Nürnberg saw off Hannover 96 2-1 at the Max-Morlok-Stadion on Friday evening in the fifth round of the 2. Bundesliga. Julian Justvan opened the scoring early, and Mohamed Alì Zoma struck after half-time to complete the turnaround after Lars Gindorf's penalty had levelled things. The hosts remain second in the table on ten points from four matches.
Justvan found the net in the fifth minute, but Hannover responded almost immediately. Gindorf converted a penalty in the eighth minute and the visitors led for a time. Nürnberg grew into the game, though Becker and Scobel went into the book before the break. By then the home side had worked the channels and were weighing up a move.
The second half brought the decisive moment. After several substitutions, Zoma came through in the sixty-fifth minute to restore Nürnberg's advantage. Both sides brought on fresh legs, with Hannover swapping Gindorf for Thórdarson and Oudenne for Tomiak. Neubauer picked up a yellow card late on, and Janisch joined him as the game wound down.
The statistics tell a story of dominance without conversion. Nürnberg registered twenty-two shots with eight on target, and their expected goals figure stood at 2.13. Hannover managed only six shots with two on target, and their expected goals sat at 1.16. Many shots with one goal means chances went begging, though Nürnberg held firm.
The result keeps Nürnberg in the upper reaches of the table, while Hannover remain rooted in the lower half on four points. The hosts have not lost since the opening day, and the win extends their unbeaten run to five matches across all competitions. Hannover will need to find a way to create something meaningful if they want to climb.