German relegation candidates win final games of 2019
PADERBORN, Germany (AP) — The Bundesliga's relegation candidates bit back on the last day of games in 2019, with Paderborn and Fortuna Düsseldorf both earning wins.
Last-place Paderborn increased the winter misery for Frankfurt with a 2-1 home win. Frankfurt has gone seven games without a win in the league.
Abdelhamid Sabiri cut inside from the left flank and hit a curving shot from outside the box to give Paderborn the lead early on, and Sebastian Schonlau made it 2-0 just before the break at a free kick.
Bas Dost cut the deficit for 13th-place Frankfurt in the 72nd minute but Paderborn held on for the win.
Fortuna climbed out of the automatic relegation places to 16th with a last-gasp 2-1 win over 11th-place Union Berlin, dropping Werder Bremen into a relegation spot.
Forward Rouwen Hennings finished off a direct move with his 11th goal of the season to give Fortuna the lead, but Union defender Michael Parensen leveled early in the second half.
Erik Thommy handed Fortuna its first win since Nov. 3 with a long-range shot off the post in stoppage time.
The Bundesliga is now on its winter break until Jan. 17.
