BERLIN (AP) — Werder Bremen secured promotion back to the Bundesliga along with Schalke thanks to a 2-0 win over Jahn Regensburg in Germany’s second division on Sunday.
Hamburger SV came from behind to beat Hansa Rostock 3-2 away to clinch a two-leg playoff against Hertha Berlin on May 19 and 23 to see which club plays in the Bundesliga next season. Hertha
Goals in either half from Niclas Füllkrug and Marvin Ducksch on Sunday ensured Bremen returned to Germany’s top division after one season in the second.
Bremen finished two points behind Schalke, which
Schalke enjoyed a 2-1 win in Nuremberg to finish as second division champion. It was its ninth win in 10 games since club hero Michael Büskens returned to take over as interim coach since Dimitrios Grammozis’ dismissal in March. It completed
Darmstadt staked its claim for promotion with a 3-0 win over Paderborn, but Hamburg’s win in Rostock was enough for the former Bundesliga heavyweight to finish third – ahead of Darmstadt on goal difference – for the playoff spot.
Ingolstadt and Erzgebirge Aue were relegated to the third division, while Dynamo Dresden faces a playoff to survive in the second division.
___
More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
___
Ciarán Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP
