SV Darmstadt 98 are early autumn champions of the 2nd Bundesliga.

The Hessians won 1:0 (0:0) at promoted 1. FC Magdeburg on Thursday, benefiting from a good 40 minutes of overtime. Patric Pfeiffer (78th minute) scored the goal, while Magdeburg’s Cristiano Piccini (54th) had previously been shown the red card for a handball in front of 18,788 spectators. After 16 matchdays, league leader Darmstadt is four points ahead of chaser Hamburger SV. Magdeburg are 14th.

With the lead in the table behind them, Darmstadt showed confidence and had a great chance to take the lead after just ten minutes. But Philip Tietz shot past the goal on the left after Braydon Manu had done the groundwork. Magdeburg gained a share of the game, but Darmstadt scored the goal. However, Pfeiffer (33rd) was offside and his header after a mistake by FCM goalkeeper Dominik Reimann did not count.

Darmstadt came out of the break much more committed, dominated the game again and played almost the entire second half with more players. Piccini was shown the red card for a handball on the sideline of the penalty area after video evidence, because the Italian had apparently prevented a clear goal chance from the referee’s point of view. The FCM now stood very deep, Darmstadt pressed more and more for the lead, but failed again and again because of Reimann. So a standard had to be used. Pfeiffer headed home a corner – and this time the goal counted.