Kaiserslautern lost 5-1 in Darmstadt Saturday night. (Facebook/1. Fc Kaiserslautern)
1. FC Kaiserslautern’s seven game undefeated streak ended Saturday night in Darmstadt, with the Red Devils losing 5-1.
The loss also ended the team’s three game winning streak.
After Paderborn tied Magdeburg Saturday afternoon, FCK had the chance to climb to the top of the second division standings with a win.
It was not to be. The Lilien, or lilies, as the Darmstadt team is nicknamed, scored twice in the first half on goals by Killian Corredor in the 33rd minute and Fraser Hornby in stoppage time.
The Red Devils were without a real scoring chance of their own in the first half and could thank keeper Julian Krahl that they went into the intermission only down 2-0.
If FCK fans were hoping their team would make a second-half comeback, they were left disappointed.
But they did see Kaiserslautern’s first chance of the game when Frank Ronstadt’s shot sailed just past the post in the 60th minute.
Two minutes later, Darmstadt went up 3-0 on a goal by Luca Marseiler, who knocked in a ball that Krahl couldn’t get a hold of.
FCK coach Markus Anfang brought in Afeez Aremu and Aaron Opoku for Luca Sirch and Daisuke Yamoto in the 65th minute, but things didn’t get better for the Red Devils.
After two good Darmstadt scoring chances in the 70th and 71st minutes, Hornsby put the home team up 4-0 in the 73rd minute with his second goal of the game.
The Red Devils finally got on the board in the 84th minute when Daniel Hanslik took a pass from Leon Robinson and converted with a left-footer.
But the team’s defensive woes continued when Killian Corredor got past Jannis Heuer and Almamy Toure in the 88th minute to score his second goal and put Darmstadt up 5-1.
The loss drops Kaiserslautern down to fourth place in the standings with 26 points ahead of the Sunday games. Darmstadt remains in 10th place with 24 points. Everything is still tight at the top of Bundesliga 2, with only four points separating league leader Paderborn from Darmstadt.
The Red Devils close out the first half of the season next Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. match at Fritz Walter Stadium against 1. FC Cologne.
Following the winter break, FCK is at home again with a game against Ulm on Jan. 22, 2025.
December 15, 2024 9:45
