First, they were steamrolled, then the Red Devils fought back, only to fall 5-3 to Paderborn in a roller coaster ride of a game Saturday afternoon.

It was 3-0 for the home team after only 15 minutes of play in Paderborn. SCP scored in the second, eighth and 15th minute to put a sleepy FCK in the hole. First Aaron Zehnter scored after being unmarked by the Kaiserslautern defense, then Maximilian Baur fouled Filip Bilbija in the box and Raphael Obermair converted the penalty to put SCP up 2-0. Seven minutes later it was Bibija’s turn to score, putting a header past FCK keeper Julian Krahl.

Kaiserslautern finally got into the game as the first half was winding down. Jean Zimmer sent a pass to Kenny Prince Redondo into the box where he was fouled by Paderborn’s Felix Götze. Daniel Hanslik converted the penalty to finally put the Red Devils on the board.

But the first half was not yet over. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Ragnar Ache capitalized on a Paderborn mistake and sank a left footer to narrow the score.

In the second half, it was Ache again, when in the 61st minute he headed a Hanslik corner kick into the net for his 15th goal of the season and the 3-3 tie.

Just when it looked as if the tide had turned, Paderborn struck back. Adriano Grimaldi took a midfield free kick in the 72nd minute, drove past Ache and scored a right footer past Krahl to give SCP the lead back.

Paderborn finally put the game away in the fifth minute of stoppage time, with Zehnter scoring his second goal of the game.

FCK keeper Julian Krahl injured his knee on the play and had to be substituted. Simon Simoni came in for the last two minutes of play.

The loss dropped the Red Devils into fourth place in the standings, while Paderborn climbed to second place.

The teams are off next weekend due to national team play. Kaiserslautern is back in action on March 29, when it hosts Fortuna Düsseldorf in the 8:30 p.m. Saturday game at Fritz Walter Stadium.

K-town Sports