Holstein Kiel have kept 1. FC Magdeburg waiting for their first 2. Bundesliga win, coming from behind to beat them and maintain their own unbeaten start

Magdeburg had had the better chances during the first half and finally took the lead in the second through Philip Türpitz.

The home team responded though, with Alexander Mühling’s free-kick equaliser drifting in and Aaron Seydel heading in a late winner.

Magdeburg make life uncomfortable for Kiel

The home side were looking to take a solid start to the season into the international break and made two changes from their goalless draw with SSV Jahn RegensburgJohannes van den Bergh and David Kinsombi came in for Lee Jae-song and Seydel, the former having left for international duty with South Korea. On the other hand, Magdeburg were still aiming for a first-ever victory at this level, with new signing Roman Brégerie and Steffen Schäfer replacing Tobias Müller and Christopher Handke in their defence after a goalless draw with FC Ingolstadt 04.

Kiel saw more of the ball, however it has the visitors who made better use of it. Dennis Erdmann had an early sight of goal, heading on a free-kick, only to see the ball claimed by Kenneth Kronholm. Marcel Costly had their best chance though, striking wide of the far post, with Aleksander Ignjovski having a shot blocked after capitalising on a poor clearance by the Kiel goalkeeper Kronholm.

Kiel were able to step up the pressure after that. A ball into the box from Jonas Meffert towards Mathias Honsak almost led to a goal, with the winger’s header being saved on the line by Jasmin Fejzic. The former Eintracht Braunschweig goalkeeper was also equal to a shot from Mühling, after he was found by Kinsombi.

Generally though, Kiel struggled in the first half to deal with the high-intensity of Magdeburg, both on and off the ball, not allowed time in possession and looking vulnerable at the back. A ball across goal from Ignjovski could have led to the opening if anyone could have made a vital connection. They were perhaps fortunate too that a Rico Preißinger shot was deflected from danger by Meffert, and that Türpitz wasted a free-kick by putting it over.

Kiel respond excellently after falling behind

Kiel were brighter at the start of the second half, with Kinsombi missing a chance in the box and a decent Van der Burgh cross not finding anyone in the box. Some might have seen them as lucky not to be reduced to ten men though, when Magdeburg’s counter from that cross was halted by Meffert dragging back Costly. Two other defenders might have got back to stop him though, so Meffert only saw a yellow card as he wasn’t the last man.

Kingsley Schindler also went wide for Kiel, but Magdeburg remained dangerous, with Björn Rother and Christian Beck efforts saved by Kronholm. But they then took the lead, silencing the home crowd. Costly’s cross was cut back by Beck, finding Türpitz at the post to nudge the ball in. There were big appeals for offside, but the goal stood.

The Storks responded well to going behind though. Dominik Schmidt and Mühling had headed chances, but they didn’t need to be a connection with Mühling’s free-kick, from the left, with a quarter-of-an-hour to play. There might have been a slight deflection, but the ball went through everyone, and Kiel were level.

They built on that momentum. A Kinsombi cross was a bit too far forward of Benjamin Girth, whilst they had several goes at scoring after confusion in the Magdeburg box, without success. A minute later though, they led. Schindler’s cross found substitute Aaron Seydel, who headed comfortably past Fejzic. Three more minutes of normal time and another three for stoppages were not enough for Magdeburg to salvage a point.

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