1. FC Nürnberg ground out a narrow victory against Bavarian rivals SSV Jahn Regensburg to continue their strong start to the season.

Kevin Möhwald 78th minute strike was the difference between the two sides, as newly-promoted Regensburg remain in search for a first point in the 2. Bundesliga despite a battling display here.

Kerk and Möhwald with best chances of quiet first 45

A sell-out crowd of 15,000 filled Regensburg’s Continental Arena for the first 2. Bundesliga game to be held there (Regensburg played at the Jahnstadion the last time they were in the league five seasons ago), with Nürnberg’s fans making only a short trip down from Franconia.

They were treated to an attritional first half of football with both sides limited to a handful of chances. Sebastian Kerk, on the back of a trio of assists in the 3-0 win over former side 1.FC Kaiserslautern seven days ago, had the first meaningful shot, saved by Philipp Pentke.

Otherwise both defences were keeping it tight. Regensburg had one moment of promise when Alexander Nandzik capitalised on a mistake from Kevin Möhwald, however Eduard Löwen did enough to distract Jann George as he looked to convert Nandzik’s cross. At the other end, Asger Sörensen, the one change in Regensburg’s team at the expense of Benedikt Saller, would escape a handball appeal when a Möhwald header hit his hanging arm in the box.

Nürnberg would start to pose more of a threat in the final 15 minutes. The best attack of the game to this point then saw Kerk shoot just wide, before an excellent effort from Möhwald was palmed out by Pentke. Rurik Gíslason, who had come in for Edgar Salli, headed the resulting corner wide. Despite the odd half chance that, it would remain goalless at the break.

Goalkeeper Philipp Pentke was kept busy. | Photo: Getty/Sebastian Widmann.
Goalkeeper Philipp Pentke was kept busy. | Photo: Getty/Sebastian Widmann.

Möhwald breaks Regenburg’s resistance

Regensburg tried to readdress the balance of power in the game early in the second half. The best chance was presented to them by a Thorsten Kirschbaum error though, as he spilled what looked a simple catch. Unfortunately for them, George couldn’t swallow it up.

Nürnberg came again though, with Gíslason firing wide, before Mikael Ishak then headed wide. Sörensen then escaped another handball appeal, this time from an Enrico Valentini header, but again it was rightly turned down. Regensburg had their own penalty shouts after good combination play between George and Sargis Adamyan, the former going down in the box, but nothing doing for the referee again.

The game seemed to be drifting by the point, however the visitors would eventually break the deadlock at last with just over 12 minutes left on the clock. Möhwald, stood on the edge of the D, was the beneficiary of a cross from Valentini, firing the ball to his left, past Pentke and in.

Unfortunately for the hosts, they had little left to offer in the final ten minutes, with Der Club being able to comfortable see out the win. Two wins in two put them level on points with 1. FC Union Berlin in the early season table, whilst Regensburg have now succumbed to two narrow defeats, having lost last weekend to Arminia Bielefled.

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