EINTRACHT BRAUNSCHWEIG (Eintracht Stadion)

2.BUNDESLIGA, EINTRACHT BRAUNSCHWEIG 1-3 SV SANDHAUSEN, ATTENDANCE: 20,680

After still being in the Reeperbahn at 2am, it was with blurry eyes and a sore head that I boarded the 1024 train for Braunschweig. Luckily I was able to indulge in some 'hair of the dog' on the train to bring me back to life!

Eintracht Braunschweig were taking on SV Sandhausen in their opening game of their Bundesliga 2 campaign. This is Braunschweig's second successive season at this level after relegation from the Bundesliga in 2014.

Fancy a beer?

The club were actually founder members of the Bundesliga in 1963 and were champions (for the only time to date) in 1967. They only spent two seasons outside the top flight between 1963 and 1985, when they were relegated for a third time.

The club then spent the next 25+ years yo-yoing between divisions 2 and 3 before returning to the top flight in 2013, when they finished bottom at the end of the season.

Tickets were ordered online and collected at the ticket office next to the fan shop before the game.  The Eintracht Stadium has a capacity of 23,325 was originally opened in 1923. The ground has a running track, which is never usually a favourite of mine, but I really liked this ground. 

Maybe it was the compact nature of the stadium or perhaps, more likely, maybe it was because I was stood in the South Stand along with 9,000 Braunschweig fans. The team colours of yellow and blue also make for a colourful backdrop and the noise generated inside the stadium was fantastic.

The fans though had little to cheer in the opening 28 minutes of the game, as it was tedious to say the least, with neither team mustering a solitary attempt at goal between them.

Then the game suddenly burst into life with two goals in two minutes. Jan Hochscheidt (29) gave Braunschweig the lead when he burst through to fire home. Florian Hübner (31) then levelled things for Sandhausen when he was left unmarked to head home.

Andrew Wooten (41) gave the visitors lead just before half time when he poked home from close range. Aziz Bouhaddouz (65) ensured the victory for the visitors with another free header. Their 150 or so travelling fans were in raptures!

It was a poor defensive display from Braunschweig and the goals were wholly preventable. Despite the scoreline their supporters kept cheering the team all the way to the end of the game.