First home defeat for Magdeburg: 0:3 against Hannover 96

After four draws at home, FC Magdeburg have now suffered their first home defeat. In front of 27,065 spectators, the Elbe city team lost 3-0 (0-2) to Hannover 96 on Sunday and missed out on a promotion place. Andreas Voglsammer (13th minute/23rd) and Håvard Nielsen (75th) scored for the visitors, who moved up to second place, one point behind leaders Fortuna Düsseldorf. FCN slipped to ninth place in the table.

"It's always the same against Hannover. We know what they do, are good on set-pieces and counter-attacks. We just didn't have the stability today," said Magdeburg's Jean Hugonet.

Compared to the defeat in Hamburg, Livan Burcu returned to the starting eleven, with Philipp Hercher defending on the wing and Daniel Heber moving back into the back three. The match began with both fan camps remaining silent in memory of FCM fan Hannes S., who died in 2016 in circumstances that have never been fully clarified. Voglsammer scored from a corner to give them an early lead. 96 pressed early on, FCM looked hectic in their build-up play and were too imprecise.

Magdeburg were rarely dangerous - a free-kick from Xavier Amaechi was saved for a corner by Ron-Robert Zieler (19') - but the hosts failed to create anything from open play. After FCM goalkeeper Reimann let a low cross slip over his fists, Voglsammer scored again to make it 2-0. Hannover then pulled back a little and waited for the hosts to make mistakes, while FCM searched - largely in vain - for gaps in the 96 defense. The visitors also survived a brief period of pressure from Magdeburg at the end of the first half unscathed, as FCM failed to create any danger in their finishing.

A lot of hustle and bustle and little precision

After the break, the picture from the first half quickly emerged again: Magdeburg attacked, but looked uninspired and also lacked the usual precision in their passing game. The visitors, for their part, looked to take the decision and were repeatedly dangerous in front of Magdeburg's goal from set-pieces. Overall, the game increasingly lacked pace. FCM looked completely devoid of ideas, while Hannover, with the lead behind them, took things increasingly easy.

After the Magdeburg backline failed to separate substitute Nielsen from the ball, the Norwegian made it 3:0 and finally decided the game. All three goals conceded were preceded by a lack of determination in tackles, which robbed Magdeburg of any chance of victory early on. Christian Titz's team thus reopened a construction site that Magdeburg had actually chalked up as closed.