Hannover, Stuttgart escape bottom three
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Japan midfielder Hiroshi Kiyotake was a key factor in Hannover's 2-1 comeback win at Hamburg to escape the Bundesliga's bottom three.
After Hamburg took an early lead through striker Michael Gregoritsch, Kiyotake converted a second-half penalty and then provided the cross for the winner. The attacking midfielder swung the ball in from the right and Senegal defensive midfielder Salif Sane powered home his header on 67 minutes. The win lifted Hannover up to 14th and pushed Werder Bremen into the bottom three after their 3-1 defeat at home to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday.
Earlier, Stuttgart also climbed out of the relegation places with a 2-0 win at home to Darmstadt, thanks primarily to an own goal. Stuttgart climbed up from second from bottom to 15th with their third win in their last six league games after Darmstadt defender Gyoergy Garics headed the ball into his own net on 68 minutes.
It was no more than hosts Stuttgart deserved, just moments after teenage striker Timo Werner had headed against the crossbar. Werner finally got on the scoresheet with the last kick of the game when he darted behind the defence and rounded the Darmstadt goalkeeper on 94 minutes. It was the first time in five away matches that mid-table Darmstadt have lost on the road.