SpVgg Greuther Fürth stunned former 2. Bundesliga leaders Hannover 96 in a clinical 4-1 win.
Serdar Dursun scored two goals in the rout for the Shamrocks, with Marcel Franke and Veton Berisha also scoring in the finest result of János Radoki’s short reign so far.
Hannover had a late consolation through skipper Edgar Prib, but after going into the game top only on goal difference, they slipped below Eintracht Braunschweig as a consequence of the heavy defeat.
Radoki looking for third win of reign
Radoki had picked up two victories already as Fürth coach, against Arminia Bielefeld and Karlsruher SC, but both had been before the winter break, with their first game after the resumption ended in a 2-1 defeat to Bavarian rivals 1860 Munich.
They made two changes to their side from that game. Stephen Sama was suspended after seeing a red card on his debut, and he was replaced by another debutant in Johannes van den Bergh, who joined on loan from Getafe CF earlier in the week. Berisha was also recalled at the expense of Sebastian Freis.
Hannover, who beat Fürth 3-1 earlier in the season, went top of the 2. Bundesliga on Monday night after a 1-0 win against 1. FC Kaiserslautern. Iver Fossum and Niclas Füllkrug dropped to the bench for them, with Waldemar Anton and Kenan Karaman coming in.
Poor Hannover punished by clinical Fürth
Hannover may have come into the game as league leaders but they barely played like it in the first half. A shot from captain Prib from outside the box was as close as they got to a goal early on, but they appeared at least to be control to flow of the game.
However against the run of play, Dursun gave Fürth the lead in spectacular style. A flick on from Robert Zulj was headed into his path by Berisha, and after bringing the ball down with his chest Dursun sent it in with an overhead kick, defying both the odds and the tight angle he was working from.
Before Hanover could respond they were two down. Zulj perfectly delivered a free-kick from the right, with both Marco Caligiuri and Franke stretching out for it, with the latter appearing to get the vital touch to beat Philipp Tschauner. There was a question of offside, but it was not picked up by the assistant referee.
Hannover remained lifeless in attack and were perhaps fortunate to make it to half time with ten men. Stefan Strandberg was penalised for a tackle on Khaled Narey, which triggering a small melee, and the rashness of it may well have earned a red card, but the referee settled for showing him yellow.
Hannover denied goal and penalty before being overwhelmed
Artur Sobiech, on for an injured Uffe Bech late in the first half, should have pulled one back almost immediately after the break. He put in the rebound after Prib had a shot saved, but it was incorrectly disallowed for offside. He was also unlucky not to get a penalty soon after, with the referee paying no attention to a trip from Calliguri.
After that promising spell though for Hannover, Fürth began to threaten once again. Dursun had a shot excellently saved by Tschauner after a cross from Narey found its way to him.
The two would then connect more directly to put the game out of sight. A quick attack came down the right, with Narey crossing in the box to Dursun, who was left with a simple finish.
As in the first half, Hannover were given little time to respond before the hosts struck again. The Hannover defence allowed a through ball, and Berisha, to pass right by them, and although the Norwegian international got around Tschauner he left himself with a tight angle to finish. He managed to evade the covering Oliver Sorg and find the back of the net.
The game was gone as a contest, although Hannover did pull a goal back in anti-climactic fashion. Prib’s free-kick from the right was somehow able to evade everyone in the box, with Balázs Megyeri caught out by the bounce of the ball. A lucky goal, but Prib and his teammates were in no mood to celebrate.