After Darmstadt 98, SC Paderborn also overtook the previous leaders Hamburger SV in the 2nd Bundesliga.

One day after Darmstadt's leap to first place with a 2-1 win at Karlsruher SC, Paderborn improved to second place with a 3-0 (1-0) win against SV Sandhausen. At the start of the twelfth day of play, HSV surprisingly lost the Hamburg city duel with FC St. Pauli 3-0.

1. FC Heidenheim failed to get closer to the leading trio on Sunday due to the 1: 3 (1: 1) at Holstein Kiel. Jahn Regensburg ended 1. FC Kaiserslautern's series of six draws in a row with a 3-0 (1-0) away win. The Darmstadt team leads the table with 27 points, while SC Paderborn (25) is ahead of HSV, who have the same number of points, thanks to their clearly better goal difference. Heidenheimer and Hannover 96 follow in fourth and fifth place with 20 points each.

Against SV Sandhausen, Paderborn confirmed their reputation as a goal machine (32 goals). Marvin Pieringer (10th minute) with his seventh goal of the season, Robert Leipertz (47th) and Jannis Heuer (54th) ensured the clear success. The Heidenheimers in the north had to accept a surprisingly heavy setback. After Denis Thomalla's lead (31st), the guests didn't do much. Steven Skrzybski (45th/51st) and Kwasi Okyere Wriedt (66th) turned the game around for Kiel, who have caught up with the top places. Regensburg won in Kaiserslautern thanks to goals from Andreas Albers (8th/57th) and Prince Osei Owusu (85th).