1. FC Kaiserslautern beat Schalke 04 2-1 on Sunday, in their first game under new coach Torsten Lieberknecht, keeping the Red Devils in contention for a Bundesliga promotion.

Following three straight losses and the firing of coach Markus Anfang on Tuesday, FCK was under pressure to get back in the win column to keep its promotion chances alive.

Saturday went well for the Red Devils, when all their competitors for third place and playoff games against the Bundesliga’s 16th placed team tied.

Neither Magdeburg, Eleversberg, Paderborn or Düsseldorf could win, and on Sunday league leaders Cologne and Hamburg lost, leaving Kaiserslautern the chance to make good.

And they came through. Daisuke Yokota scored in the 35th minute putting the Red Devils in the lead. Schalke’s Moussa Sylla equalized the score in the 61st minute, scoring on a rebound off the post.

But in the 77th minute Ragnar Ache scored his 17th goal of the season off a pass from Marlon Ritter, to give FCK the win.

The victory leaves the Red Devils in seventh place but tightens the already tight second division standings. In the race for third place and the relegation games, Magdeburg has 50 points, with Elversberg, Paderborn, Düsseldorf, and Kaiserslautern all with 49 points.

Cologne and Hamburg’s weekend losses leave them in the direct promotion spots, but only four and three points ahead of Magdeburg, respectively.

With three games to play, anything is possible.

Next up for the Red Devils is a trip to Karlsruhe, which with 47 points is still in the racecontention for third place.

Then FCK plays at home against Darmstadt, before finishing the season on May 18, in Cologne.

K-town Sports