like a side lacking in confidence, having seen their five game unbeaten run come to an end at home to RB Leizpig last time out.

As a consequence, they struggled to create chances, though they did work André Weis in the home goal considerably just past the half hour mark, Leart Paqarada's free-kick from 30 yards parried behind by the goalkeeper as it flew towards the top left hand corner of his net.

Still, this was the closest the game came to its first goal in the opening 45 minutes, with the deadlock remaining at the interval.

Much more entertaining start to the second period

Having ended the first half strongly after Paqarada's effort seemed to inspire them to do so, it was Sandhausen on the front foot after the break, Andrew Wooten creating half a yard of space to shoot, but firing wayward when he pulled the trigger.

However, this almost acted like a wake up call for the hosts, who went down the other end and struck the bar moments later, Dedic's curling effort after cutting inside from the left looking destined for the top corner, only for the woodwork to deny him a superb goal.

The game really started to open up from here though and Sandhausen had the ball in the back of the net just before the hour, only for the goal to be disallowed.

A fantastic free-kick delivery teased goalkeeper Weis, as it did Tim Kister, the centre-half rising to connect with the ball as his opponent leapt to collect it, with the defender winning the battle as his header crashed off the bar and back into play. 

From there, Linsmayer headed in the rebound, but the referee had already blown for a foul on Weis, which looked to be a harsh decision given that Kister had his eyes on the ball and the 'keeper did not have both hands on it.

Sandhausen not disheartened as their push for a winner proves successful

If anything, the decision just drove Sandhausen on though, and Linsmayer in particular, with the midfielder seeing his curling shot from 20 yards fall just the wrong side of the far post moments later.

With Sandhausen looking more and more determined now, Bouhaddouz tried his luck from the left, but saw his shot bend in the wrong direction at the last minute as it flew behind for a goal kick.

However, it was with 15 minutes to go when he really came close, hitting the bar with a header from a corner and then forcing a superb save out of Weis with his volley on the rebound.

It would be Linsmayer who opened the scoring, and ultimately won the game, with just eight minutes to go though, the midfielder finding the bottom corner from 25 yards with a rifled effort - albeit one that got some help from a slight deflection.

Still, it was no less than Sandhausen deserved, having come out after the break looking much better than they did in the first half, with luck having gone against them in their pursuit of a goal until then.

With Frankfurt unable to muster up an effective response, despite two added minutes and a late double change, the away side were allowed to comfortably see the game out too, registering their fourth win in seven games and bouncing back from last weekend's loss.

The hosts, however, are now in danger of slipping out of the top half of the table with this defeat, and that seems very likely as they wait for the majority of the league to play later this weekend.

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About the author
Ameé Ruszkai
Head of the Sunderland, Swansea City and women football sections at VAVEL UK. Email: [email protected]