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After the 3-0 win against Zwickau, Magdeburg celebrate the third division championship
Photo:
Soeren Stache / dpa
1. FC Magdeburg is returning to the 2nd Bundesliga after two years.
Coach Christian Titz's team won 3-0 (2-0) against FSV Zwickau and secured the championship in the 3rd division just three games before the end.
The rise was only logical after this season.
The team has never been worse than third place in the table and has been at the top of the league since the beginning of September.
Jason Ceka (23rd minute) gave FCM the lead.
Zwickau's Davy Frick (40th) scored an own goal for FCM shortly before the break.
After the change, Magdeburg missed numerous chances for the third goal, only Kai Brünker (88th) put the final point.
First descent prevented, then ascent made clear
The surprising 2-1 defeat of the pursuers 1. FC Kaiserslautern at SV Wehen Wiesbaden had already increased Magdeburg's chances of promotion - a draw against the Zwickau team would have been enough.
Kaiserslautern and Braunschweig in second and third place will probably play the runners-up among themselves, the two separate only two points.
On Sunday, 1860 Munich moved up to fourth place with a 6-0 (3-0) win at MSV Duisburg with 55 points.
With six points behind Eintracht Braunschweig, the chances of promotion are slim.
The father of FC Magdeburg's success is coach Titz.
The 51-year-old took over the team in February last year and saved the FCM from relegation with a strong second half of the season.
In this season, the team built on the achievements and did not let themselves be dissuaded from the goal of promotion even through small phases of weakness.
Most recently, Magdeburg was promoted to the second division in the 2017/5218 season, but only stayed there for a year.
But it wasn't just an emotional day for Magdeburg because of the promotion.
Before kick-off, the club legend Joachim Streich, who died on Holy Saturday, was commemorated.
The record goalscorer of FC Magdeburg and former GDR national team player was called »Gerd Müller of the East«.
Books of condolence were laid out at the entrances, and the center circle was filled with a huge jersey with the number nine on the back.
The team played with black ribbons, and the supporters in the fan stands formed the number nine out of black and white balloons.
Streich died at the age of 71 after a serious illness.
see/dpa