BERLIN (AP) — Small-town club Elversberg clinched promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time on Sunday by finishing runner-up in Germany's second division behind already promoted Schalke.
Dominant Display Seals Historic Victory
Early goals from Bambasé Conté and David Mokwa, followed by another from Mokwa, gave Elversberg a 3-0 win at home over last-place Preußen Münster.
This result was enough for the team to finish ahead of Paderborn on goal difference, making Elversberg the 59th club to play in the top division since the Bundesliga's formation in 1963.
"It's hard to grasp what just happened here. It feels like a dream. I'd never have imagined that (Bayern Munich star) Harry Kane will be walking out at this ground."
— Luca Schnellbacher, Elversberg forward
Rapid Rise From Fourth Tier
Elversberg, a town with 13,000 inhabitants in the southwest German state of Saarland, narrowly lost out on promotion last year in a playoff against Heidenheim.
Heidenheim was relegated from the Bundesliga on Saturday.
The club was playing at fourth-tier level until 2022, when it won promotion to the third division. It spent only one season there before earning promotion to the second division in 2023.
Hannover Misses Out on Promotion Playoff
Three teams entered the final round level on points, with both Hannover and Paderborn hoping for help from already relegated Münster against Elversberg.
Hannover was on course to finish third for the promotion playoff while leading Nuremberg 3-2. However, Luka Lochoshvili scored late for the visitors, allowing Paderborn to leapfrog Hannover with a 2-0 win at Darmstadt.
Paderborn will now face Wolfsburg in a two-leg playoff to determine which club plays in the Bundesliga next season. Wolfsburg finished third from bottom in the top division on Saturday and will host the first leg on Thursday.
"We're all a bit speechless," Hannover captain Enzo Leopold said of letting the playoff spot slip away.
Schalke Clinches Second Division Title
Schalke, which secured promotion and the second division title with two rounds remaining, signed off with a 1-0 win over Eintracht Braunschweig.
Düsseldorf Relegated to Third Division
Fortuna Düsseldorf was relegated after a 3-0 loss at Greuther Fürth. Fürth's three goals were enough to surpass Düsseldorf on goal difference and claim the relegation playoff spot.
Braunschweig finished above Fürth on goal difference and will remain in the second division next season.
Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press