Fortuna Düsseldorf returned to the top of the 2. Bundesliga after beating MSV Duisburg in one of the games of the season.
The two sides shared 46 shots in this derby, with the hosts racing ahead early on through Rouwen Hennings and Jean Zimmer, whilst Moritz Stoppelkamp had a penalty saved by Raphael Wolf.
Benito Raman, who played a pivotal role in the first two goals, added the third after the break, with Stoppelkamp pulling one back immediately after
Fiery atmosphere fuels Düsseldorf into two-goal lead
The Esprit-Arena was truly buzzing, with both fans making a heck of a noise, for the first meeting between these two neighbours for 18 months. Düsseldorf made two changes with Florian Neuhaus and Raman coming in following the 2-1 win last weekend against FC St. Pauli.
Meanwhile the Zebras, who were looking for a first victory in Düsseldorf since May 1981, brought in Tugrul Erat, Fabian Schnellhardt and Kingsley Onuegbu following defeat 10 days earlier against Holstein Kiel. Kiel had overtaken Düseldorf at the top of the table following their victory against VfL Bochum on Saturday.
The match reflected the electric atmosphere in the ground. Düsseldorf struck first blood with two goals in six minutes. Raman was crucial in both. He ran down the left in just the second minute, with a cross finding an onrushing Hennings in the box, with the striker heading in his fourth goal of the season.
The Belgian striker Raman, using mostly out wide for Fortuna since joining from Standard Liège, was the instigator of another quick break four minutes later. After skipping past a hapless Erat, again he found Hennings, who joined him on the left this time, with his cross taking a deflection and finding Zimmer. In space on the other side of the box, is shot took a big deflection off Gerrit Nauber as it went into the back of the net.
Wolf concedes penalty but makes two three big saves
Duisburg tried to respond in kind. Wolf was called into action to keep out a header from Dustin Bomheuer, and Düsseldorf were lucky the rebound effort from Stanislav Iljutcenko only went sideways.
Wolf appeared to be at fault just after as he went into Onuegbu in the box, conceding a penalty as he got a slight touch on the Duisburg striker, which was enough for Robert Schröder to point to the spot. Stoppelkamp stepped up with the chance to get a goal back, but Wolf redeemed himself by parrying it away from goal.
That set the tone for the rest of the half as both teams kept going at each over. Neuhaus, the midfielder on loan from another nearby club, Borussia Mönchengladbach, had two good chances but put them both over, whilst Zimmer went wide after a blistering run down the left, Erat struggling to keep up.
Duisburg tried to give as good as they got but they came closest from a set piece. Stoppelkamp and Kevin Wolze exchanged passes, with Stoppelkamp firing towards goal. It was heading in, but Wolf, who has impressed whilst filling in for the injured Michael Rensing, tipped it onto the bar – although he took a blow to head off the post for his efforts.
Stoppelkamp makes sure Raman goal doesn’t end it
Ilia Gruev responded at half-time by hooking off Erat, with Enis Hajri coming on, and he must have given his side a rousing team talk as they bolted out of the dressing room for the second half. A dangerous cross from Stoppelkamp came off both Wolf and Robin Bormuth. Cauly Oliveira Souza’s was then headed on by Iljutcenko, but Hajri couldn’t meet it at the far post.
Then came a moment of absolute chaos. A cross from Stoppelkamp found its way to Hajri, who turned it on to the left-hand post. The ball sailed past Onuegbu before striking the other post, where waiting for it was Iljutcenko. He couldn’t turn it in, as the ball hit the post a third time, with yet another hit in the ensuing scramble as Marcel Sobottka finally got it clear.
After all that, Düsseldorf would have been relieved to score a third. Stoppelkamp managed to give the ball away, and the hosts broke, with Hennings finding Raman. He charged in on goal, placed his shot over Mark Flekken, and that was surely game over.
Stoppelkamp had other ideas. Düsseldorf conceded possession in the Duisburg box, and they countered. The cult-figure winger passed to Onuegbu, who then played it back to him, and he struck it with accuracy past Wolf to make it 3-1.
No more goals but the entertainment fails to cease
The drama was far from over. Wolf, having suffered two blows to the head, suffered a lapse of judgement as he rushed out of his box, missing the ball and eventually bringing down Iljutcenko. He wasn’t the last man so escaped with a yellow card, but a few moments later he really began to feel the damage and was replaced in goal by debutant Tim Wiesner.
The madness continued. Oliver Fink fed Neuhaus for a great chance to settle the game, but his effort was cleared off the line by Nauber. Moments later, after Duisburg had tried to counter, Raman had another great chance but couldn’t get his shot over Flekken. Duisburg responded as Iljutcenko missed before an Onuegbu header was put out by Wiesner.
Usami came on for Raman and picked off where he left off, beating Hajri after coming in from the left before shooting wide, with Hennings then striking over. Duisburg remained dangerous though with set-pieces headed over by Onuegbu, Bomheuer and Hajri.
The game barely slowed down until the very end, but Düsseldorf made it away from this memorable derby encounter with the three points to take them back to the top of the 2. Bundesliga. Duisburg remain 15th, hovering over the bottom three on goal difference alone. They are without a win in four, and have conceding 14 goals in that time.